How To Make The TikTok Picklewich (Low Carb Sandwich Hack!)
If you’re the type to reach for pickles straight from the jar, this one’s going to be your new favorite. The TikTok-famous picklewich is everything a sandwich should be — crunchy, savory, and stacked with flavor — minus the bread. Whether you’re eating low carb, keto, or just looking for a bold and fun snack that doesn’t mess around, this is one trend that totally lives up to the hype. Each one clocks in around 223 calories and just 5g of carbs, and trust me, it’s just as good as it sounds!
If you love trying the latest trending recipes, be sure to also take a look at:
- High Protein Strawberry Jello Fluff
- Cottage Cheese Blueberry Muffins
- Air Fryer Banana Donut Holes
- Cottage Cheese Ground Beef & Sweet Potato Bowls
- Cottage Cheese Pizza Bowls
Ingredients
- Large pickle: This is the “bun” of the sandwich, so go for a big, sturdy dill pickle that can hold up to slicing and stuffing. Kosher dill or sandwich stackers work well too, but whole pickles give you that dramatic TikTok-worthy look.
- Mayo: Adds creamy richness and helps hold everything together. You can swap it for mustard, aioli, or even Greek yogurt if you prefer a lighter option.
- Turkey lunch meat: Lean, flavorful, and folds neatly into the pickle groove. Use ham, chicken, roast beef, or your favorite deli meat — it’s super versatile.
- Tomato: Adds juiciness and a pop of freshness. Cherry tomatoes can work too — just slice them thin.
- Red onion: For a little crunch and a hint of bite. If raw onion feels too sharp, soak the slices in cold water for a few minutes to mellow the flavor.
- American cheese: Feel free to swap for provolone, cheddar, Swiss, or even pepper jack if you’re feeling bold.
- Romaine lettuce: Crisp and refreshing. You can also use shredded lettuce or baby spinach for a softer texture.
You’ll also need toothpicks and paper towels.
How To Make A Picklewich
Prefer a printable recipe card? No problem! You’ll find one at the bottom of this post, and it covers absolutely everything you need to know. Here, I’m going to walk you through the steps alongside some photos of the various stages.
- Start by slicing your pickle in half lengthwise.
- Grab a spoon and gently scoop out the seeded center of each half—but don’t go overboard. You want a little trench, not a tunnel. Leaving some flesh helps everything hold together.
- Pat the pickle halves dry with a paper towel. This helps keep the sandwich from getting soggy or slippery.
- Choose your bottom half. If it doesn’t sit flat, flip it over so the outside is facing up, and carefully slice a little off the rounded side to create a flat base.
- Spread a little mayo inside each hollowed-out half—right where you scooped the seeds.
- Fold your lunch meat and layer it into the pickle groove, letting a little hang out the sides for that deli-style look.
- Halve your tomato and onion slices and stack them next, starting with the tomato. It’s going to start getting tall, so stack carefully.
- Cut your cheese slice in half and layer it in, followed by the lettuce.
- Line up the top pickle half with the bottom and secure the whole thing with three toothpicks—one on each end and one in the middle—to keep it from toppling.
- Slice the whole thing in half and dig in!
Recipe Notes
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Best served fresh: I don’t recommend storing these once assembled. The pickles release moisture and things get soggy fast — trust me, it’s just not the same the next day.
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Stacking takes patience: Pickles are slippery little things. If your sandwich starts sliding around, don’t panic — it happens to all of us. Toothpicks are your best friend here. Don’t skip them.
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Trim the bottom pickle first: Seriously, do this before you stack a single thing. Once it’s piled high, it’s game over for trying to level the base.
Variations
There are endless ways to remix your picklewich. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
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Change up the sauce: Not a mayo fan? Swap in cream cheese, mustard, chipotle aioli, ranch, or even hummus if you’re feeling fancy.
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Switch the protein: Turkey’s great, but deli ham, roast beef, salami, or shredded rotisserie chicken all work beautifully too.
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Make it spicy: Add jalapeño slices or a swipe of hot sauce for a kick.
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Go cheese crazy: Sub in pepper jack, provolone, Swiss, or your favorite cheese slices.
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Add extras: Pickled onions, cucumber ribbons, bacon, banana peppers… go wild.
Basically, if you can put it in a sandwich, you can put it in a picklewich. Have fun with it.
TikTok Viral Picklewich Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 large pickle
- 1 tablespoon mayo
- 2 slices turkey lunch meat
- 1 large slice tomato
- 1 large slice red onion
- 1 slice American cheese
- 1 large Romaine lettuce leaf
Instructions
- Start by slicing your pickle in half lengthwise.
- Grab a spoon and gently scoop out the seeded center of each half—but don’t go overboard. You want a little trench, not a tunnel. Leaving some flesh helps everything hold together.
- Pat the pickle halves dry with a paper towel. This helps keep the sandwich from getting soggy or slippery.
- Choose your bottom half. If it doesn’t sit flat, flip it over so the outside is facing up, and carefully slice a little off the rounded side to create a flat base.
- Spread a little mayo inside each hollowed-out half—right where you scooped the seeds.
- Fold your lunch meat and layer it into the pickle groove, letting a little hang out the sides for that deli-style look.
- Halve your tomato and onion slices and stack them next, starting with the tomato. It’s going to start getting tall, so stack carefully.
- Cut your cheese slice in half and layer it in, followed by the lettuce.
- Line up the top pickle half with the bottom and secure the whole thing with three toothpicks—one on each end and one in the middle—to keep it from toppling.
- Slice the whole thing in half and dig in!
Nutrition
The TikTok-famous picklewich, all dressed up and ready to impress! It’s crunchy, juicy, packed with flavor, and totally customizable. Whether you’re low-carb, just love pickles, or need a quick no-bread lunch idea, this one’s a winner.
Tried it? I’d love to hear how it turned out! Don’t forget to leave a star rating and a comment below — it helps more people find the recipe, and I love seeing your variations.
