Small slices of pickles are battered and then coated in crunchy breadcrumbs. This recipe is easy to make and so fun for summer. Instead of deep frying these are air fried!
My original plan was to make deep fried pickles but if I am being honest… I got lazy and air frying is easier. If this is your first time to the blog then you may not know how obsessed I am with air frying. I love it, I can’t get enough of it. While it isn’t 100 percent like deep frying it gives you that super crispy outer coating without having to deep fry. I have nothing against deep fried foods, there is a time and place for them, but I don’t have to babysit this and then my whole house doesn’t smell like oil.
I use an air fryer from Ninja, it has a double basket and it is pretty fancy but any air fryer is great. They all work the same and there are so many good brands out there. If you are using a single basket you may just need to air fry these in batches. The pickles have so much flavor that I actually didn’t really need to add any seasoning into the batter or breadcrumbs because the pickles take care of that. You can use any pickle you like, I would suggest something like these ones. I personally wouldn’t use ones that are sweet for this recipe, but again it all comes down to personal preference.
Tips for Best Air Frying Results
- Space out the items in the air fryer. Do not pile them on top of each other, let them have room to get crispy.
- Generously spray with oil. Since we aren’t deep frying these the spray oil helps them to get crispy and get some of the greasy goodness as if were were deep frying.
- Don’t open the trays. I know it is tempting, peek once if you need to halfway through but don’t open it too much or else you will let too much heat out.
Dipping Sauce
While the air fried pickles are delicious on their own this sriracha aioli truly enhanced this dish. It is easy to make and tastes so good, I want to put it on everything. It just combines vegan mayo with sriracha, garlic power, and lemon juice. I also think these would be great dipped in vegan ranch, buffalo sauce, or even a vegan honey mustard. There are so many options but the sriracha aioli is nice because it isn’t too spicy.
FAQ
- Can I make this gluten free? Of course, just gluten free breadcrumbs.
- Can I deep fry these? Yes, just freeze for 30 minutes prior to deep frying.
- Can I bake these? I haven’t tried. It should work okay. If you do please let us all know how it goes!
- Can I freeze these? Yes! You can either freeze before air frying or after. Just make sure they are laid flat on a baking sheet and frozen individually before storing in a container.
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Air Fried Pickles
Ingredients
Fried Pickles
- 20 sliced pickles
- ⅓ cup (45g) chickpea flour
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon (110ml) water
- Pinch salt and pepper
- 5 tablespoons (46g) panko breadcrumbs
- Spray oil
Sriracha Aioli
- 2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
- 2 to 3 teaspoons sriracha
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ lemon juiced
Instructions
- Place pickle slices on a towel and let them sit for 5 minutes. Pat them dry this will allow any excess liquid to come out.
- In a bowl combine the chickpea flour, water, salt, and pepper. Whisk together until smooth.
- Place the breadcrumbs in a separate bowl or plate.
- Take 1 pickle and place in the batter. Allow excess to drip off and then coat in breadcrumbs. Pat them in so they really stick. Repeat until all are made.
- Spray both sides generously with spray oil of choice. I usually spray one side then place that side facing down and spray the other side in the air fryer.
- Place in the air fryer leaving a bit of space between them. Depending on your air fryer you may have to do this in batches.
- Air fry at 400°F (204°C) for 17 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.
- In the meantime combine the ingredients for the sriracha aioli and adjust any flavorings to your preference.
- Enjoy the air fried pickles immediately and top with sesame seeds and green onion for garnish. Serve with sriracha aioli.
Video
Notes
- If you want to deep fry these I would suggest freezing them for 30 minutes before deep frying to allow breadcrumbs to harden.
- I did not try baking these it should work just fine though. I can’t give exact temperatures and times as I did not try it myself and don’t know.
Bekah
These were amazing! I’m making a second batch of them as I type. 🙂 Thank you for yet another delicious recipe!
plantifullybased
Awww I am so glad to hear you enjoyed them Bekah!! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment and review, means a lot! <3
Jess
Awesome!!! Worked perfectly with our homemade pickle chips!
plantifullybased
woo so happy to hear you enjoyed!!
nel
will it work if you use regular flour?
plantifullybased
it should be fine! can’t say for certain since I haven’t tried myself but in this situation it should be good
Anonymous
So yummy! Made them for fam and loved them!
plantifullybased
hi! yay i am so glad they enjoyed them! thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment and review!!!