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A tangy, creamy appetizer featuring Lifeway Farmer Cheese and fresh dill pickles, topped with golden toasted panko breadcrumbs for a fried texture without deep frying. Ready in about 10 minutes and served with crackers, pretzels, or fresh veggies.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tbsp Lifeway Kefir Butter
  • 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 cups Lifeway Farmer Cheese
  • 4 fresh dill pickle spears, chopped
  • 1/4 cup freshly chopped dill
  • 1 tbsp ranch seasoning mix
  • 2–4 tbsp pickle juice (from the pickle jar), adjusted to taste
  • The toasted breadcrumbs saved from above
  • Extra chopped fresh dill pickles, to garnish
  • Chopped fresh dill, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Melt the kefir butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat until just melted.
  2. Add panko breadcrumbs and stir often, toasting 3–5 minutes until nutty and golden brown; remove from heat and set aside.
  3. Place Farmer Cheese, chopped dill pickles, chopped fresh dill, ranch seasoning mix, and 2 tablespoons pickle juice into a food processor or blender.
  4. Pulse or blend about 1 minute until combined but still textured, leaving some pickle chunks.
  5. If the dip is too thick, add additional pickle juice 1 tablespoon at a time and blend to adjust consistency.
  6. If you don’t have a food processor, mash the Farmer Cheese and chopped pickles together with a fork until combined to your desired chunkiness.
  7. Spoon the dip into a serving bowl.
  8. Sprinkle the toasted panko breadcrumbs over the dip and garnish with extra chopped pickles and fresh dill.

Notes

Use fresh naturally fermented pickles for probiotic benefits and brighter flavor, although jarred vinegar pickles work flavor-wise but lack live cultures., Don’t over-blend the dip to maintain texture with pickle chunks., Add pickle juice carefully to control tanginess and consistency., Toast panko crumbs until golden but avoid burning; add just before serving to keep crunchy., If no food processor is available, mash ingredients for a chunkier texture., Mix-ins include cooked chopped bacon for smoky flavor or minced jalapeño or hot sauce for heat., Ranch seasoning can be substituted with onion soup mix, dill dip mix, or mustard., Farmer Cheese can be substituted with a blend of cream cheese and plain Greek yogurt or well-drained cottage cheese., For a warm version, bake blended dip topped with breadcrumbs at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through and golden on top., Store leftover dip in airtight container refrigerated for 3–4 days; keep toasted breadcrumbs separate., Make dip base up to a day ahead, add toasted panko and garnish before serving.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://margorecipes.com/fried-pickle-dip/