"Unfried Pickles" with Greek Yogurt Dipping Sauce

A healthier version of a southern favorite, this oven baked pickle with greek yogurt dipping sauce satisfies your craving without busting your calorie budget!

Baked Sandwich Stuffer Pickles

I don't know about where you call home; but fried pickles are big, serious business here in my neck of the woods. Here in the south
if you open the menu at almost any restaurant, there they are begging to be ordered from the list of appetizers. I have to admit this is not usually the kind of thing I would eat. With some coersion from my son, I tried one. I then understood the strange fascination with batter dipped, deep fried pickles sauced up with highly caloric dressing. So good and so bad at the same time, what a conundrum. I decided to take this southern favorite and remake them into something I wouldn't be ashamed of stuffing my face with. I wanted to get that crunchy coating without all the extra oil. I also wanted a slim downed version of the dipping sauce. Revamping the dipping sauce, no problem. Greek yogurt, olive oil mayo, dried herbs and seasonings-bam, done.  The biggest challenge with remaking the pickes, reducing the overwhelming salty taste.I am extremely salt sensitive. After a few tries, I finally had a winner! First, a little prep work, but so worth it for these "unfried pickles", the healthier version of their deep fried cousins. The prep work is more of a waiting game than work. I found that rinsing the pickles and then letting them dry between several layers of paper towels, exchanging the wet paper towels for dry ones after thirty minutes, was essential to getting a great finished product. Making these does require a little planning ahead to allow time for this step. Then a dip in plain flour, an egg bath, a good shake in panko and off to the oven we go.  I tried two different styles of pickles for this, just to see which I liked better. I tried spears and the long, flat sandwich stuffer pickles. Everyone at my house preferred the sandwich stuffers over the spears. Mix it up, try different styles and types of pickles and let me know which is your favorite!

Baked Pickle Spears

Unfried Pickle w/ Dipping Sauce

Pickles:* 1 – 24 Ounce Jar Dill Pickle Spears 1 – 24 Ounce Jar Dill Sandwich Stuffer Pickles 3 Cups Panko Style Bread Crumbs** 1 Cup All Purpose Flour 3 Eggs-Beaten Olive Oil or Canola Cooking Spray Rinse pickles well under cold water. Drain well. Place pickles on several layers of paper towels to dry, changing out paper towels after 30 minutes. Let pickles continue to dry for at least another 30 minutes. This step is very important to avoid soggy pickles!  Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil, spray with cooking spray. Make a station with flour, beaten eggs and panko all in separate bowls. Coat pickles with flour. I recommend coating them all at one time with the flour. Dip in egg bath, making sure to coat entire pickle with egg. If you miss part of the pickle with the egg bath, the panko will not stick. Coat well with panko crumbs. Place on baking sheet and spray generously with cooking spray. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, depending on your oven. If you want to get an extra crispy top, turn broil on for 3 to 5 minutes before removing from oven. Watch them carefully if doing this step! Dipping Sauce:*** 1 Cup Greek Yogurt ½ Cup Olive Oil Mayonnaise 1 Tablespoon Parsley Flakes 1 Teaspoon Dried Dill 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder ½  Teaspoon Sugar ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper Mix yogurt and mayonnaise together.  Add all spices and combine, mixing slowly until they are incorporated into the yogurt and mayonnaise mixture. Refrigerate until ready to use. *If only using one jar of pickles, half other ingredients except eggs, use two. **Use panko crumbs, do not substitute. Do not use seasoned.  If you use any other type of breadcrumb, you will not get as crispy a texture and the sodium content is much higher. Trust me, experience speaking here! ***I recommend making the sauce first, or even up to a day ahead of time to allow flavors to marry together.

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