The $4 Salad Kit I’m Eating All Summer

For a few years, the world has been going wild for all things dill pickle-flavored. You can now buy dill pickle-flavored mustard, lollipops, vodka, soda, and beer, to name a few (the list is endless; you just have to Google it, or visit the snack aisle at your local grocer, or any aisle in Trader Joe’s). You can even buy dill pickle-scented candles! I have to admit that I was not too fond of dill pickles until I moved to the States in my late 30s. In fact, I was one of those annoying little kids who would pick out my pickles from my McDonald’s cheeseburgers and pass the soggy mess to one (unlucky or lucky?) nearby adult. But fast forward three decades and once I bit into a piping-hot crispy fried pickle and dipped it in ranch, I was instantly converted. 

So these days I am unequivocally a proud, fully fledged dill pickle fan, and I can’t get enough (although I strongly draw the line at dill pickle-flavored cotton candy!). Some might say the dill pickle craze has had its day, but I passionately disagree; it will never be a fad for me. I am well and truly sold — especially if ranch dressing is involved!

As a culinary-trained freelance recipe developer and tester, it’s almost a career crime for me to buy one of the bagged salad kits (my chef instructor would turn in his grave!). Still, when I saw the Wegmans Dill Pickle Chopped Salad Kit and noticed it came with a dill pickle ranch dressing, it piqued my interest, and I had to at least try it. Now I am unabashed to say it is a staple in my fridge this season, and I hope it continues to be an all-year-round product! 

The salad is a selection of crisp veggies, so it’s got the texture of a crunchy coleslaw rather than a leafy salad. It has radish, shredded cauliflower, red and green cabbages, lettuce, and kale, and it comes with a bag of creamy (dreamy!) dill pickle ranch dressing to toss the salad in. The dill pickle flavor isn’t too overpowering; it’s perfectly balanced against the creamy ranch. Plus, there are toasted brioche crumbles to mix in and sprinkle on top, which add a delicious bite and texture. 

As I am usually cooking all day for my job, there are many (my family might say too many!) evenings when I don’t have any energy to be creative or to cook from scratch, so what I love about having this salad kit stocked in my fridge is all the veg prep is done for me. I’ll choose something super easy to go alongside, which means I can have dinner on the table in minutes.

This dill pickle salad pretty much goes with most things — especially a piece of salmon, breaded or battered fish, chicken, or hot dogs. However, here are three of my favorite proteins to serve alongside when I’m in a rush, or I don’t want to stand over a hot stovetop or grill.

For a super-easy but delicious midweek dinner, I often air-fry some chicken wings or thighs (and lots of hot sauce and extra ranch on the side). Therefore dinner can be on the table in about 40 minutes but with zero supervision and minimal effort! The combo is a match made in heaven with the salad.

The quickest accompaniment is to serve the salad with kielbasa or smoked sausage. Because the sausage comes already fully cooked, it only needs reheating, so I either air fry it at 375°F for 7 or 8 minutes or, when I’m really pushed for time, I steam it in the microwave for a few minutes. The smokiness of the sausage against the creamy dill pickle is such a great combo. I like to serve it with a crusty French baguette and butter on the side.

This is a great way to have a burger, but without having to fire up the grill or have oil splatters all over your stovetop. You can have homemade burgers in 30 minutes (including prep time), hold the greasy mess, and it goes particularly well with the dill pickle salad.


Find it in stores: Wegmans Dill Pickle Chopped Salad Kit, $3.99 for 9 ounces at Wegmans

Do you have a store-bought salad kit you swear by? Tell us about it in the comments below.