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We’ve all been there: it’s late at night and you think, “What if I put soy sauce on my ice cream?” Okay, maybe not all of us. But those who posted these wacky combos online? Absolutely. Here are some of our favorite weird food pairings!
Peanut Butter and Pickle Sandwiches
Peanut butter and pickle sandwiches might sound like an unfortunate duo. But this food paring has emerged as a controversial yet beloved snack that’s actually pretty common.
The combo pairs the creamy, rich taste of peanut butter with the tangy crunch of pickles, usually dill. It creates a flavor profile that’s (apparently) unexpectedly harmonious.
We have to imagine this combo resulted from a lack of grocery shopping. All that’s left is peanut butter and a jar of pickles? Challenge accepted.
Pizza and Honey
Why would you ever choose to drizzle honey on a slice of pizza? Well, according to many Reddit users and even some restaurants, the combo is delicious.
Fans of the pairing swear by the unexpected sweetness that the honey brings to an umami-rich pizza. Espeically if it’s hot (spicy) honey with meat toppings.
Knowing that fans of this combo typically use hot honey on their pizza rather than the typical honey-bear stuff makes this more believable. But still, it’s weird.
Ice Cream and Soy Sauce
There’s nothing new about a sweet-and-salty combination. But soy sauce on ice cream? That might be just a step too far. Still, many people love it.
After all, where would we be as a culinary society without maple bacon donuts? Some would argue that we’d be better off. But not us.
There’s something mouthwatering about pairing savory flavors with something rich and sweet. But this one definitely seems to have people torn between “absolutely” and “absolutely not.”
Chocolate and Avocado
People all around the internet are intent on pairing avocado with chocolate in numerous different ways. From cake to milkshakes, there’s nothing these two can’t do.
We’re particularly intrigued by the idea of chocolate avocado and banana cookies. These use dark chocolate, avocado, honey, and banana for some sweet and healthy treats.
Avocado and chocolate work together because of the healthy fats in the avocado. This brings the chocolate together just like ice cream or whole milk.
Olive Oil and Ice Cream
This trend emerged out of Tik Tok, and we’re not surprised. One Tik Toker claims to eat vanilla ice cream with olive oil every day.
This is one of those combos that’s just hard for us to wrap our heads around. But it turns out it’s not actually that weird.
The dish is an Italian staple known as gelato con olio e sale. If you speak Italian, you’ll know that it comes with a sprinkle of seasalt.
Cheddar Cheese and Apple Pie
Cheese on apple pie is a long-controversial combination that’s still sparking debates across the internet. Some find it traditional and commonplace why others say, “Why?”
Sure, apples with cheese is a classic mid-day snack or pre-feast appetizer. But apple pie, with its sweet and flaky crust? That’s a different story.
Some people have found a middle ground by creating a savory apple pie with a cheddar cheese crust. That sounds palatable, but we prefer ice cream.
Watermelon and Feta Cheese
Now here’s a weird food pairing we can really get behind. Crisp, juicy watermelon with salty, crumbly feta cheese? It sounds like heaven on a plate.
This dish would be perfect with a drizzle of Balsamic vinegar or a squeeze of lemon. Serve it up at a picnic or for a light lunch.
If you want to mix it up even more, consider adding some cucumber slices, red onions, and sprigs of mint. It’s the perfect summer treat.
Peanut Butter, Banana, and Bacon
This might sound like something straight off of some shady Reddit page, but it actually goes back to the King himself. Yes, Elvis loved this sandwich.
He loved it so much, in fact, that this fascinating sandwich sometimes goes by the name “The Elvis.” And it really doesn’t sound half bad.
Spread peanut butter on the bread, and then layer it with bacon and thinly sliced banana. Drizzle on some honey, and grill it until golden brown.
Coffee and Orange Juice
Okay, hear us out. Pouring OJ in your coffee might sound like the worst idea since soy sauce on ice cream. But there’s more to it.
This beverage combo is called an orange espresso, a bumble coffee, an OJ express, or an espresso sunrise. And it really does work, when executed correctly.
You have to get the ratio right. But when you do, the acidic orange juice actually interacts with certain components of the coffee, creating a fantastic flavor.
Salt and Watermelon
This is a simple combo that we might never have thought of if it weren’t for the internet and its many wonders. But it sounds delicious.
All you have to do is slice up some fresh watermelon and sprinkle on some salt. It might not sound appetizing at first, but salty-sweet always wins.
Imagine salted caramel, but instead of sticky candy, replace it with healthy watermelon. With its combo of hydration and salt, it would make a rejuvinating post-workout snack!
Strawberries and Balsamic Vinegar
When you think of a topping for fresh strawberries, you might initially think of powdered sugar. But what about a tasty drizzle of Balsamic vinegar?
Vinegar perfectly balances the sweetness of the berries and enhances their flavor. And you can still add sugar to the mix if you want to.
Simply slice up your strawberries, drizzle on some Balsamic, and sprinkle it with powdered sugar. Serve on its own or on a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Blue Cheese and Dark Chocolate
Not too many people would think of pairing dark chocolate with a pungent blue cheese. But after all, that’s what we have the internet for.
One option to enjoy this weird combo is by baking up dark chocolate brownies with a blue cheese swirrel. What’s the worst that could happen?
Another option is to just serve up a wedge of blue cheese on a charcuterie board alongside some dark chocolate. Choose 70% cocoa for the best match.
Cheetos and Milk
Cheetos are truly a cultural phenomenon. It seems like no matter where you turn on the internet, Cheetos will eventually be involved in conversation somehow.
And the topic of weird food combinations is no different. A bizarre snack that has emerged recently is Cheetos in a bowl of milk, like cereal.
Except it’s not cereal, it’s Cheetos. And we all know that this is just wrong. Is there a petition we can sign to get rid of this?
Cheese and Coffee
Have you ever sipped your morning cup of coffee and thought it was missing a little extra something? Could that “something” be…cheese? Well, you’re in luck.
Coffee cheese is actually totally commonplace in Scandanavia, where it’s known as kaffeost. We’re not surprised this one didn’t make its way to the States. Yet.
To make kaffeost, you soak cubes of “squeaky cheese” in the coffee before drinking. Apparently, it lends the coffee a buttery, nutty flavor, which some people want.
Pickles and Chocolate Syrup
You might think this particular combo is the exclusive domain of pregnant people. But on the contrary, everyone can enjoy a sweet and salty pickle snack.
Some people choose to simply drizzle chocolate sauce over a dill pickle. Others prefer sweet pickels or bread-and-butter pickles, topped with shell high-quality melted chocolate.
Try melting some semisweet chocolate chips into coconut oil over low heat. Dip the sliced pickles into the chocolate, and top with some flaked seasalt.
Coca-Cola and Red Wine
This might sound like something dreamt up in a college dorm, but it’s actually a popular beverage known as Kalimotxo in Spain. It originated in the 1920s.
This drink has a more sophisticated flavor than you might expect, although it depends on the quality of your wine. It’s an intriguing twist on a wine cocktail.
To make this unique drink, just mix dry red wine with classic Coca-Cola in equal parts. Serve this drink over ice, and garnish with lime.
Tomato Soup and Popcorn
If you grew up crumbling salty crackers onto your tomato soup, this combination shouldn’t be too surprising. Just replace those crackers with some popcorn instead.
Whip up a simple, home-made tomato soup, and keep it hot on the stove. Then make some popcorn and lay it out on a greased baking sheet.
Sprinkle some parmesan or cheddar cheese over the popcorn, and bake in the oven until melted. Top your soup with these delicious morsels before serving!
Cereal and Orange Juice
Sure, this is often the result of reaching for the wrong carton or bottle at the breakfast table. But some people actually choose this combo on purpose.
A popular choice is to pour orange juice over a fruity cereal, like Fruity Pebbles. There’s even a fruity cereal that’s designed to be eaten with OJ.
It’s called Tropicana Crunch, and it’s a controversial breakfast choice. Some people say it’s wonderful, while others think it’s just wrong. Honestly, we’re undecided on this one.
Quesadilla and Banana
Sure, we could easily get behind a dessert-inspired banana quesadilla, maybe with peanut butter instead of cheese. But adding banana to a typically cheese quesadilla?
This is a combo that some people swear by, but we think there’s a reason why it’s not more popular. Just think of the texture. Weird.
However, if you find this combo absolutely mouthwatering, we won’t yuck your yum. Everyone’s entitled to a guilty pleasure. Maybe yours is this banana quesadilla.
Strawberries and Black Pepper
We’ve already covered strawberries with Balsamic vinegar, so strawberries topped with a twist of black pepper isn’t too surprising. It’s anotheridea for a refreshing summer salad.
If Balsamic vinegar feels like a step too far, try using simple black pepper first. From there, you can try adding some fresh basil leaves.
Some people also use strawberries rolled in black pepper in certain baked goods, like banana bread. Some chefs recommend using long pepper instead of traditional table pepper.
French Fries and Powdered Sugar
Surely you’ve heard of dipping your fries in a milkshake. But why not skipp all that an go straight for the sugar? Some people do just that.
Apparently, people dip their fries in a dish of powdered sugar for a sweet-and-salty snack. Alternatively, you could give your fries a light dusting of sugar.
Honestly, this combo sounds like it would probably be delicious. Our only concern is that we wouldn’t be able to stop eating it once we started.
Chicken Nuggets Dipped in a Milkshake
If you switch to powdered sugar for sweetening up your fries, what are you going to dip in your milkshake? The answer might just be chicken nuggets.
We’ve been dipping fries in vanilla shakes for decades, but apparently, we’ve been sleeping on the nugget-milkshake combo. How can you go wrong with this delicious pairing?
It makes us wonder, what about dipping chicken nuggets into powdered sugar? If it works for fries, powdered sugar chicken nuggets might be the next big thing.
Peanut Butter and Top Ramen
Want to make some pad-Thai-style noodles on a budget? All you need, according to many hungry Redditors, is some packaged ramen noodles and peanut butter.
Pad Thai uses peanut sauce and chopped peanuts, so we see where the reasoning for this comes from. It’s also a good way to avoid wasting PB.
Still, we’re not sure the outcome of pairing peanut butter with ramen noodles is really worth the effort. We might hold out for real pad Thai.
Coca-Cola and Milk
Here’s another beverage combo that sounds weird at first but isn’t that odd when you think about it. After all, most people know that cream soda rules.
To spruce up a regular old glass of Coca-Cola, many people on forums recommend adding a splash of milk. Or better yet, some heavy whipping cream.
It makes for a fizzy, sweet, creamy beverage that’s less than a Coke float but more than just a soda. Why not give it a try?
Peaches and Kielbasa
Apple sausage exists, so why can’t peach kielbasa? This is yet another take on the sweet-and-spicy rule of food combos that tends to work so well.
You can pair peaches with kielbasa by creating a rich peach glaze from preserves. If you’re not a fan of peach, substitute apricot preserves instead.
Add in lemon juice to brighten up the flavors, plus dijon mustard. Dijon goes surprisingly well with fruits, including peaches. Sprinkle on some cayenne, and voila!
Reuben Sandwich with Salsa
A reuben sandwich is a classic deli go-to made with corned beef, melty Swiss cheese, and fresh saurkraut. But what can you dip it in?
Most people don’t dip a reuben in anything. After all, it comes with its own Russian or Thousand Island dressing. Others, though, swear by salsa.
Some people even go so far as to create a reuben taco, putting all the toppings on a tortilla and topping it with salsa. No thanks!
Sour Cream on Steak
This is one of those combos that comes about on accident. We imagine enjoying a steak with a baked potato and accidentally blending the two.
Sure, maybe the sour cream that got on your steak doesn’t taste bad. But would you choose it as a topping to your steak on purpose?
Many people do, and they swear by serving up their steaks with sour cream drizzled on top or as a side for dipping. It makes sense!
Eggs and Rice Krispies
And now the internet has taken it too far. There’s actually a video on YouTube showing you how to make this awful dish with soft-boiled eggs and Rice Krispies.
How did we find it? Don’t ask. Let’s just say we had to dive to the very depths of the r/FoodCrimes Subreddit and go from there.
What would our beloved cereal elves Snap, Crackle, and Pop think about this terrible dish? We shudder to even imagine. Let’s just hope they don’t have internet.
Nutella and Cheddar Cheese
Nutella and cheese might sound like a weird combination, and that’s because it is. But some people swear by this blend of sweet and salty.
You can try out this weird combo by simply spreading some the hazelnut wonder on a slice of cheese. Or make a grilled cheese with Nutella.
We won’t knock it til we try it, but we have to say, it doesn’t sound appetizing. Why ruin Nutella when it’s perfect on its own!
Mashed Potatoes with Applesauce
Applesauce and mashed potatoes are actually similar in many ways. They’re both squished fruits or vegetables, served up in a bowl or as a side.
What’s more, applesauce often comes alongside potato pancakes or Latkes. But putting applesauce right into your mashed potatoes? That we’re not so sure about.
But in Pennsylvania Dutch regions of the US, this is a common dish. We’re willing to give it a try, but we can’t promise we’ll love it.
Are You Brave Enough to Try These Weird Food Pairings?
So there you have it, some of the weirdest food concoctions we could find. Some are downright unappetizing, while others may be worth a try.
Which of these combinations would you be willing to try? Will you go for one of the several pickle dishes, or try something more daring?
As for us, we’re always down for a culinary adventure. But sometimes, the internet just takes things too far (soft-boiled egg Rice Krispies, we’re looking at you).
