Chopped Creamy Dill Pickle Salad
Crunchy and crisp vegetables combine with a tangy dill pickle dressing for this satisfying salad! Toasted and seasoned breadcrumbs add extra flavour and crunch!
Servings 4 -6
Equipment
Ingredients
Creamy Dill Pickle Dressing
- ⅓ cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours and drained
- ⅓ cup chopped dill pickle (about 1 large pickle)
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespooon water
- 1 tablespoon pickle brine
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon agave nectar (or maple, granulated sugar etc)
- sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill weed
Seasoned Breadcrumbs & Salad
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1½ cups fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill weed
- sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups finely chopped kale (lightly packed)
- 2 cups finely chopped red cabbage (about ½ small red cabbage)
- 2 cups chopped romaine heart (about 1 romaine heart)
- 2 cups finely chopped cauliflower (about ½ small head of cauliflower)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh dill (optional)
Instructions
- Make the dressing. In an upright blender, combine the cashews, chopped dill pickle, water, pickle brine, white wine vinegar, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, agave nectar, salt, and pepper. Blend this mixture on high until smooth and creamy. Check the dressing for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Pour the dressing into a small bowl and stir in the dried dill weed. Set aside.
- Make the toasted and seasoned breadcrumbs For topping the salad. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Pour in the olive oil and swirl it around. Add the breadcrumbs to the skillet. They should sizzle a bit. Give them a stir and then add the nutritional yeast, onion powder, dried dill weed, salt, and pepper. Once the breadcrumbs are starting to darken around the edges, lower the heat to medium-low. Keep stirring the breadcrumbs until they have dried out a bit and are evenly toasted, about 5 minutes. Remove the breadcrumbs from the heat and let them cool completely.
- Assemble the salad. In a large bowl, combine kale, cabbage, romaine, and cauliflower. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Using tongs, give the salad a thorough toss until all vegetables are coated in the dressing.
- Top the salad with the toasted breadcrumbs and fresh dill (if using). Serve immediately!
Notes
- If you like your salads/food in general on the saucier or more heavily-dressed side, I would recommend doubling the dill pickle dressing recipe!
- I really do prefer dried dill weed in this recipe! Combined with the actual pickles in the dressing, it gives that really strong dill flavour that just works. I’ve tried versions garnished with fresh dill and without, and both were just as strong with the dill flavour.
- For fresh breadcrumbs, I just pulse bits of bread in my food processor until I have uniformly small pieces.
- This salad is fully inspired by the chopped dill pickle salad kit by Taylor Farms that I keep seeing at Costco. I haven’t personally tried it (there’s dairy in a few components), but you can’t deny the flavour combo. I had to have it somehow! :)