It was my sister Pam who introduced our family to these easy Ham and Pickle Roll Ups, and I’ve been making them ever since! And this is a tasty appetizer that’s low in carbs, but even kids will gobble them up. And check the comments for some fun variations suggested by readers!
PIN Ham and Pickle Roll Ups to make them later!
It was my sister Pam who introduced our family to these easy and low-carb Ham and Pickle Roll Ups and since then they’ve made an appearance at nearly every family holiday celebration and have become a popular recipe on Kalyn’s Kitchen, thanks Pam! And these tasty appetizer bites with ham, cream cheese, and pickles are also a perfect option if you’re looking for something that’s low in carbs for game-day fare.
My sister Pam first had the tasty ham and dill pickle bites as a store sample, and now in my family even the non-dieters will chow down on them for Super Bowl party food or an appetizer before a holiday meal.
What ingredients do you need?
- dill pickles
- deli ham slices
- cream cheese
Can you make dairy-free Ham and Pickle Roll Ups?
If you’d like to make a version of this recipe that’s dairy-free and even lower in calories, you can skip the cream cheese.
Want more variations for this ham and pickle appetizer?
Through the years lots of other variations have popped into my head, so check after the main recipe for more options for this recipe. And apparently there are endless ideas for similar little appetizer bites like this; check the comments to see what other readers have suggested. And if your family has a fun version of this, please share that in a comment as well!
Want more low-carb appetizer recipes?
Check out 50+ Low-Carb and Keto Appetizer Recipes or 25+ Low-Carb Holiday Side Dishes, Appetizers, and Salads for more tasty ideas for appetizers that are low in carbs!
How to make Ham and Pickle Roll Ups:
(Scroll down for complete printable recipe with nutritional information.)
- Start by cutting the dill pickles lengthwise into fourths or sixths, depending on how big the pickles are.
- I had baby dills, so I bought smaller slices of ham so match the size of the pickles. If I was using my favorite dill pickles, I’d just cut them in crosswise slices.
- The only part of this recipe that’s remotely labor-intensive is spreading the cream cheese on the ham, and if you let it sit out and get soft it’s pretty easy. Spread lightly or the extra will seep out when you cut the ham!
- Put a dill pickle spear on each ham slice, preparing to roll them up. (If the ham was a lot wider than the pickle spear, I’d trim it before I rolled it up.)
- Roll the ham slice around the pickle spear.
- Then put toothpicks in each roll, aligning them where you want to cut the ham. (With bigger ham slices you can get up to 5 of these from a piece of ham, but with the smaller ham I only cut 3.)
- Cut the rolls so each piece has a toothpick in it, arrange on a plate, and serve.
- You can also make them without cream cheese if you have guests who can’t do dairy or you want to reduce the carbs and calories even more.
More Low-Carb Appetizer Options:
Ingredients
- 2 large dill pickles
- 8 thin deli ham slices
- 3 T cream cheese
Instructions
- Let the cream cheese sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before you make these. (Or buy whipped cream cheese to make this.)
- Cut dill pickles lengthwise into fourths or sixths, depending on how thick the pickles are. You need as many cut pickle spears as you have ham slices.
- Spread each slice of ham with a very thin layer of cream cheese. (I used about 1 tsp. cream cheese on each ham slice. The ham doesn’t need to be completely covered with cream cheese.)
- Put a dill pickle on the edge of each ham slice and trim the ham if it’s very much bigger than the dill pickle spear. Roll up the ham around the dill pickle, then place toothpicks where you want each piece to be cut. Cut into pieces so that each piece has a toothpick.
- Arrange on plate and serve.
Notes
Other Ideas That Might be Fun:
-You can make dairy-free Ham and Dill Pickle Bites by omitting the cream cheese.
-For a spicier appetizer, mix some Green Tabasco Sauce into the cream cheese.
-For a sweeter flavor combination, try some Sugar Free Apricot Preserves or cranberry sauce mixed into the cream cheese.
-Try a flavored cream cheese (like pineapple) for a different twist.
-If you like mustard, try a very thin swipe of mustard on top of the cream cheese.
-Serve the Ham and Dill Pickle bites with a mayo-mustard dipping sauce.
Nutritional information is based on a serving size of four pieces.
This recipe came from my sister Pam, who first tasted these as a store sample.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 53Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 700mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 5g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Ham and Pickle Roll Ups are suitable for most low-carb eating plans, including Keto. When they’re made with lean ham and reduced-fat cream cheese, they would be great for any phase of the original South Beach Diet.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Appetizers for more appetizer ideas like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to Follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
My family discovered these tasty ham and pickle appetizers in 2011 and we’ve been making them ever since! The recipe was last updated with more information in 2021.
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