Store-Bought Pickles Too Bland? Don't Be Afraid To Add To Them

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

There are numerous grocery store pickle brands to choose from when you're looking for a tart and tangy sandwich accompaniment or anytime snack. If you've found your latest store-bought selection to be lacking, or simply want to try dressing up your go-to gherkins with a bit more fun flavor, there are a handful of easy additions you can make to your pickle jar. Between putting in a little -– or a lot -– more garlic, your favorite hot peppers, a dash of soy sauce, a drizzle of maple syrup, or hot sauce, these ingredients are all excellent choices to level up a jar of simple store-bought pickles to new heights of taste.

Depending on the specific profile already established in your store-bought pickle jar, you'll want to think carefully about how the ingredients you include will help to achieve your desired results. It can also help to drain a small amount of brine from the jar to make room. If you want more of an intense potency, then a few heaping spoonfuls of jarred minced garlic, garlic powder, or garlic chips is just the thing. For extra heat, your favorite hot peppers and hot sauce are a must. Getting creative with other add-ins like soy sauce also provide a unique umami taste. To give your jarred pickles more of a bread and butter-style spin, adding a sweetener like maple syrup makes a big difference. These are just a few ways to spruce up your spears.

It's important to understand proper safety when adding fresh ingredients to a jar of store-bought pickles. For example, it can be dangerous to make garlic confit because of the risk of botulism inherent in leaving a jar of raw garlic preserved in oil out at room temperature. This risk also applies to adding raw cloves of garlic to jarred pickles. Be sure to store your unopened jar in a cool and dry place and put the jar in the refrigerator once it's opened. With that said, there are plenty of less risky options that will allow you to carefully and effectively amp up the garlic content of your dills.

Because jarred minced garlic contains preservatives like citric acid, this can be a better option for mixing into your jar of pickles. In addition to the extra garlic flavor, the tangy acidity from the preservatives will also highlight those flavors in your store-bought jar. You can also use powdered garlic or garlic chips and add as much or as little as you like depending on your personal taste preferences. If you happen to have a container of your favorite spice mix such as Frontier Pickling Spice, include this along with the garlic for an overall elevated pickle flavor.

If you're looking for pickles that pack a powerful punch of heat, then you might need to try turning up the temperature on your usual store-bought brand. Hot peppers range in scoville scale from mild to outrageous, so be sure to add with care as a little bit goes a long way. On the dry side, try a shake of crushed red pepper flakes or ground habanero powder. These ground spices will pack a potent amount of heat in any jar of pickles and will be more intense than the fresh variety.

When working with fresh peppers, remember that a lot of the heat comes from the seeds and membrane inside, so you can choose to de-seed or not as it appeals to your personal tolerance. Slice them either into slim rounds or strips to get the most impact. For a lower level of heat, start with jalapeños or serrano peppers. Ghost peppers and habaneros will increase the spice considerably. For those with fireproof taste buds, Carolina reapers and ghost peppers might just perk up your pickles to an out-of-this-world point of spiciness.

Take inspiration from the signature flavors of Asian cuisine and turn your store-bought pickles into a fusion food of epic proportions with a splash or a dash of soy sauce. Though you'll be adding soy sauce to store-bought pickles, you can still look at recipes for Korean pickled vegetables called Jangajji to get a better understanding of the overall flavor profile. The umami of the soy sauce will amp up your jar of gherkins with an extra punch of saltiness and robust taste.

If you want to add more tastes inspired by a traditional Jangajji recipe, start by draining a fair amount of the brine and replacing it with about one cup of soy sauce and ½ cup of rice vinegar. Give this mixture at least a day or two to fully infuse. Try spicing this up with whole peppercorns or crushed red chillies. You can also add dried licorice root to the brine to give your pickles a flavor reminiscent of Pai Huang Gua, or Chinese smashed cucumber salad.

If you relish the thought of a pickle on the sweeter side, try stepping up your bread and butter pickle game by sweetening the jar. Maple syrup makes an excellent natural sweetener, and an ideal addition to a store-bought jar of pickles. Dry diluting your maple syrup first with some hot water to ensure it will fully mix into the brine and infuse throughout. Though you can also use sugar, agave nectar, or another sweetener of your choosing, the deep, rich profile of maple syrup is unmatched by most.

Make sure you're using 100% pure maple syrup rather than pancake syrup that's overloaded with excess sugar and preservatives so that you can achieve the right taste for your pickled cukes. While this is particularly advisable for bread and butter pickles to make them extra sweet, adding maple syrup to a jar of spicy pickles also matches up a helping of sweet to counter the heat. Between the different maple syrup grades, remember that each one increases in depth, viscosity, and potency from golden to very dark. Always taste your syrup first before adding it to your pickle brine and know that a little bit will go far.

Of the many different ways to transform your store-bought pickles into deliciously spicy spears, adding a portion of hot sauce to your pickle brine is exceptionally easy and effective. The myriad of hot sauce options allows you to fully customize your preferred level of heat and flavor. As many popular hot sauces contain a fair amount of vinegar, this definitely complements the established brine of your favorite jar of pickles with an added dose of spiciness.

It doesn't take more than a tablespoon or so in an average sized jar to bring the heat, but feel free to add more or less in accordance with your spice tolerance. Also consider the other flavors present in your hot sauce and how these will mingle with the brine and spices in your pickle jar. If you've got a garlic-forward hot sauce, like Sweet Baby Ray's spicy garlic hot sauce, this will give your pickles more of a traditional flavor with an extra bit of fire. Get creative and experiment with your favorite hot sauce brands or even your own homemade sauces — the options are endless.