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What is it about garlic that's so addicting? These marinated pretzels are packed with flavor but I'm pretty sure it's the garlic that keeps me reaching for more. That and the salt.
Before I was diagnosed with gluten intolerance, every time I ate at Fazoli's, I'd get a horrible headache (or the headache I already had would get worse) and I'd always blame the garlic: "I can't believe how much garlic they use. It triggered another headache!" Uhmmm... that or maybe it was from consuming five hundred breadsticks with a pasta dinner. Hindsight is 20/20, right?
Now that I know my issue is gluten and not garlic, I can pig out on these marinated pretzels. They're easy to make too. Just whisk some spices and oil together and allow it to soak into and flavor the pretzels. They stay perfectly crispy so no worries there. Some people have told me they make similar recipes where the pretzels get baked so I tried baking these once but didn't really notice a difference. Except for the extra work and cleanup. I can live without that part.
I went a long time without eating these because the original recipe my grandma gave to me called for a packet of dry ranch and I can no longer eat dairy. (If you're signed up to receive email exclusive recipes from me, you received that original recipe last month.) I thought this dairy free version was going to be quick to figure out but it was really missing something without that ranch packet... richness maybe? I ended up adding dijon mustard to them which made them taste just like I remembered them! I feel like I always say that my revised recipes "taste just like I remember" but isn't that kind of the point?
Since this version contains dijon mustard, they need to be stored in the refrigerator but it's not as weird as it sounds! Especially after they are out of the fridge for a few minutes. I've tried the original recipe with several types of pretzels and oils and depending on what you use, some oil may not absorb into the pretzels. The Rold Gold original tiny twists (NOT gluten free) always used to work great and when I switched to gluten free, glutino pretzels soaked up olive oil almost instantly. The past couple batches haven't soaked everything up though so I do wonder if they've changed their recipe or something. If you end up with excess oil, just serve the pretzels out of a bowl lined with a paper towel. The excess oil will drip off but the flavor will stay.
Recipe
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Ranch marinated crunchy pretzels without the gluten or dairy but still packed with flavor. These make a great party snack and are so addicting!
Ingredients
- ¾ C extra virgin olive oil, canola oil, or avocado oil
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 ½ tsp dill
- 1 ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 lb gluten free crunchy pretzels (I just used the 14 oz glutino pretzels)
Instructions
- Make the marinade by whisking together the oil, mustard, and spices.
- Transfer all of the pretzels to a gallon sized resealable freezer bag and pour the marinade on top. Seal the bag well and turn it several times until the pretzels are well coated in the marinade.
- Since these contain mustard, they need to be stored in the refrigerator. Allow to set in the fridge overnight while the pretzels soak up the oil. Some pretzel brands are better at soaking up the oil than others and if yours doesn't dry up, serve these out of a paper towel lined bowl.
Notes
If you don't need this recipe to be gluten free, the Rold Gold tiny twists pretzels work great. Just be sure that you get the original and not the fat free since the fat free won't soak up the oil.
You had me at GARLIC! ???? These look so good. Such an easy and tasty treat!
Thanks! Gotta love garlicky snacks ????
How long do these stay fresh in the fridge?
Hi Amanda. I'm honestly not sure but I would guess you could get several days out of them. Just remember to bring them to room temperature when serving. I usually make these for parties so they disappear quick but we've saved the leftovers in the fridge before and I remember snacking on them for a few days after. I've only tested them with a handful of brands but they don't seem to get soggy at all. If you're looking to make these a day or two in advance of when you need them, it would be no problem! You could also cut the recipe in half if you don't think you will finish all of them.