It’s no secret that I’m hopelessly, desperately addicted to Diet Coke. And only slightly obsessed with pickles. I will never turn down Sriracha, Cholula, buffalo sauce, or Frank’s Red Hot — it’s safe to say, I love a spicy moment. TL;DR: if it includes aspartame, vinegar, or some sort of pepper, I’m probably going to eat it. So when Dua Lipa showed off her “spicy” Diet Coke recipe in a TikTok on Friday, I knew I had to try it.
Despite her successful hit singles and past food combos, Dua Lipa received a rather split reaction after she added a dash of both pickle and jalapeño juice to her Diet Coke. The original video on TikTok detailing the strange combination received very mixed reviews, with some fans calling the video “the most evil thing I’ve ever watched,” and asking the singer “if it’s a prank,” while X user @gekoft admitted that “I’m drinking anything that Dua Lipa gives to me.”
Resembling my thoughts, @better_onsaturn2 commented on the TikTok video, “It seems odd but I’m intrigued?”
Even Dua Lipa acknowledged the apprehension when she realized “everyone was staring at her” – and maybe not just because she’s, you know, a huge pop star. As she stirs her DC in the video, Dua Lipa noticed that “the lady in the back is like ‘What the hell is she doing?’”
What’s in Dua Lipa’s Diet Coke?
First, the Houdini singer starts with a tall cup filled with ice and then cracks a cold, crispy can of DC and pours it to the top. If it was me, I’d stop right there, but given the success of her olive oil and ice cream combo, I say we hear dulapeep out.
Next, Dua Lipa pours some pickle juice (I’d guess about an ounce based on her pour) into the glass, and adds a couple of pickle chips in for good measure.
Last, but not least, she adds some “jalapeño sauce” (aka the drippings at the bottom of the bowl) and a few slices of jalapeño before swirling the drink around.
Is Dua Lipa’s spicy Diet Coke good?
I love a good spicy pickle almost as much as I love a crispy DC during my afternoon slump, but I’d never think to combine the three. I’ll say it: Miss Dua is onto something. I tried the recipe with Diet Coke (but I’m choosing bottle over can, sue me), Vlasic pickles, and La Costena sliced jalapeños, and my expectations were exceeded. This hits on all the cravings, with the sweet fizzy DC complemented by a salty zing from the tangy pickles and a little kick from the spicy jalapeños.
Tbh, it makes perfect sense when you look at cooking principles: Salt, Acid, and Heat, with a nice little sweetness from the soda to sub in for fat. My only grievance? The soda-soaked pickles at the bottom of the glass. I’ll keep my crunchy pickle chips separate, please and thank you.
If you like spice, pickles, and soda, I’d recommend trying Dua Lipa’s spicy Diet Coke. If you don’t like pickles…well, Don’t Start Now.