Best Pickles in India | Top Achar Varieties & Where to Buy Online

India is home to hundreds of pickle (achar) varieties — each region, each state, and even each household has its own version, secret spice blend, and cherished recipe passed down through generations.

The best pickles in India are not just a condiment. They are culture in a jar.

Whether it's the fiery Avakaya of Andhra Pradesh, the tangy Gongura of Telangana, the bold Mango Pickle of Punjab, or the unique Bamboo Shoot pickle of the Northeast — every Indian pickle tells a regional story.

Here is the most comprehensive guide to the best pickles in India in 2025 — by variety, by region, and by where you can buy authentic versions online.

1. Best Pickles in India — By Variety

i. Mango Pickle (Aam Ka Achar) — All-Time #1

The most popular pickle in India.

Mango pickle is eaten in virtually every Indian state, but the recipe changes dramatically from North to South. In Punjab, it is made with raw mango chunks in mustard oil with whole spices. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, it becomes Avakaya — a fierce, deeply spiced raw mango pickle with red chilli powder, mustard seeds, and sesame oil that is arguably the most beloved Telugu dish of all time.

Best for: Rice + ghee, dal-chawal, paratha, curd rice

Where to buy authentic Avakaya: Niksha Foods — handmade Avakaya from Warangal, Telangana, with zero preservatives

ii. Gongura Pickle (Sorrel Leaves) — Telangana's Pride

The soul of Telugu cuisine.

Gongura (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is a sour leafy green native to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Its pickle — Gongura Pachadi or Gongura Achar — is deeply tangy, earthy, and unlike any other pickle in India. It is irreplaceable in a traditional Telugu meal.

Gongura pickle is notoriously difficult to get right outside the region. Authentic versions require fresh sorrel leaves, the right sesame oil, and a precise balance of red chilli and garlic.

Best for: Hot rice, pesarattu (moong dal dosa), idli

Where to buy authentic Gongura Pickle: Niksha Foods — made in Warangal by rural women who have cooked with gongura all their lives

iii. Lemon Pickle (Nimbu Ka Achar)

Sharp, citrusy, and universally loved.

Lemon pickle is one of the most versatile pickles in India — eaten from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. The South Indian version is spicier and more intensely spiced, while the North Indian version often has a sweeter note from jaggery.

Good lemon pickle requires proper sun-drying and months of maturation. Shortcuts result in a bitter, unbalanced product. Authentic homemade lemon pickle — the kind Niksha Foods makes — is cured naturally until the skin softens and the flavours meld perfectly.

Best for: Curd rice, dal, khichdi, chapati

iv. Tomato Pickle — A South Indian Staple

Tangy, garlicky, and deeply satisfying.

Tomato pickle (Tomato Pachadi) is a South Indian speciality — particularly popular in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana households. Made with cooked tomatoes, tamarind, garlic, mustard seeds, and red chillies tempered in oil, it has a rich, glossy texture and an addictive flavour.

It is best eaten fresh, which is why factory-made versions rarely capture the original taste. Niksha Foods' Tomato Pickle is slow-cooked and packed in small batches to preserve the authentic home-cooked flavour.

Best for: Idli, dosa, upma, roti

v. Bitter Gourd Pickle (Kakarakaya Uragaya)

An acquired taste that becomes an obsession.

Bitter gourd (Kakarakaya in Telugu, Karela in Hindi) pickle is a bold Telangana speciality. Made by frying or sun-drying bitter gourd slices and marinating them in chilli, tamarind, and spices, this pickle delivers a complex bitter-sour-spicy flavour profile unlike anything else.

It is one of the rarest pickles to find commercially. Niksha Foods is one of the very few brands offering authentic Kakarakaya pickle, made in Warangal using the traditional Telangana method.

Best for: Rice with ghee, chapati, curd rice

vi. Green Chilli Pickle (Hari Mirch Ka Achar)

For those who live for heat.

Green chilli pickle is a North Indian staple — big, plump chillies stuffed with a dry spice mix of mustard powder, fennel, turmeric, and dried mango powder (amchur), then immersed in mustard oil. The chillies slowly absorb the spices and become mellow and complex over weeks.

Best for: Paratha, puri, dal makhani, biryani

vii. Garlic Pickle (Lahsun Ka Achar)

Intense, pungent, unforgettable.

Garlic pickle is particularly popular in Rajasthan and Gujarat. Whole garlic cloves pickled in mustard oil with red chilli and spices — it is sharp, warming, and considered to have several digestive health benefits in Ayurveda.

Best for: Khichdi, dal-baati, chapati, mixed rice

viii. Ker Sangri Pickle — Rajasthan's Desert Specialty

The pickle of the Thar Desert.

Ker (Capparis decidua) and Sangri (dried beans of Prosopis cineraria) are wild desert plants that are pickled and cooked in Rajasthani cuisine. Ker Sangri is a unique, regional achar found almost nowhere outside Rajasthan. It is spicy, earthy, and intensely flavourful.

Best for: Bajra roti, dal-baati

ix. Mixed Pickle (Panch Poran Achar)

India's most widely eaten pickle.

A combination of mango, carrot, cauliflower, lime, and chilli in mustard oil — Mixed Pickle is the most commercially produced pickle in India. Brands like Mother's Recipe, Nilon's, and Tops dominate this segment.

Best for: Paratha, dal-chawal, biryani, sandwiches

x. Bamboo Shoot Pickle — Northeast India

India's most unique regional pickle.

Found in Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Sikkim — bamboo shoot pickle (mesu) is a fermented pickle with a pungent, tangy, and deeply earthy flavour. It is a world away from any South or North Indian achar and represents the extraordinary diversity of Indian pickling traditions.

Best for: Rice, noodles, pork curry

2. Best Homemade Pickles in India — Why Handmade Wins

The difference between a factory-made pickle and a handmade one is unmistakable the moment you open the jar.

Factory-made pickles use preservatives (sodium benzoate), stabilisers, and standardised processes designed for a 24-month shelf life. The flavour is consistent but flat.

Handmade pickles like those from Niksha Foods rely on traditional preservation — the right salt ratio, the right oil quantity, the right spice balance — to keep the pickle fresh and safe for 12 months without a single artificial additive.

3. Niksha Foods — Best Homemade Pickle Brand from Telangana

Niksha Foods from Warangal, Telangana is redefining what a pickle brand can be.

Every jar is:

• Handcrafted by rural women artisans from Warangal using recipes passed down for generations
• Made with zero artificial preservatives — only salt, oil, and spices
• Inspired by the heritage of Rani Rudrama Devi, Queen of the Kakatiya dynasty
• Available in 250g, 500g, 750g, and 1kg jars with free pan-India shipping Niksha Pickle Range.
  
  
  

Order online: niksha.in — free shipping across India

4. Conclusion: Best Pickles in India

India's pickle tradition is one of the richest culinary heritages in the world. From the fiery Avakaya of Telangana to the sour Gongura, the pungent Garlic achar of Rajasthan to the exotic Bamboo Shoot pickle of the Northeast — Indian pickles are as diverse as India itself.

If you want to experience the best homemade pickles in India — made without preservatives, by skilled hands, using age-old recipes — Niksha Foods is where your search ends.

🫙 Shop Niksha Pickles Online: niksha.in Avakaya · Gongura · Lemon · Tomato · Bitter Gourd Free Shipping Across India | No Preservatives | Handmade in Warangal, Telangana

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

1Q: What is the best pickle in India?
Ans: The most popular pickle in India is Mango Pickle (Aam Ka Achar). Among regional varieties, Andhra/Telangana Avakaya, Gongura Pickle, and Lemon Pickle are considered among the finest. For authentic South Indian pickles online, Niksha Foods is one of the best options.

2Q: Which state has the best pickles in India?
Ans: Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are widely regarded as producing India's finest pickles — especially Avakaya, Gongura, Tomato, and Lemon Pickle. Their recipes are deeply spiced, oil-rich, and intensely flavourful. Niksha Foods brings this Telangana pickle heritage to your doorstep.