Pickle Roll Ups

5 Stars (1 Review)

Yield: 8 servings

prep time: 15

total time: 15

Make Pickle Roll Ups with just 3 ingredients! Sometimes called Minnesota sushi, this quick and easy Midwestern recipe features tart dill pickles rolled up in salty ham and cream cheese. It's the perfect appetizer, snack, or side dish!

Ingredients

8 whole dill pickles see Notes below
8 slices good quality deli ham see Notes below
8 ounces 1 block regular cream cheese, at spreadable room temperature (see Notes below)

Instructions

Line a large rimmed pan with paper towels and set the ham out in a single layer. Pat the ham dry with another paper towel.
Add the pickles to a dry area of paper towels and pat them dry with another paper towel.
On a cutting board or other clean work surface, using a butter knife, spread the cream cheese evenly over each ham slice. I aim for about 1½ tablespoons of cream cheese per ham slice, but the amount may differ depending on the size of your ham slices and your own personal preference.
Set each pickle on top of the cream cheese, on a short side of each ham slice.
Tightly roll each pickle up in the ham (but don't roll so tight as to cause the cream cheese to squeeze out). Cut the uneven ends off - enjoy as a bonus while you finish these up or stash them away in the fridge for later.
For the cleanest slices, place whole pickle rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple hours, then slice into ½" pieces. Otherwise, just slice them right away - then place the pieces on a large plate or serving platter, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

To serve: I do recommend refrigerating the finished pickle roll ups for at least 1-2 hours prior to serving, to thoroughly chill them so they're extra cold and refreshing. It also helps to start with chilled pickles. You can even make these the day before.

For the dill pickles: I recommend Gedney Whole Dills (a Minnesota brand). These pickles are crunchy and classic-dill-delicious. They're about 4" long, about 1" or so in diameter - a great size for making pickle roll ups. If you can't find this particular pickle, use your own favorite - just try to find a size that matches up to these. Do not use giant whole pickles.

For the ham: I recommend using good quality ham slices that have a bit of sturdiness to them (not ultra thin shaved ham, for example). I steer clear of any "chopped ham" varieties.

For the cream cheese: I use a block of regular cream cheese. While whipped cream cheese is easier to spread, I prefer the thicker texture of a cream cheese block for both slicing and eating. Just be sure to set out the block so it comes to spreadable room temperature before you start.

To make a "pickle dog": This is a favorite eat that we enjoy at the Minnesota State Fair. Just replace the whole dill pickles with dill pickle spears (Gedney brand preferred, but not required) and replace the deli ham with good quality pastrami slices. Prepare everything the same, except do not cut the rolled up pickle spear into slices - leave it long and whole. (See the photo in my post, under "Variations")

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 Calories: 124kcal Carbohydrates: 3g Protein: 5g Fat: 11g Saturated Fat: 6g Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g Cholesterol: 37mg Sodium: 611mg Sugar: 1g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.