Cottage Cheese Dill Pickle Dip

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Gluten-free/Vegetarian/Nut-free

Skill Level: Beginner

Yield: About 4 cups

Prep Time: 15-20 minutes

Equipment Needed:

• Cutting board 

• Chef's knife 

• Food processor

The Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 22-ounce container of cottage cheese

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 of a medium-sized onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

• 1/2 cup minced dill (1 large bunch, or substitute about 2 tablespoons of dried dillweed if fresh is unavailable)

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 10 pickle spears, coarsely chopped

Procedure:

1. Add the cottage cheese to your food processor and process until it is pretty smooth. Add the minced garlic, chopped onion, minced dill, a big pinch of Kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper to the cottage cheese and process for 15-20 seconds, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl one time.

2. Transfer the cheese mixture to a large bowl and add the chopped pickles (reserve about 1/4 cup to use as garnish if you like), stirring to combine. Taste, and adjust with additional salt and pepper to your liking. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days

To Serve: Serve this zesty pickle dip with additional chopped pickles on top, if desired. This dip is divine when loaded onto a pita chip or cracker, a potato chip, or even with your favorite crudité! I also wouldn't be opposed to spreading it on a tortilla, adding some deli turkey, and rolling it up for a high-protein wrap for lunch.

Tips:

• Any type of cottage cheese would work here; I use 1% milkfat.

• I highly recommend using fresh dill vs. dried if you have the ability since fresh dill is so fragrant and the flavor will be a little better.

• Any brand of pickles can be used but I always recommend Grillo's since their flavor can't be beat!

• Do you like heat? Try using hot pickles or adding in a teaspoon or so of crushed red pepper flakes when you add your garlic to spice things up.

• The amount of garlic I recommend does make this dip pretty zesty and garlicky (sorry not sorry), so if you wouldn't describe yourself as a garlic-enthusiast (as I would), you may wish to cut back on the amount of garlic you use.

• If you are not the biggest fan of pickles but you love a good dill veggie dip, simply omit the pickles! This dip actually tastes great without them, too (but don't tell the pickle-people I said that).

• This pickle dip feeds a crowd, but if you're looking to feed a smaller group this recipe scales down (or up) beautifully.

• If you do not have a food processor, you could use a high-powered blender instead.

The Story:

Pickle lovers, unite and rejoice! What I have created for you here is all of the dill pickle-flavor you love in a luscious, creamy dip with practically none of the guilt.

A creamy dip such as this one is often made with sour cream, and while sour cream has benefits such as the probiotics it contains, it has a few drawbacks as well. Here are a few comparisons between cottage cheese and sour cream:

A half-cup serving of cottage cheese contains just 81 calories, while the same sized serving of sour cream contains a whopping 236. That same serving of cottage cheese would contain 1 gram of fat, while the sour cream would contain around 23 grams of fat. Lastly, cottage cheese is known to be a powerhouse source for protein, providing you with 14 grams per half-cup serving; the same amount of sour cream would only leave you with about 2.8 grams.

Cottage cheese also contains many vitamins and nutrients such as vitamin B12, selenium, and folate-bonus!

This Cottage Cheese Dill Pickle Dip will become your new go-to dish to bring to a summer BBQ, 4th of July picnic, or even a day at the pool or beach! Packed full of garlic, dill, and pickle flavors, this snackatizer will feed your cravings without adding to your waistline. What's not to like?!

Happy tasting!