In A Pickle: Cheese and Pickle Pairings

Pickles and cheese on TikTok — Pickles and cheese together are becoming a hot commodity

In the past few years, pickles have been becoming more and more popular. The Datassential 2023 report found that 69% of consumers have reported liking or loving pickles; 43.9% of restaurants have some kind of pickled ingredient on their menu in the second half of 2023 according to Technomic, a food service market research firm.

So it should be no surprise that pickles and cheese together are becoming a hot commodity.

Restaurants, cheese shops, and even TikTok are pairing all sorts of pickled vegetables and cheese, whether cooked together or separately on a plate.

At first, pickles and cheese may seem like entirely different parts of the food spectrum: acidic versus fatty and creamy. But that’s what makes them work so well together. Jacob Hadjigeorgis, founder of NY and CT-based restaurant Jacob’s Pickles, explains it best, “The acidity of the pickle cuts through the richness and the creaminess of cheese.” Pickles pick up the nuances of the cheese that are different when you lift the fat off the palate a little bit, he explained. It's also a great palate cleanser.

The Classic Pickle & Cheese Pairings

Many people already know a pairing of cheese and pickles: deli style sliced cheese and a pickle, often dill, sandwich. Kellie Freemire, general manager of Chicago-based Beautiful Rind and ACS Certified Cheese Professional®, recalled eating a lot of Cheddar or Swiss cheese sandwiches with pickles growing up. Cheeseburgers often come with pickles, even at McDonald’s. It’s also a fairly standard British sandwich: white Cheddar and pickles, often a Branston pickle.

Bubbies Fine Foods and Fermented Food Holdings recommends its Bread & Butter Pickles with a sharp Cheddar. Chris Glab, Chief Innovation Officer of Bubbies Fine Foods, explains, “Sharp Cheddar has a robust flavor that pairs well with the subtly sweet and tangy notes of Bubbies Bread & Butter Pickles. This combination works particularly well in sandwiches or on a cheese platter.”

Ticktockers are taking the basic cheese and pickle pairing to new heights as well. TikTok videos abound with videos of people making a “chickle” or a pickle wrapped in fried cheese. Some Ticktockers recommend using cheddar shredded cheese with Kosher dill pickle spears while others use a slice of provolone or cheddar cheese. Another variation is making Cheese Pickle Chips, which uses shredded cheese and dill pickle slices.

The other classic pairing is Alpine cheeses and cornichons, the little tart pickles. You can pair the cornichons with cheeses like gruyere or raclette or something a little funkier, Freemire said, like hornkuhkäse.

Spicy Pickles & Cheese

Hadjigeorgis also notes that people often think of pickles as tart and very salty but there are so many more options these days with artisanal pickles and complex tastes. He likes taking their signature pickle, the hot sour cuke, and combining it with a creamier cheese. “It’s sweet, savory, spice and sour, all in one bite,” he says.

While blue cheese can be an acquired taste, Hadjigeorgis notes that the cheese has so much complexity, he doesn’t want to crush it with something super strong, salty and sour. He likes to compliment it with some sweetness and a little bit of acidity. He recommends pairing Point Reyes Blue Cheese with their hot sour, which again just touches sweetness and heat but remains balanced on the salt and acidity.

Jacob’s Pickles not only features pickles in its dishes, but customers can also order a pickle flight where people can try a variety of pickles on their menu, from the hot sour to sweet and spicy carrots, and make their own pairing with their own dishes.

Texture Texture Texture

At Bubbies Fine Foods, they appreciate the contrast of flavors, textual variety, flavor enhancement of the pickle and cheese combination. In addition to Bubbies’ Cheddar and Bread & Butter Pickle combination, Glab recommends using manchego with Kosher Dill Pickles since the nuttiness and tanginess of the cheese works well with the acidity of the pickles. It would be great with a tapas meal or charcuterie board. Parmesan can also work in lieu of manchego for an antipasto platter or savory snack, Glad points out.

Some more unusual pairings include blue cheese and Sweet Bread & Butter Pickles. Glab says, “The bold, tangy flavor of blue cheese contrasts with the sweetness of pickles like sweet Bread & Butter Chips. The combination creates an intriguing flavor profile that’s both strong and balanced.” Another recommendation is goat cheese and Kosher Dill Pickles that brings together the tangy creamy goat cheese and tang of the pickle, which is great for salads or a fresh appetizer.

For people who like a bit of spice, he recommends Gouda and Spicy Pickles. “The smooth, nutty flavor of Gouda can stand up to the heat and spiciness of pickles,” Glab suggests.

In addition to cheese and pickles, an almond crunch or another nut would amp up the nuttiness of the cheese and pickle. Prosciutto is another one, Glad says, “The savory, salty notes of prosciutto enhance the rich, sharp flavors of cheddar and the sweet tanginess of our Bread & Butter Chips.” Or add an apple to provide a sweeter pairing.

You can try a variation of another classic — bagel, shmear and lox with some dill cut pickles, all on a bagel.

Beyond the Cucumber Pickle

While pickles and cheese are a great combination, there are more to pickles than just cucumbers. There’s so many different kinds of pickled vegetables and other foods that can really go well with cheese. Jacob’s Pickles makes a lot of other kinds of pickled vegetables, like beets, beans, and even jalapenos.

Tête De Moine with pickled mushrooms by Kellie Freemire

Over the summer at a Beautiful Rind, Freemire shares that they paired Tête De Moine, the shaved alpine cheese, with pickled zucchinis with a touch of tarragon. For the fall, they switch it up from the zucchini to pickled brown beech mushrooms. Freemire notes that people can be surprised by the pickled mushrooms, but find that they love the pairing.

Another unexpected pairing is a taleggio, a washed rind, with pickled apricots. They take dried apricots, pickle them with a touch of rosé. The pickled apricots cut through the stinky savoriness of the washed rind.

Freemire cautions folks about pairing fresh soft-ripened cheese with pickled vegetables, which can overwhelm the milder cheeses. She recommends picking stronger cheeses which are often firm in texture and are a bit aged to go with a pickle. However, it’s possible to pair fresh cheese and pickles. For instance, she noted that they do like to pair Meredith’s Marinated Goat & Sheep Cheese, with pickled shallots.

So if you want to dip your toe in pairing pickles and cheese, the best way to start is to just start experimenting and see what you like, explained Jacob Hadjigeorgis. He suggests seeking out local pickle producers and giving them a shot. Farmer’s markets are a good way to start finding new pickles and/or pickled vegetables as well as finding local cheese producers too.

When considering making your own pairings of cheese and pickle, Glab advises that it is important to balance “the flavors with the cheese’s richness, either by complementing its sweetness or contrasting it with acidity and spice.” It’s also important to remember that the texture between the cheese and the crunchy pickles. Glab also reminds us to “Get creative. Be bold and try unconventional pairings, and don’t forget other condiments like jams, honey, or mustards to enhance the pickles and cheese even further.”