Article by: Adrienne Mitchel | Recipe by: @rileysstupidrecipes
Grillo’s Pickles are having a moment on social media – in the form of a dip.
These pickles are commonly combined with Greek yogurt, whipped cream cheese, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, ranch seasoning and other ingredients to create what’s now known as the viral “Grillo’s Pickle Dip.” Grillo’s Pickles was founded in 2008 in Boston, and can now be found in the refrigerated section at most major grocery stores.
How Grillo’s Pickle Dip became viral
The dip’s origins begin back in August, when the creator @rileysstupidrecipes posted a recipe for Loaded Dill Pickle Dip to TikTok, launching his series called Dip Me Daddy. But just this month, new versions have been circulating all over Instagram and TikTok. @cookwithhauds amassed 1.3 million views on her Feb. 16 TikTok, in which she uses jalapeno and green onions and serves them with Ruffles.
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Other creators are also putting their own spin on this dip: @kirahominique shared a gut-friendly, anti-inflammatory version earlier this month, forgoing the sour cream, whipped cream cheese and bacon, and instead used avocado, sardines and boiled eggs. @smaller_sam.pcos amassed 3.1 million views on her Feb. 15 Instagram reel of her high-protein version, blending low-fat cottage cheese and light Laughing Cow cheese wedges.
I made the dip myself, following the original recipe, to see what the hype is all about.
Making the viral Grilo’s Pickle Dip
Sourcing the ingredients was relatively easy. I first stopped at Sprouts to pick up Grillo’s Hot Spears and Boulder Canyon Avocado Oil Wavy Classic Grillo’s Pickles Potato Chips, for dipping. Then I went to Safeway to buy the rest of the ingredients. I liked that the recipe calls for a full eight-ounce container of whipped cream cheese (I would have no use for any remaining cream cheese), but you will have leftover sour cream, as it only calls for half a cup.
The recipe itself is straightforward and just involves some slicing and mixing. The recipe calls for ¾ cup of crumbled bacon. This measured out to be seven slices of cooked bacon (the entire amount in the package I had bought). I find that cooking bacon is much easier in the oven, as it’s splash-free and low maintenance. Just bake it at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, or until crispy.
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Another tip is that when slicing the pickle spears, don’t just pour them out onto the cutting board and start chopping randomly. I saw a few creators on TikTok do it this way, and I attempted as well but found the process much more cumbersome than if I had sliced each spear methodically. I ended up switching over to a food processor to dice the pickles easier.
Fresh dill can be hard to find. If it’s not available, follow this rule of thumb for substituting dried herbs for fresh: 1 teaspoon of dried herbs equates to 1 tablespoon of fresh. So for this recipe, use 2 teaspoons of dried dill.
Loaded Dill Pickle Dip
Ingredients
Loaded Dill Pickle Dip
Directions
Loaded Dill Pickle Dip
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Mix all ingredients together in a bowl before transferring to the Grillo’s Pickle bucket.
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Let it chill in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving.
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Serve with club crackers or potato chips.
Overall thoughts
This recipe makes a ton of dip, so plan accordingly. It would be great for a party or other large gathering, but if you make it just to try it yourself, you might end up with a lot of wasted food.
The dip is rich, creamy and decadent, with a nice balance of spice, saltiness and acidity. The Greek yogurt and pickles add tang, which cuts through the fattiness of the cheddar cheese and bacon. And loading it into the Grillo’s Pickle bucket does add an element of drama for the presentation.
Pickle lovers will likely make this recipe again and again, but for me, it does not dethrone my favorite dip, Mexican Street Corn Dip. The corn dip is also rich and creamy, but it amps up the spice level and has a nice sweetness and smokiness that the Grillo’s Pickle Dip doesn’t.
