A Cheese and Pickle Sandwich is an absolute British classic. Here I’ll give you some nifty tips and tricks to creating the most delicious cheese and pickle sarnie!
If you’re reading this with some connection to the UK in anyway shape or form, this sandwich needs no introduction. For everyone else, I know what you’re thinking: ‘Do pickles and cheese go together?’ and the answer is yes, yes and absolutely yes. The sweet, tangy flavours of the pickle compliment the salty, fatty flavour in the cheese PERFECTLY. Everyone grab some bread and follow me…
Cheese and Pickle Sandwich
What type of Pickle to use?
I know when I usually hear ‘pickle’ I get images of actual pickles (pickled cucumber). But here pickle refers to a pickled vegetable chutney. In terms of what pickle to use, I’ve never used anything other than Branston. I usually go for Original Pickle because I like the big chunks, but you can use small chunk pickle or smooth, depending on your texture preference!
What Cheese to use in a Cheese and Pickle Sandwich?
The classic option is Mature Cheddar Cheese and that’s what I strongly recommend. I also like to add in Red Leicester, but you can sub more cheddar if you want! Classically you’d slice the cheese into wedges, but I prefer to grate the cheese. I find you get a better coverage of cheese. Using cheese slices is a bit like playing Tetris when you try and stack the sandwich 😂
What can I add to a Cheese and Pickle Sandwich?
I recommend any or all of these:
- Ham
- Tomatoes
- Rocket or Lettuce
- Red Onion
Process shots: butter one side of bread, spread mayo on the other (photo 1), top with pickle (photo 2), add cheddar (photo 3), add red leicester (photo 4), top with bread (photo 5), slice (photo 6).
Cheese and Pickle Toastie
You can absolutely turn a cheese and pickle sandwich into a cheese and pickle toastie! There’s just a few adjustments you’ll have to make. The main thing is to ensure you’re using thick slices of sturdy bread (something like a Sourdough works great). The other thing I recommend is spreading the pickle between the two cheeses, just to ensure it doesn’t seep into the bread.
How to make a Cheese and Pickle Toastie
- Butter outside of bread.
- Top with cheese then add pickle.
- Top with more cheese.
- Add bread and spread with butter.
- Add to large pan over medium heat.
- Fry both sides until golden.
What to serve with a Cheese and Pickle sandwich?
- Crisp/Chip Recommendation: The flavour is fairly tangy so I recommend a ready salted flavour with this sandwich.
- Side Recommendation: This sandwich goes perfectly in a soup & sandwich combo with a Tomato Soup!
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this cheese and pickle sandwich shall we?!
How to make a Cheese and Pickle Sandwich (Full Recipe & Video)

Cheese and Pickle Sandwich
Equipment
- Knife & Chopping Board
- Cheese Grater
- Frying Pan & Spatula (optional if making toastie - see notes)
Ingredients
Sandwich
Extra Goodies (optional)
- slices of Fresh Deli Style Ham
- Vine-Ripened Tomatoes, sliced
- very thin slices of Red Onion
- Rocket or Lettuce
Instructions
- Butter 2 slices of bread and spread a touch of mayo (or more butter) on the other two. Spread 1-2 tbsp of pickle on 2 slices, top with cheddar, sprinkle over Red Leicester (or more cheddar) then top with bread.
- Give it a gentle (squish) to contain the filling, then slice diagonally and enjoy! See notes for toastie version.
Quick Demo
Notes
- Use thick slices of bread sturdy bread (like Sourdough).
- Butter the outside of the bread instead of the inside.
- Fill sandwich by stacking cheese -> pickle -> cheese to prevent pickle from seeping into the bread.
- Fry over medium heat in a large pan until both sides are golden and the centre is gooey.
Your Private Notes:
Nutrition:
For more similar sandwiches check out these beauties:
British Sandwiches
- Cheese and Marmite Sandwich
- Baked Bean Sandwich
- Crisp Sandwich
- Cheese and Onion Sandwich
- ALL British Sandwiches!
If you loved this Cheese and Pickle Sandwich Recipe be sure to Pin it for later! Already made it or got a burning question? Give me a shout in the comments below!
This looks so delicious and yummy! My husband is going to love this sandwich! Can’t wait to make this!
Enjoy!! 🙂
Classic – i haven’t had one of these since i was a kid!
Definitely a throwback isn’t it!?
My first time trying this combination and I found it so delicious! Will definitely make again.
Awesome to hear! 🙂
I’m totally guilty here: I was thinking about cucumber pickles when I clicked on this link! Now that I know it’s a chutney style, it certainly sounds a lot more universally appealing than I was thinking (I happen to be a big dill pickle fan, so I would willingly try this anyway!). I have a few recipes I’ve been wanting to try for chutneys, but I was never sure how to use them up, but this recipe sounds (and looks) absolutely delightful!
Thanks Dolly – admittedly I’d probably give a dill pickle and cheese sandwich a go too!! 🤣