3-Ingredient Vegan Fried Pickles

If you’re the kind of person who secretly loves the deep-fried stuff but would rather not deal with hot oil splattering across your kitchen, these 3-Ingredient Vegan Air Fried Pickles are about to become one of your favorite things. They’re crispy, salty, and a slightly healthier option than deep fried pickles. No fancy prep, no hard-to-find ingredients, and barely any clean up. You can’t go wrong.

Perfect for game days, afternoon snacks, or the appetizer table.

For more Air Fryer snacks, try these Zucchini Spears, Polenta Fries, or Air Fried Sweet Potato Fries. 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Simple ingredients – Literally three things. That’s it. Minimal ingredients to search for at the grocery store. 
• Crispy pickles – Air fryer pickles come out crunchy on the outside, juicy on the inside.
• No hot oil – Your stove stays clean and your shirt stays unscathed.
• Great appetizer – Done in under 20 minutes. Perfect for your next party, movie night, or spontaneous pickle craving.

Ingredients

• Breadcrumbs – Seasoned or unseasoned. Adds crunch. You can use panko breadcrumbs for extra crispiness or regular ones if that’s what’s in the pantry. Just double check ingredients to make sure they’re vegan.
• Dill pickle slices – Dill pickles work best for that tangy kick, but sweet pickles or spicy pickle chips also work. Just don’t use pickle spears, they won’t get crispy.
• Olive oil or cooking spray – A quick spray helps everything crisp up nicely. Any neutral cooking oil like vegetable oil or avocado oil works too.

Helpful Equipment

​In addition to measuring cups and spoons, the following equipment is helpful for this recipe:

• Air fryer
• Small bowl
• Tongs or fork
• Airtight container for storage

How to Make Air-Fried Pickles

This is a detailed step-by-step guide on how to make this full recipe including photographs. For the quick version, skip ahead to the recipe card below!

Dump the breadcrumbs into a shallow bowl and grab your pickle slices straight out of the jar. The leftover juice helps the crumbs stick to the pickles, so don’t pat them dry. 

Cover each slice in the bread crumb mixture and coat both sides, then lay them in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Give them a quick spray with olive oil. The olive oil is optional, but it does help achieve that perfect golden brown crispy.

Cook the pickles at 400°F for 6 minutes. Flip them over and cook another 6 minutes until they’re golden brown and crispy.

That’s it! Serve these crispy fried pickles with your favorite dipping sauce and try not to eat them all before they hit the table. Enjoy!

Variations

• Mix up the spices – Sprinkle some garlic powder or cayenne pepper into the breadcrumbs before coating. Want more flavor? Add Italian seasoning or black pepper to the mix. 
• Mix up the pickles – You can also use this recipe with sliced baby dills or bread and butter pickles if you like sweet-and-salty situations. Whatever type of pickle you use, just keep the slices thin for best results.

How to Store

• Fridge – Store leftovers (if you have any) in an airtight container in the fridge. 
• Reheat – Air fry at 375°F for 2-3 minutes to bring back the crunch. 

More Tips

• Not Vegan? Coat in a buttermilk mixture or whipped egg whites before tossing in bread crumbs. This will yield more of a breaded pickle texture versus crispy.
• Gluten-Free? Use gluten-free breadcrumbs or flour with some extra seasonings to make these pickles gluten-free. 
• If you’re a big fan of heat, add some hot sauce or cayenne to the breadcrumb mix.
• Use a second bowl for a breadcrumb refill if it starts clumping with pickle juice.
• Want to bulk it up? Serve with a side dish like fries or coleslaw and call it dinner. I won’t judge.

FAQ