Amp Up Your Next Sandwich With A Pickle-Mayo Slather

Pickles and mayonnaise are no strangers to sandwiches, albeit we usually add each individually. However, combining the two into one crunchy creamy condiment is the upgrade your next sandwich needs. By stirring roughly chopped pickles into your mayonnaise, you've suddenly created a tart yet buttery sauce that'll complement everything from savory meats and salty cheeses to fresh or cooked vegetables.

Plus, the numerous types of pickles and flavored mayos available allow many opportunities to diversify the flavors of your mayo-mix for the best possible sandwich pairings. For example, bread and butter pickles or jarred sweet pickle relish would make for a sweeter pickle mayonnaise. Dill pickles will bring an herbal and aromatic flavor for a more savory condiment. Cornichons would provide extra crunch and a sophisticated balance of sweet and tangy.

Of course, you don't have to stick to pickled cucumbers: Vinegary capers, jalapeños, sweet cherry peppers, onions, and beets are all wonderful options for chopping up and adding to mayonnaise. You can further elaborate pickle mayo with dried herbs, citrus zest, and spices for more depth of flavor. Using the same spices and herbs that seasoned the pickle brine like mustard, garlic, dill, black pepper, and red chili flakes, is a good starting point. For that matter, you could skip the dried spice mixture and spoon a bit of the pickling brine into the mayonnaise instead.

Because pickle mayo is just a few ingredients away from being tartar sauce, you know it will pair well with any fish sandwich, whether it's beer-battered cod or tuna fish. It's a tangy and creamy condiment to use instead of remoulade sauce on a fried catfish or shrimp po'boy. A pickle mayo with capers and dill pickles would be the perfect condiment to complement a smoked salmon sandwich with fresh red onion, tomato, and sprouts. A simple tangy and creamy pickle mayo would also take a BLT or a turkey club to new heights.

You could also add horseradish in with pickle mayo to slather onto a roast beef or steak sandwich on a crusty French bread roll. Or why not blend chipotle mayonnaise with pickled onions to complement a Mexican torta full of pork, carnitas, or spicy chorizo. For a Southern twist, use sweet pickle relish, cayenne pepper, and mayonnaise on a fried chicken sandwich.

Mix pickled peppers and carrots into mayonnaise with wasabi and lime zest for a spicy and pickly condiment to slather onto banh mi. The smoky yet caramelized taste of grilled onions, peppers, and mushrooms will also work really well with a tangy pickle mayo if you're looking for a vegetarian option. It would also brighten up a rich, earthy falafel sandwich.