Pickle Pizza

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Quick Bite

Pickle pizza is a tangy, cheesy pizza topped with dill pickles, usually over a ranch, garlic, or creamy white sauce instead of tomato. It is weird in exactly the way fair food and small-town pizza should be weird.

History

Pickle pizza is more of a modern Indiana fair-and-pizzeria favorite than an old pioneer recipe. Its current Indiana fame comes largely from the Indiana State Fair, where pickle pizza from Swains Concessions became a standout and won major “Taste of the Fair” attention.

The basic formula makes sense once you try it: creamy sauce, mozzarella, pickle chips, dill, and sometimes ranch or Cajun seasoning. Pickles bring acid and crunch, while the cheese and sauce calm everything down. It is basically fried-pickle energy turned into pizza.

Indiana has a long love affair with fair food, novelty snacks, and pizza that does not mind being a little goofy. Pickle pizza fits that personality perfectly. It is not trying to replace pepperoni; it is trying to make people say, “Wait, that’s actually good.”

Today, pickle pizza shows up at fairs, breweries, sports bars, and pizzerias across Indiana. Some versions are mild and ranchy, while others lean spicy with jalapeño ranch or Cajun seasoning. Either way, the pickles are not a garnish, they are the whole point.

Fun Facts

• Pickle pizza usually works better with a white or ranch-style sauce than with tomato sauce.
• The Indiana State Fair helped make it a local curiosity people actively seek out.
• It is a natural gateway food for people who already love fried pickles.

Where to Try

Indiana State Fair / Swains Concessions Indianapolis, Indiana
When the fair is running, Swains’ spicy pickle pizza is the version most tied to Indiana fair-food fame.

The Ranch Rockville, Indiana
This Parke County spot lists a Dill Pickle Pizza, making it a good year-round option for the pickle-pizza curious.

Langel’s Pizza Highland, Schererville, and Crown Point, Indiana
Their “Big Dill Pizza” gives Northwest Indiana a pickle-forward pizza option with local sports-bar energy.

Recipe

Print Recipe Cook Mode: OFF

Pickle Pizza Makes: 1 pizza Prep: 10 minutes Bake: 10–14 minutes Difficulty: Easy Style: Indiana / Fair Food Pizza

Ingredients

For the pizza

• 1 pound pizza dough
• ½ cup ranch dressing
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella
• ½ cup shredded provolone or cheddar jack
• ¾ cup dill pickle chips, patted dry
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
• Cornmeal or flour, for stretching dough

Instructions

1. Preheat: Heat the oven to 475°F. Place a pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven while it heats.
2. Make the sauce: Stir the grated garlic into the ranch dressing.
3. Stretch the dough: Stretch the pizza dough into a 12-inch round.
4. Sauce: Spread the garlic ranch sauce over the dough.
5. Add cheese: Add mozzarella and provolone or cheddar jack.
6. Add pickles: Arrange pickle chips over the cheese.
7. Season: Sprinkle with dried dill, crushed red pepper, and Parmesan.
8. Bake: Bake for 10–14 minutes, until the crust is browned and the cheese is bubbling.
9. Rest: Let rest for 2 minutes before slicing.

Traditional note: To make it more traditional, use a creamy ranch or garlic sauce, mozzarella, plenty of dill pickles, and a little dill seasoning. For a State Fair-style spin, use jalapeño ranch and a dusting of Cajun seasoning.

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