This pickle grilled cheese sandwich is a dill pickle lover’s dream come true! Sandwiched between two slices of garlicky sourdough bread you’ll find ranch cream cheese, dill pickles, and plenty of melted cheese. Naturally vegetarian.
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What you’ll love about this recipe
- It’s simple! This sandwich is perfect for a quick lunch or a weeknight dinner. It takes just 20-minutes to prepare and is far quicker to clean up.
- It’s vegetarian! Perfect for Meatless Mondays, this sammie is prepared without a lick of meat making it vegetarian-friendly.
- Ummmm….the pickles!!! Pickles on a grilled cheese sandwich may sound bizarre to even the most avid pickle fan but I promise you it works. The salty, briny, dill flavored pickles pair beautifully with the herby ranch dressing laced cream cheese and the tangy garlic butter brushed sourdough. If you are a lover of pickles and grilled cheese, you are going to absolutely adore this sandwich!
Ingredients (+ notes & substitutions)
- Sliced dill pickles: We’re talking hamburger dill chips here. I typically put about six pickle slices on each sandwich but you could most certainly add more. Heck, you could even experiment with a different variety of pickles such as bread and butter or spicy dill.
- Cream cheese: It should be softened to room temperature so that it will easily blend with the ranch dressing and to make it easier to spread on the bread.
- Ranch dressing: For the ranch cream cheese. Whether it’s homemade or store-bought, any ranch will do! If you’re not a fan of ranch, feel free to leave it out.
- Dried parsley
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Kosher salt
- Sourdough bread: This recipe was written with large slices of square sourdough bread in mind. If you use smaller slices, you will need to make adjustments as necessary. I strongly advise choosing a crusty, dense sourdough as the softer varieties have a tendency to become soggy due to the pickles.
- Cheese: What kind of cheese you ask? Well, that’s up to you! One important aspect when deciding which type of cheese to use is that it is meltable. Personally, I opted for a combination of cheddar and dill Havarti. Other suggestions include Provolone, Swiss, mozzarella, and Colby Jack.
- Unsalted butter: If all you have is salted butter, that will work!
How to make this pickle grilled cheese sandwich (+ tips):
1. You will first need to pat dry the sliced pickles so that they don’t make the sandwich soggy. You can use a kitchen towel or paper towel to do so. Once you have patted them dry, you may set them aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and ranch dressing and set it aside.
3. In a separate small bowl, combine the parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
4. Heat a large skillet, preferably cast-iron, over medium-low heat.
5. Meanwhile, assemble the sandwiches. Set two slices of the sourdough bread aside. Take the remaining two slices of bread and spread them with the cream cheese mixture. Layer each with the sliced dill pickles and the cheese and top with the untouched slices of sourdough. Butter the outside of each sandwich then sprinkle with the spice mixture from step three.
6. Transfer the sandwiches to the hot skillet and cook for 3-5 minutes until golden brown then flip and cook another 3-5 minutes until the cheese has melted and the bread is golden brown. Remove from heat and serve warm. ** It is a good idea to keep a close eye on the sandwiches as they are cooking so that they do not brown too quickly. If they do, don’t be afraid to adjust the heat.
Storage
This sammie is best enjoyed hot out of the skillet. If you must, it may be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container for a couple of days.
Recommended Products
What to serve with this sandwich:
- A green salad.
- French fries or potato chips.
- Pasta salad like this green goddess pasta salad or this lemon orzo salad.
- Chips and dip.
- Coleslaw or cucumber salad.
If you make this dill pickle grilled cheese sandwich I’d love your feedback. Please leave a comment and/or a rating below as I greatly value your opinion. Or snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @taoofspiceblog. Love, light, and happy cooking ya’ll ♥
Pickle Grilled Cheese Sandwich
This pickle grilled cheese sandwich is a dill pickle lover's dream come true! Sandwiched between two slices of garlicky sourdough bread you'll find ranch cream cheese, dill pickles, and plenty of melted cheese. Naturally vegetarian.
Ingredients
- 12-16 sliced dill pickles
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temp
- 2 tablespoons ranch dressing
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 large slices square loaf sourdough bread
- 4 ounces cheese (see notes)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Pat dry the sliced pickles and set them aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and ranch dressing and set it aside.
- In a separate small bowl, combine the parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
- Heat a large skillet, preferably cast-iron, over medium-low heat.
- Meanwhile, assemble the sandwiches. Set two slices of the sourdough bread aside. Take the remaining two slices of bread and spread them with the cream cheese mixture. Layer each with the sliced dill pickles and the cheese and top with the untouched slices of sourdough. Butter the outside of each sandwich then sprinkle with the spice mixture from step three.
- Transfer the sandwiches to the hot skillet and cook for 3-5 minutes until golden brown then flip and cook another 3-5 minutes until the cheese has melted and the bread is golden brown. Remove from heat and serve warm.
Storage: This sammie is best enjoyed hot out of the skillet. If you must, it may be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container for a couple of days.
Notes
- What kind of cheese do you ask? Well, that's up to you! One important aspect when deciding which type of cheese to use is that it is meltable. Personally, I opted for a combination of cheddar and dill Havarti. Other suggestions include Provolone, Swiss, mozzarella, and Colby Jack.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1031Total Fat: 66gSaturated Fat: 35gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 25gCholesterol: 163mgSodium: 3880mgCarbohydrates: 80gFiber: 6gSugar: 12gProtein: 32g
The nutritional information provided is computer generated. It is only an estimate and intended for informational purposes only. Nutrition details may vary depending on various factors such as origin, freshness of ingredients, etc
Stephanie
Saturday 20th of January 2024
Finally, someone who understands that pickels really do go on grilled cheese. My mom done this when we were little, and I still do it. Everyone thinks I am crazy, and they won't try it.
There's something about the crunch, dill and vinegar pairing with the creamy cheese thst just makes it oh so yummy!
And, if you don't do the huff and puff to keep from scorching the roof of your mouth on a hot pickle, then you aren't doing it right. 🤣
Ann
Sunday 15th of May 2022
I am a dill pickle lover, and you are spot on - it is a dream come true! I made these for dinner tonight, and it was loved by everyone! I saved the recipe to make again!
Jessica Halverstadt
Monday 16th of May 2022
I am thrilled to hear that!!! Thanks so much for trying the recipe and for the positive feedback!
Moop Brown
Sunday 24th of April 2022
I'm a really big fan of pickles but would've never though to put them on a grilled cheese like these. Definitely something I need to try.
Kayla DiMaggio
Saturday 23rd of April 2022
This pickle grilled cheese sandwich was amazing! So delicious and easy to make. The perfect lunch!
Sharon
Friday 22nd of April 2022
This grilled cheese is sandwich perfection! Cheese and pickle lovers alike are going to go crazy for this.