This is the ultimate 24 hour quick pickled cucumbers. Crisp, tangy, and perfectly crunchy just like my mama’s pickled cucumbers.
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Homemade Pickled Cucumbers
Pickles have the magic to elevate breakfast, lunch, and dinner to a new level, and this recipe delivers maximum flavor and crunch in record time.
Using whole Persian cucumbers and soaking them beforehand, like my mom, helps maintain an incredible crunch. The base brine is perfectly balanced, yet the flavor is highly customizable.
Ingredients
- Cucumber varieties: While Persian cucumbers are traditional in the Middle East and ideal due to their thin skins and small seeds, English cucumbers make an excellent substitute. But English cucumbers are much larger, so cut them into long spears before packing.
- Vinegar varieties: Distilled white vinegar provides a sharp, clean, traditional tang. For a softer, slightly fruitier taste, swap out half or all of it for apple cider vinegar.
Pro Tip
It is really helpful to submerge cucumbers in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes before packing. This locks in premium crispness.
Quick Pickled Cucumbers
Ingredients
The Base:
- 750 g Persian cucumber about 1 ½ pound
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups distilled white vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon sea salt
- ½ Tablespoon granulated sugar or honey
- 4-5 large garlic cloves halved
Flavorings & Aromatics:
- 3 sprigs fresh dill you can use any fresh herbs you like
- 1 Tablespoon whole cloves or whole black peppercorns for a classic profile
- pepper halved lengthwise (optional for heat)
- Other options: Bay leaves coriander seeds, mustard seeds
Instructions
- Clean cucumbers under cold running water then place in a large bowl of cold tap water.
Meanwhile make the pickling solution:
- In a saucepan over medium high heat, add water, vinegar, salt and sugar. Stir to dissolve and bring to a boil.
- Lower heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes then remove from heat and let it cool down until warm, about 15 minutes.
Prepare your jar:
- At the bottom of your jar add garlic, and any whole spices you are using.
- Drain cucumber and pat dry then pack them tightly standing in the jar.
- Add jalapeño halves and dill.
- Pour the warm pickling liquid over the cucumbers to cover, if your solution did not cover the cucumbers add equal parts of vinegar and hot water until it reaches the top.
- Cover with the lid and place in the fridge for 24 hours.
Notes
- Pack the cucumbers standing in your pickling jar(s) to have an idea of how well they fit in and how many jars you’ll need.
- You can use any cucumber you like, my favorite and more common in the Middle East, is the Persian cucumber. My next favorite is English cucumbers. Because English cucumbers are too big to be pickled whole, you can slice them or cut them into spears.
- How to store: good in the fridge for 2 months.
Nutrition
How to Make Pickled Cucumbers
1- Clean the cucumbers thoroughly under cold running water to remove any dirt or debris. Place them into a large bowl filled with cold water to keep them crisp while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
2- In a medium saucepan, combine water, vinegar, salt, and sugar (or honey). Stir well until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from heat. Let the liquid sit and cool down until it is warm to the touch rather than scalding hot (about 15 minutes). This step is crucial to prevent
cooking the cucumbers.
3- In a clean, wide-mouth quart-sized glass jar (or two smaller pint jars), drop the garlic and your whole spices (cloves, peppercorns, or seeds) directly into the bottom. Drain the cucumbers and pat them dry, then pack them standing upright into the jar. Slide the optional jalapeño halves and the fresh dill sprigs into the gaps between the cucumbers. Pour the warm pickling liquid into the jar, ensuring the cucumbers are entirely submerged. Secure the lid and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
Note: If your liquid falls slightly short, top it off with equal parts hot water and white vinegar.
FAQs
No, these are quick pickles (also known as fridge pickles) and are not shelf-stable. Because they do not go through a traditional boiling water-bath canning process, they lack the vacuum seal necessary for pantry storage. They must be kept in the refrigerator at all times.
When kept sealed in the refrigerator, these pickles will stay perfectly crisp, tangy, and safe to eat for up to 2 months. To maximize their shelf life, always use clean utensils when reaching into the jar to prevent introducing unwanted bacteria to the brine.
Try one of these variations.
Classic Dill Pickle: Omit the whole cloves and use 1 tablespoon of black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds, and double the fresh dill.
Spicy Garlic Pickles: Leave the seeds in your jalapeño, add a pinch of dried red crushed pepper flakes, and increase the garlic to 6 or 7 cloves.
Warmly Spiced Pickle: Pair the whole cloves listed above with a bay leaf and a pinch of coriander seeds for a deeply aromatic spice profile.
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