Pickled Cucumber Recipe – 3 Variations

In this post, I’ll share my pickled cucumber recipe. Whether you use screw-top jars or traditional preserving jars, a simple vinegar mixture and a few spices give you homemade pickles in no time.

Cucumbers are traditionally preserved in vinegar, which is why they’re called vinegar pickles. There’s also a version made with just salt and water: brined cucumbers. You’ll find both here.

Preparation takes about 30 minutes, with a resting time of about 2-3 hours or overnight. You can use small snack cucumbers or large slicing cucumbers.

If you’d like to pickle other vegetables, see my guides to pickled peppers, pickled garlic and pickled zucchini.

Here you’ll find the complete guide. At the end, there are tips and tricks and 3 bonus recipes. Have fun and good luck making it!

Pickled cucumbers – ingredients and equipment

How to pickle cucumbers – step-by-step instructions

1

Wash and cut the cucumbers

Wash the cucumbers and cut them into your preferred shape. Small snack cucumbers only need slicing or cutting into sticks. For a large slicing cucumber, halve it lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a small spoon. This keeps your pickling liquid from becoming too watery.

2

Slice the onion and bell pepper

Cut the red onion and bell pepper into thin strips.

3

Prepare the chili (optional)

Remove the chili seeds and chop it finely. I like a little heat. If a few seeds stay in, that’s fine with this quantity.

4

Salt and leave overnight

Sprinkle the salt over the cucumber and vegetable mixture and knead it in firmly. Keep the cucumbers intact while distributing the salt well. Leave for several hours or overnight. The salt draws water out of the ingredients.

Don’t worry about the amount of salt: it drains away with the liquid the next day.

5

Drain and dry

Drain the liquid from the mixture. Squeeze the cucumbers and bell pepper firmly to remove as much liquid as possible. Spread everything on paper towels and pat dry.

6

Boil the pickling liquid

Put the vinegar, sugar and spices in a saucepan and boil for 5 minutes. Stir well so the sugar dissolves completely.

7

Briefly boil the vegetables and fill the jars

Add the vegetables to the boiling liquid for the final minute and boil them for exactly 1 minute. Ladle the mixture into sterilized jars.

Important: Don’t transfer too much liquid at first, or you won’t fit enough cucumbers in each jar.

8

Add the liquid and seal

Pour the remaining pickling liquid into the jars. Make sure the vegetables are completely covered with liquid. Seal the jars immediately.

9

Ready!

Your pickled cucumbers are ready. Let them infuse for at least 2 days so the flavor gets into the cucumbers. They’re perfect with a sandwich or a charcuterie board. Enjoy!

Tips and tricks for pickling cucumbers

• Small snack cucumbers and large slicing cucumbers both work perfectly. Small snack cucumbers are a little easier because you don’t need to remove the seeds.
• Let the pickled cucumbers infuse for at least 2 days before trying them. This gives the flavor time to get into the cucumbers.
• The firmer the cucumber, the crunchier your pickle will be. Tip: A grape leaf in the jar helps keep cucumbers crunchy longer. Its tannins prevent them from going soft.
• Important: Boil the jars before pickling. This is essential to ensure they keep properly and don’t develop mold.
• Don’t want to use vinegar? No problem. You can preserve cucumbers with just salt and water. There’s a recipe below in the bonus section.
• Pickled cucumbers make a perfect gift or something to bring to a party.
• You can pickle cucumbers in screw-top jars, preserving jars or Mason jars. Screw-top jars are easiest: just tighten the lid and you’re done.

Make your pickled cucumbers your own

Want to adapt the basic recipe to your taste? Here are my variations:

• Add 1-2 garlic cloves (to taste) for a wonderful garlic flavor.
• Vary the chili. More chili or a hotter variety adds heat. Leave it out for a milder version.
• Add other ingredients, such as pearl onions, bay leaves or juniper berries.
• And my favorite: experiment and come up with your own combination. In the end, it’s a matter of taste!

3 unusual pickled cucumber recipes

Honey pickles

• 2 kg cucumbers
• 2 tbsp salt
• 375 ml fruit vinegar
• 125 ml lemon juice
• 500 g honey
• 2 tbsp mustard seeds
• 10 g fresh ginger

1. Halve and deseed the cucumbers, then cut them into pieces. Mix with the salt and leave for several hours. Drain the liquid from the cucumbers.
2. For the pickling liquid, chop the ginger and put it in a saucepan with the mustard seeds, honey, lemon juice and vinegar. Boil until the honey has completely dissolved.
3. Put the cucumbers in sterilized jars and pour the hot liquid over them. Seal immediately.

Russian-style pickled cucumbers

• 6 cucumbers
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 sprig of dill
• Peppercorns
• 3 currant leaves
• salt
• 2 L water

Cut the cucumbers into pieces and put them in sterilized jars with the garlic, dill, peppercorns and currant leaves. Bring the water and salt to a boil and pour the hot liquid over the cucumbers. Seal immediately.

Brined cucumbers

• 2.5 kg cucumbers
• 3 L water
• 120 g salt
• Dill to taste

1. Cut the cucumbers into pieces. Put the water and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil until the salt dissolves.
2. Put the cucumbers and dill in sterilized jars and pour the liquid over them. Seal immediately.