What Goes Well with Pickles?

Pickles pair well with rich or starchy foods that are less sharp than the pickles themselves. Olive-oil dishes, fried potatoes, and pastries can balance their acidity. Because pickles are often soured with vinegar or natural fermentation, pairing them with another strongly acidic food may overwhelm the palate. The vegetable matters, too: cucumber pickles are milder, while cabbage or pepper pickles are sharper and may pair better with richer dishes.

Pairing pickles with olive-oil dishes

Pickles served with olive-oil-based stuffed vegetables, green beans, or leeks can cut through the dish's richness and add a refreshing contrast. This pairing is especially popular in summer, when rich olive-oil dishes may feel heavy.

What do naturally fermented pickles offer?

Pickles fermented without vinegar contain live bacterial cultures that are thought to support gut flora. Pasteurized or long-boiled pickles lose much of these live cultures. Because pickles are high in salt, people who are sensitive to blood pressure are advised to eat them in moderation.

Pairing pickles with fried foods and pastries

Pickles served with fried potatoes, Turkish dumplings, or savory pastries can cut through the greasy feeling in the mouth. They are a popular accompaniment to meals centered on fried foods.

What should you avoid pairing with pickles?

Serving pickles with a dish that already has a sour sauce can make the flavors clash. For example, pickles may overwhelm the palate alongside a salad dressed with lemon. Similarly, do not add high-salt pickles to a very salty main dish.

Dishes traditionally served with pickles

Classic Turkish dishes such as white bean stew, chickpea stew, and rice pilaf are traditionally served with pickles. Their acidity is a familiar way to balance the richness of these hearty dishes. Pickles are also served with winter stews and Turkish braised meat. In some regions, people drink pickle brine separately; cabbage-pickle brine is sometimes consumed after a heavy meal in the belief that it aids digestion.

Homemade versus store-bought pickles

Homemade pickles are often fermented longer, giving them a sharper flavor and more live cultures. Store-bought pickles are often pasteurized, which extends shelf life but leaves fewer live cultures. Someone who prefers a sharper flavor may choose homemade pickles, while someone who wants a milder tang may prefer store-bought. Both can be paired according to the same principles.

Pickles on a small-plates table

At a meze table served with rakı (Turkish anise spirit) or wine, pickles add an acidic contrast among the other appetizers. A slice between dishes can refresh the palate. Pickles are often placed in the center of the table, within everyone's reach. Serve a little more when the spread includes many olive-oil appetizers to help balance the meal.