Pickle Brine Is A Game-Changer For Your Salad Dressings

Whether you're making a classic grilled salad or a Southwestern pasta salad, you already know that the dressing is one of the most important factors. While Alex Guarnaschelli's trusted ratio for perfect salad dressing can help you get the right balance of flavors, there's one secret ingredient that will really take your recipe up a few notches: pickle brine. Food Republic asked Chef David Kirschner, CEO & Founder of dineDK Private Dining, for his input on why pickle brine works so well in salads and how much to use.

According to Chef Kirschner, pickle brine's distinct flavor works overtime to bring both a bright tanginess and some sugary notes to your dressing. He adds that you'll want to swap out a bit of the vinegar in your standard dressing recipe when using this trick. "I would recommend replacing half of the vinegar," he told us. "The pickle brine brings sweetness along with its unique flavor and acidity, so it will need that additional vinegar to keep the dressing balanced."

Depending on the type of brine you're using, you may be wondering if you have to strain out any of the seeds or spices. According to Kirschner, sometimes you do, and sometimes you don't. "If you see a lot of whole spices floating in the brine I would strain it, otherwise it isn't necessary," he said. Either way, those seasonings will add all their flavorful goodness to the dressing.

When it comes to pickle brine-infused salad dressings, there are certain salads that it will work better with — i.e., options that would benefit from the tangy salty-sweetness of the brine. "I love doing this trick with protein-based salads," Chef David Kirschner said. "Things like chicken salad, turkey salad, or roasted salmon salad would be absolutely perfect with this type of dressing." 

The rich meatiness of your favorite protein should work amazingly well with the brine, just like a few pickles on top of a deli sandwich. Think a creamy 4-ingredient chicken salad, a filling steak salad, or a classic crunchy romaine salad topped with your favorite grilled fish. Now your lunchtime salad won't just hydrate you, but you'll also have a protein-packed meal that tastes just as delicious as it looks.

While pickle brine is a no-brainer for vinaigrette-style dressings, don't be afraid of adding it to creamier recipes, as well. Dressings like Caesar, Thousand Island, or creamy Italian would all benefit from a punch of refreshing acidity. Just keep Chef Kirschner's measurements in mind when adding it in — but you can add more as needed if you can't get enough of that pickled flavor.