dill pickle dip

Dill Pickle Dip (With Clean Ingredients)

Summer is a time where fresh, seasonal veggies are abundant at the farmer’s market and in the garden. My kids have no problem eating their veggies, but our family enjoys them so much more with a good dip. This dill pickle dip is creamy, tangy, and everything you’d want in a dip. 

You might have seen the viral pickle dips going around on social media. While they do look delicious in the videos, they lean towards some ingredients I’m not a fan of. The good news? You can easily make your own dill pickle dip recipe with cream cheese and all of the good stuff, but with clean ingredients. 

Dill Pickle Dip (But Make it Clean)

Pickle dip made with Grillo’s dill pickles is all the vibe right now. And if you look at the ingredients list, it’s actually pretty clean. However, they’re not at every grocery store, and I prefer to use organic pickles whenever I can. 

If you’re up to making your own, fermented is hands down one of the best options. They’re naturally bubbling with healthy probiotics and are great for gut health. You can even make a more conventional homemade pickle with organic ingredients at home. Here are my recipes for both.

Don’t have the time or desire to make pickles from scratch? Bubbies brand from the refrigerator section is traditionally fermented and a good alternative. 

Dairy Options

The main ingredients in the dip are cream cheese, sour cream, and Greek yogurt. They create the smooth, creamy base for the tangy pickles. Cream cheese adds richness, sour cream and yogurt add a little tang, and the yogurt gives some lightness to the dip. 

I love this dill pickle dip with Greek yogurt, but other recipes make their dill pickle dip with cottage cheese. If you’re looking for a high protein dip made with cottage cheese, then you might like this smoked salmon dip or my radish dip. 

Probably the biggest clean ingredient swap in this dill pickle dip recipe is the ranch dressing seasoning. Sure you can grab a packet of ranch seasoning at any grocery store, but it’s hard to find one without MSG, artificial flavors, and mystery “spices.”

Years ago I came up with my own ranch seasoning recipe. I’ll make a big batch and use it as needed for dips, meats, and this pickle dip. You can also find a premade ranch powder here with pretty good ingredients if you prefer to buy it. 

Tips For Making Pickle Dip

Shredding your own cheese may seem like an unnecessary step, but I think its worth it. Most shredded cheese blends are coated in anti-caking agents like cellulose, which is basically sawdust (yes, really!). Often one of the kids will shred the cheese while I’m stirring together the rest of the dip. 

This pickle dip actually gets better the longer it sits. Make it the night before a party and it’ll be even more flavorful the next day. I like to save some extra bacon bits to sprinkle on top right before serving for extra crunch. It also keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days.

You can also easily adjust the spice level in this dip. Keep some of the jalapeno seeds in if you like it more spicy or add more hot sauce. Don’t like the heat? Leave the hot peppers out completely. 

With pasture-raised bacon, organic dairy, fresh spices, and probiotic pickles, this clean dill pickle dip is sure to be a hit!

Dill Pickle Dip

The viral pickle dip everyone is making… made clean with real-food ingredients. No ranch packets, no seed oils, no additives. Ready in 10 minutes and gone even faster.

  • 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
  • ½ cup sour cream (full-fat)
  • ½ cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
  • 1½ TBSP ranch dressing mix (homemade)
  • 1½ cups dill pickles (finely chopped)
  • 2 TBSP pickle juice (reserved from jar)
  • 4 green onions (thinly sliced)
  • ½ cup cheddar cheese (freshly shredded)
  • 4 slices bacon (cooked crispy and crumbled)
  • 1 jalapeno (optional, seeded and finely diced)
  • 1 tsp hot sauce
  • 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • Add the cream cheese, sour cream, and Greek yogurt to a large bowl. Beat together until smooth and creamy. A hand mixer gives the fluffiest texture, but a sturdy spoon works fine too.

  • Stir in the ranch seasoning, hot sauce, salt, and pepper until fully combined.

  • Add the chopped pickles, pickle juice, green onions, shredded cheddar, crumbled bacon, and jalapeño if using. Fold gently until everything is evenly distributed.

  • Taste and adjust as desired. Add more pickle juice for extra tang, more hot sauce for heat, or a pinch more salt if needed. Keep in mind the pickles are already salty so go slow.

  • Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld.

  • Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with extra bacon crumbles, chopped pickles, or sliced green onion.

Nutrition Facts

Dill Pickle Dip

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 225
Calories from Fat 171

% Daily Value*

Fat 19g29%

Saturated Fat 10g63%

Trans Fat 0.02g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 6g

Cholesterol 52mg17%

Sodium 1005mg44%

Potassium 154mg4%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 675IU14%

Vitamin C 4mg5%

Calcium 126mg13%

Iron 0.3mg2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

  • Serve with grain-free crackers, cucumber rounds, carrot sticks, celery, or pork rinds.
  • I also like topping the dip with some fresh dill for garnish and extra flavor.

More Healthy Dip Recipes

If you’re looking for even more clean dip recipes, give some of these a try!

What are some of your favorite dips to use or make? Leave a comment and let us know!

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7 layer dip

7 Layer Dip (Protein Packed)

While I have my favorite stand-by appetizers, I’m always looking for something new to try. Especially when it involves making a traditional dish even healthier. This 7 layer dip recipe is packed with protein thanks to a few, easy ingredient swaps. Serve it with chips, crackers, or veggies for the perfect snack or appetizer. 

I brought this dip to a gathering recently and it was a big hit judging by the empty dish I brought home. My kids also love snacking on it and I’ll often make it ahead of time for easy meal prep.

7 Layer Dip Ingredients

So what’s in a 7 layer bean dip recipe? While there have been some different variations over the years, the basic ingredients have largely stayed the same. What’s in 7 layer dip depends on who you ask, but there’s usually refried beans, sour cream, cheese, guacamole, olives and salsa or pico de gallo. 

My recipe is a 7 layer dip with taco flavors and uses Greek yogurt and cottage cheese instead of sour cream. This decreases the fat (even though I’m pro-healthy fats!), but it also really ups the protein. 

How to Make a 7 Layer Dip

The order of the ingredients doesn’t matter too much, but of course you’ll want toppings like olives and green onions on the top. Each layer is spread evenly into a clear dish to showcase the individual layers. The traditional 7 layer dip ingredients are ordered as follows:

  • Refried beans
  • Sour cream (or in this case cottage cheese and Greek yogurt)
  • Guacamole
  • Shredded cheese
  • Tomato (I use pico de gallo) 
  • Green onion 
  • Olives

This creates a beautifully layered dip that looks great at any gathering. It’s simple enough to keep in the fridge for snacktime too. 

And if you want to increase the protein even more you can add meat. Ground beef works really well and can go on top of the bean layer. I like adding meat when I make this ahead for a simple lunch. Fresh ingredients make for great flavor!

Here’s how to make the ultimate 7 layer dip that’s packed with protein.

7-Layer Protein Dip

A healthy, high-protein twist on the classic 7-layer dip! Perfect for game day, snacks, or a quick protein boost. Kid-approved and full of flavor.

  • Spread the refried beans evenly on the bottom of a serving dish.

  • Combine cottage cheese and Greek yogurt with taco seasoning. Spread this mixture evenly over the beans.

  • Add guacamole by spreading over the protein layer.

  • Layer pico de gallo evenly on top of the guacamole.

  • Sprinkle shredded cheese over the pico layer.

  • Spread black olives evenly over the top.

  • Sprinkle sliced green onions over the dip.

Nutrition Facts

7-Layer Protein Dip

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 173
Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Trans Fat 0.002g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 5g

Cholesterol 12mg4%

Sodium 599mg26%

Potassium 288mg8%

Carbohydrates 14g5%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 407IU8%

Vitamin C 7mg8%

Calcium 116mg12%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Optional Toppings

Technically this is a 7 layer dip, but who’s counting? If you want to add some more toppings for more flavor, here are a few ideas.

What are some of your favorite appetizer recipes? Leave a comment and let us know!

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