Chopped Creamy Dill Pickle Salad

Recipe from The First Mess

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 4 servings

Crunchy and crisp vegetables combined with a tangy, dairy-free dill pickle dressing makes for a perfect autumn dinner with friends. The toasted and seasoned breadcrumbs add extra flavor and crunch. 

Creamy Dill Pickle Dressing

⅓ cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours and drained*

⅓ cup chopped dill pickle (about 1 large pickle)

⅓ cup + 1 Tablespoon water

1 tablespoon pickle brine

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon maple syrup or agave nectar

Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

¼ teaspoon dried dill weed

Seasoned Breadcrumbs & Salad

1 tablespoon olive oil

1½ cups fresh breadcrumbs**

1 teaspoon nutritional yeast

½ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon dried dill weed

sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

2 cups finely chopped kale (lightly packed)

2 cups finely chopped red cabbage (I used a slaw mix.)

2 cups chopped romaine heart (I used greens mixture because that's what I had.)

2 cups finely chopped cauliflower (about ½ small head of cauliflower)

¼ cup chopped fresh dill (optional)

Instructions

Make the dressing. In an upright blender, combine the cashews, chopped dill pickle, water, pickle brine, white wine vinegar, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, agave nectar, salt, and pepper. Blend this mixture on high until smooth and creamy. Check the dressing for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Pour the dressing into a small bowl and stir in the dried dill weed. Set aside.

Make the toasted and seasoned breadcrumbs For topping the salad. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Pour in the olive oil and swirl it around. Add the breadcrumbs to the skillet. They should sizzle a bit. Give them a stir and then add the nutritional yeast, onion powder, dried dill weed, salt, and pepper. Once the breadcrumbs are starting to darken around the edges, lower the heat to medium-low. Keep stirring the breadcrumbs until they have dried out a bit and are evenly toasted, about 5 minutes. Remove the breadcrumbs from the heat and let them cool completely.

Assemble the salad. In a large bowl, combine kale, cabbage, romaine, and cauliflower. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Using tongs, give the salad a thorough toss until all vegetables are coated in the dressing.

Top the salad with the toasted breadcrumbs and fresh dill (if using). Serve immediately!

Recipe Notes

*For a quick soak, you can add boiling water to the cashews and let them soak for 30 minutes while you prep the rest of the ingredients.

**For fresh breadcrumbs, just pulse bits of bread in a blender or food processor until you have uniformly small pieces.

You can make the salad components in advance.