Upgrade Your Fried Pickles With This Show-Stopping Seasoning Packet

Fried pickles come pre-loaded with briny salt and tons of vegetable flavor, making them one of the best summer side dishes and appetizers you can whip up at home. But if you're looking to really wow guests or just want to treat yourself, take a tip from New Orleans and reach for a creole seasoning packet.

The big difference between creole versus cajun is that creole has a heavier emphasis on herbs, which contributes to that heady, earthy flavor you get from New Orleans food. Cajun, on the other hand, gets a ton of taste from peppers, which gets you its trademark heat. Pickles and herbs go together like peas and carrots, and the heavier flavor from woody herbs like thyme and oregano creates something truly spectacular when combined with the sharp acidity of brine. Your best bet is to treat it like you're frying chicken and mix it directly into the batter, so the full flavors come out after they're fried in hot oil — nothing wakes up aromatics in quite the same way.

Creole cooking is anything but subtle, so pick a peck of pickles that provide more salt and acid than other flavors. If, for example, you were to use something like bread and butter, you likely wouldn't be able to taste much of it since the breading is so potent. Plus, too many conflicting ingredients in one place can sabotage each other, creating a mess of a flavor profile rather than a crunchy, bright treat.

Finding the right dipping sauce to pair with such an intense dish can get pretty tricky. You don't want your flavors to overlap too much, so avoid sprinkling your seasoning packet's leftovers into mayo or ranch — but you also don't want something so bland that you can't taste it over your breading. Instead, look to other tried-and-true combinations for something that elevates an already spectacular recipe.

Everyone knows hot chicken and pickles go together, so why not serve your pickles with some Nashville hot sauce? The sweetness of the sauce creates a dichotomy with the sharpness of your pickles, and you can even use the oil you fried them in to bridge the gap between flavor profiles. Plus, it's a great compromise for those who really love the heat of cajun seasoning but still want the herbiness of creole. After it's cooled off, you can even mix it in ranch for a new-meets-classic combo.

One way you've probably never thought to cook with mayo and may sound a little strange at first is tonnato. Made by blending mayonnaise, capers, and oily fish like anchovies or canned tuna, it's one of the most umami-rich sauces ever. However, there's something about the way that satisfying Southern crunch mixes with the Mediterranean brightness of the sauce that creates something you want a full entree of. The capers blend with the brine of the pickle, the fish elevates the earthy herbs, and the mayonnaise provides a creaminess like classic ranch.