Make Fried Pickles The Star Of Your Next Sandwich

If you're looking for a new sandwich filling to switch up your normal array of lettuce, meat, and cheese, fried pickles are the answer. Fried pickles are perfect for those who simply want to elevate this classic sandwich topping, but they're even better as the sandwich's star. Just try swapping them in for your sandwich's main meat or veggie.

There are a few different ways to make fried pickles. A classic deep-fried dill pickles recipe highlights the oily crisp that graces traditional fried foods, like a fried chicken sandwich. An air fryer fried pickle recipe, on the other hand, is the way to get an oil-free pickle with the same crispy, breaded coating as a traditional fry. The reason pickles are so popular on sandwiches in the first place is because they add a bit of crunchy texture that might have been missing otherwise. The fried variety also introduces the irresistible texture and flavor of fried foods while retaining the classic tang of pickles. Even though fried pickles are more often an appetizer or side dish at restaurants (just check out our worst-to-best ranking of restaurant chain fried pickles), as a main sandwich filling, they taste incredible.

As a rule of thumb, any sandwich that normally tastes good with pickles will taste even better with fried pickles. For example, fried pickles fit right into our 30-minute po boy recipe (a po boy is the New Orleans version of a sub sandwich), or they can act as a vegetarian substitute for the fried shrimp or fried chicken normally found in any number of sandwiches. They can even elevate a Cuban sandwich, a recipe that traditionally contains pickles, by adding a bit of extra crunch. Another exciting option is to use fried pickles as the star of your next cheeseburger (yes, this counts as a sandwich). You may have already tried a burger with onion rings inside, and you've certainly had a burger with pickles, so fried pickles in a burger just make sense.

Depending on the sandwich you're making, you can change the way you cut the pickles before frying them. Classic coin-shaped pickle slices are great for burgers and small sandwiches. Alternatively, cut the pickles length-wise for a shape that fits better on a long sub like a po boy. Any leftover pickles that don't fit in the sandwich will make the perfect side dish.