Pickles are one of those foods that you either love them or hate them. You’re either the one picking them out of your burger, or the one collecting the extras and I’m firmly in the second camp. So when I came across this air fryer fried pickle recipe, I knew I had to give them a go.
I’ve been testing the best air fryers for years and I’ve never thought to make fried pickles. Despite having coated and fried just about any and all meats and vegetables I can think of. They’re incredibly versatile and you can coat them in all sorts of spices and different types of crumbs. I like dipping mine in sriracha mayonnaise but they’re also perfect with burger sauce.
They’re great for sharing with friends or on your own and they come together in about 15 minutes. I made mine in a Ninja Foodi Max Air Fryer but whichever model you’re using the method stays the same – simple, consistent, and maybe even enough to convert any pickle-skeptic friends.
Ingredients
I haven’t included exact measurements below as I recommend you make these pickles according to your own tastes. I’m not great with spice, for example, so I use less chilli but more garlic. It also depends on how many pickles you’re frying, so feel free to experiment.
- Pickle slices
- Flour
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Onion powder
- Chili powder
- Salt
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (or crushed cornflakes)
Equipment
- Air fryer – I used the Ninja Foodi Max
- Cooking spray
Method
This recipe is inspired by @quotetheraven2 whose video version of these air fryer fried pickles has been watched more than 3 million times.
1. Prepare your air fryer and pickles
Preheat your air fryer to 380 F / 190 C. While it heats up, slice your pickles into thick rounds or spears and pat them dry with paper towels. This step helps the coating stick and keeps the pickles from turning soggy. You can use jar pickles – and that’s my preferred type – but just make sure you dry them a little longer.
2. Set up your coatings
In one bowl, mix the flour, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, chili powder, and salt. In a second bowl, beat the eggs. Add the panko breadcrumbs to a third bowl. This three-step setup gives you a light but crispy coating for your pickles.
3. Bread the pickles
Working a few at a time – to avoid creating an eggy/floury paste – coat each pickle slice in the seasoned flour, then dip it into the beaten eggs, and finally roll it in the panko breadcrumbs. Press gently to help the crumbs stick to the pickles (the finer the crumbs, the better), then put each picking in your air fryer.
4. Air fry until golden
Lightly spray the pickles with cooking spray. Air fry for eight minutes, then flip each pickle over, spray again, and cook for another four minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Avoid overcrowding the basket and try not to open the lid too many times to get a good, golden crunch.
Carefully remove the fried pickles from the basket and let them cool for a minute or two. Serve hot with ranch, spicy mayo – my favorite is sriracha mayo – or your go-to dip like burger sauce or even houmous.
