Deutsche Küche Cornichons with Garlic and Cornichons with Chili
German week comes along at Aldi twice a year. While you might see occasional German products for limited times at different times of the year, you can count on finding a large selection of German and German-inspired foods one week in the spring and another week in the fall. Most German items at Aldi are sold under the store’s Deutsche Küche house brand. You’ll find products such as soft pretzels, spaetzle, German cakes, and more.
Aldi often sells several different types of German style pickles and cornichons during German week. During the most recent spring German week at Aldi, I found cornichons with garlic flavoring and cornichons with chili flavoring. I bought a jar of each to try at home.
A cornichon, by the way, is a French term for what the English call gherkins. Americans might call them pickles. Cornichons are set apart by their small size, averaging less than two inches long and about a quarter of an inch in diameter. They’re practically bite-sized, and they’re great on a charcuterie board or any time you want a little snack.
Deutsche Küche Cornichons with Garlic and Deutsche Küche Cornichons with Chili are Aldi Finds, so that means they’re only in stores for a short time. Each store gets one shipment, and after that sells out, they’re gone unless Aldi decides to bring them back later during another German week. Aldi does not offer online ordering for these if they’re sold out at your local store.
These cost $2.69 for a 12.5-ounce jar at the time of publication. That comes out to about 22 cents per ounce.
These are a product of India, and the label states they’re “inspired by Germany.” They’re sold at room temperature but should be refrigerated after opening.
The Cornichons with Garlic contain gherkins, water, vinegar, sugar, crystal salt, and garlic.
The Cornichons with Chili contain gherkins, water, sugar, vinegar, salt, chili, mustard seeds, and “flavor.”
One serving consists of four pickles, or 28 grams. There are about 6.5 servings per jar.
The Cornichons with Garlic have 5 calories per serving, along with 200 mg of sodium (8% DV), 1.5 grams of total carbohydrates (0.5% DV), 1.2 grams of total sugars, and 1 gram of added sugars (2% DV).
The Cornichons with Chili have 15 calories per serving, along with 150 mg of sodium (6% DV), 3 grams of total carbohydrates (1% DV), and 2 grams of added sugars (4% DV).
As for how these taste, the Cornichons with Garlic are similar to regular dill pickles (minus the dill) with that classic savory, salty, vinegary flavor. The garlic flavor is subtle.
The Cornichons with Chili have a sweeter flavor, and they are moderately spicy. They have a nice interplay between sweet and spicy, and if you like pickles with some bite to them, these fit that bill. These would go especially well with meats or cheese on a charcuterie board to help balance some of the spice.
The Verdict:
Deutsche Küche Cornichons with Garlic and Deutsche Küche Cornichons with Chili are limited-time specials during German week at Aldi. The garlic cornichons have a mild garlic flavor, while the chili cornichons have moderate kick that is balanced with an overall sweet flavor. If you like pickles of all types, these are worth a try.
