🥒 Best Pickles for Burgers
Toppings Updated July 2026
Pickles do a specific and important job on a burger: they cut through the richness with a hit of acid, salt, and crunch. Get the pickle right and every bite tastes brighter and more balanced. Here's which pickle to use, how to cut it, and the trick to keeping it from making your bun soggy.
Why pickles matter more than you think
A burger is rich, fatty, and savory — delicious, but one-note without contrast. Pickles bring acidity (which the palate reads as "refreshing" against fat), salt, and a firm crunch. That's why a classic burger almost always includes them: they reset your palate between bites so the last bite is as good as the first. Skipping pickles is the most common reason a burger tastes "heavy."
Dill vs. bread & butter
| Pickle | Flavor | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Dill (classic) | Sour, salty, garlicky | The default — classic & smash burgers |
| Bread & butter | Sweet-and-sour | Balancing spicy or very savory burgers |
| Kosher dill / half-sour | Crunchier, less vinegary | Crunch seekers; deli-style builds |
| Spicy/hot dill | Sour + chili heat | Adding a kick to a plain burger |
| Cornichons | Tart, tiny, firm | Gourmet burgers; chopped into sauce |
Dill is the classic burger pickle — its sour, salty tang is what most people picture. Bread and butter pickles add a sweet-sour dimension that's especially good at taming heat or very savory builds. It comes down to whether you want your pickle purely tangy or a little sweet.
Chips, spears, or planks?
Cut matters for eating experience. Thin chips (crinkle or flat) are the standard — they spread coverage so you get pickle in most bites without a big crunch that shoots the whole slice out the side. Lengthwise planks give a pickle in every single bite and stay put better than chips. Whole spears on the side are for dedicated pickle lovers. For most burgers, 2–3 thin chips or one plank is the sweet spot.
Pat them dry (the soggy-bun fix)
Pickles are packed in brine, and that liquid is a fast track to a soggy bun. Blot pickle slices on a paper towel before they go on the burger. It takes five seconds and keeps the brine out of the bread — pair it with a toasted bun and a lettuce barrier from our anti-soggy guide and the base stays intact.
Beyond the slice: pickle in the sauce
Finely chopped pickle (or relish) is a key ingredient in classic burger sauce — it's what gives that drive-through special sauce its little bursts of tang. So you can get pickle flavor two ways: sliced on the burger for crunch, and minced into the sauce for an all-over tang. Doing both is a legitimately great move.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best pickles for burgers?
Dill pickle chips are the classic and most versatile choice — sour, salty, and crunchy, they cut through rich beef perfectly. Bread and butter pickles are the best sweet-sour alternative, especially good for balancing spicy or very savory burgers.
Should burger pickles be chips or spears?
Thin chips are the standard because they spread coverage across the burger. Lengthwise planks are great for getting pickle in every bite. Whole spears are usually served on the side for dedicated pickle fans.
How do I keep pickles from making my burger soggy?
Blot the pickle slices on a paper towel to remove the brine before adding them. Combined with a toasted bun and a lettuce barrier, that keeps the pickle liquid out of the bread.