Creamy Grillos Pickle Ranch Dip (Printable)
Tangy, creamy ranch dip with crunchy Grillo's pickles and fresh pico de gallo.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dairy & Base
01 - 1 cup sour cream
02 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
03 - 2 tablespoons buttermilk
→ Pickles
04 - 3/4 cup finely chopped Grillo's pickles (dill preferred)
05 - 1 tablespoon Grillo's pickle brine
→ Ranch Seasoning
06 - 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning mix (store-bought or homemade)
→ Pico de Gallo
07 - 1/2 cup diced tomato
08 - 1/4 cup diced red onion
09 - 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
10 - 1 small jalapeño, finely diced (optional, for heat)
11 - Juice of 1/2 lime
12 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, and buttermilk until completely smooth and free of lumps.
02 - Fold in the finely chopped Grillo's pickles along with the pickle brine, stirring gently to distribute evenly throughout the base.
03 - Add the ranch seasoning mix to the bowl, stirring thoroughly until all the spices are well incorporated and no dry pockets remain.
04 - In a separate small bowl, combine the diced tomato, red onion, cilantro, jalapeño if using, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Toss gently to mix all ingredients evenly.
05 - Reserve about one-third of the pico de gallo for garnish, then gently fold the remaining two-thirds into the creamy dip base until just combined.
06 - Transfer the dip to a serving bowl and top with the reserved pico de gallo and additional chopped pickles if desired.
07 - Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together, then serve with tortilla chips, fresh vegetable sticks, or crackers.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- No cooking required, which means you can throw this together while your guests are literally walking through the door.
- The pickle brine is the secret weapon that makes people keep asking what is in this dip.
02 -
- If you skip the chilling time the flavors will taste flat, so give it at least 30 minutes in the fridge if you can wait that long.
- Dicing the pickles too finely turns them into mush and you lose the satisfying crunch that makes this dip special.
03 -
- Let the cream cheese or sour cream sit out for 20 minutes before mixing so everything blends without lumps and you avoid arm fatigue.
- Taste the dip after adding the ranch mix but before the pico, because that is your last chance to adjust salt and acidity levels.