Viral Pickle Sandwich

Behind This Pickle Sandwich Recipe

When I first saw pickle sandwiches go viral on social media, I knew I had to try them. The idea is that when you bake your favorite shredded cheese and thinly sliced pickles in the oven, you essentially get a pickle “bread” to envelope your sandwich in. It sounds a little crazy but it works!

I decided to amp up the tangy flavor by creating an Italian Grinder version—a variety of cold cuts topped with a tangy, creamy salad featuring red onions and banana peppers. It’s similar to the filling in my chopped Italian grinder sandwich, it’s just not chopped.

But, of course, you can add anything you want to your pickle sandwich! It makes a yummy low-carb alternative to regular bread, and you can really taste the pickle and cheese, so it adds more flavor too. Yum.

Tips from My Kitchen

• Use sandwich stacker pickles. I’ve found that the jars of sandwich stacker pickles work best for making these sandwiches. They are already sliced very thin and are about the length of a sandwich. You could slice a regular dill pickle yourself but it’s so much easier to just use these.
• Avoid excess pickle juice. While I’ve seen that some people like to blot their pickles dry with a paper towel, I’ve never found that step necessary. What I do, however, is let the pickle juice drip off the pickle above the jar before adding it to the baking sheet.
• Reposition the pickles if needed. As the cheese melts and flattens, sometimes the pickles will slide off to the side a bit. I like to check about halfway through the baking time and gently push the pickles back on top of the cheese if needed.
• Cool before assembling. Give the pickle cheese bread five minutes or so to cool on the baking sheet before assembling the sandwiches. The cheese needs a chance to solidify a bit.

Ingredients You’ll Need & Why

All you need for these pickle sandwiches are pickles and cheese for the “bread” and your favorite sandwich toppings.

• Pickles – I recommend the sandwich stacker dill pickles because they are long and thinly sliced.
• Cheese – I used a combination of Colby Jack and cheddar. I recommend a medium cheddar unless you like sharp cheese. You can also use flavored cheeses like dill havarti (often found in the specialty cheese section near the deli).
• Toppings – For my Italian grinder pickle sandwich, I used Genoa salami, pepperoni, and turkey, plus tomatoes, lettuce, onion, and banana peppers in my homemade Italian grinder dressing. Feel free to customize with any toppings you prefer!

How To Make a Pickle Sandwich

These sandwiches are so easy to make. They’re perfect for weekend lunches or a simple dinner. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

• Assemble the “bread”. Place shredded cheese in two rectangles side-by-side on a pan lined with parchment paper. They should be about the size of a slice of bread. Place 3-4 pickle slices on top of the cheese. Sprinkle more cheese on top.
• Bake. Bake the pickles and cheese at 400F for 20-25 minutes. Check halfway through to make sure the pickles are still in place and to scoot them back if needed. The edges should be browned and crispy when they’re done.
• Make the grinder salad. In the meantime, combine all of the grinder dressing ingredients in a bowl. Add the lettuce, onion, and banana peppers. Mix to coat the veggies.
• Assemble the sandwich. Let the pickle bread cool for about 5 minutes. If desired, add the layers of meat to a pan and broil for 1-2 minutes to warm through. Add the meats on top of one slice of pickle bread then top with the grinder salad and tomato slices. Finish with the second pickle layer. Enjoy!

Other Topping Ideas

This pickle cheese bread can be used to make pretty much any sandwich. Feel free to layer it with mayo, your favorite deli meats, lettuce, and tomato. Or use it as a base for chicken salad, tuna salad, or anything else.

A fun twist on the grinder sandwich I love so much is to load it up with Italian grinder chicken salad instead of the deli meats. It works great with other chicken salad recipes too, like jalapeno popper chicken salad and guacamole chicken salad.

How To Store Pickle “Bread”

This pickle cheese bread stores surprisingly well. When I made this sandwich, half was plenty. I wrapped up the other half, and since it’s not sitting on a tortilla or bread, it kept well for over 2 days in the fridge.

The “bread” itself can be stored in the fridge for up to a week, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.

Looking For More Pickle Recipes?

• Chicken Bacon Pickle Pizza
• Dill Pickle Dip
• Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
• Bacon Parmesan Pickle Chips
• Dill Pickle Chicken Salad

I hope you enjoyed this viral pickle sandwich recipe. I look forward to your questions and feedback below.

Please be sure to tag me @BadBatchBaking using hashtag #badbatchbaking if you made this recipe, and I will feature you on my story! Plus, I LOVE to see your baking accomplishments.