Easy Pickled Cucumber recipe for quick refrigerator pickles with a tangy flavor and crunch. These come together easily without any canning.
Asian Cucumber Salad and Tomato Cucumber Salad, are a refreshing Side Dish on a hot summer day. These easy refrigerator pickles have the same refreshing crunch in a tasty snack form.
Sabrina’s Pickled Cucumber (Refrigerator Pickles) Recipe
Crisp, tangy, and utterly delicious, homemade pickles are a delightful way to use up a bounty of summer cucumbers. Pickling takes the simple cucumber from a cold appetizer or salad topping, and turns it into an addictive mouthwatering snack. Whether it’s a juicy Burger, a hearty sandwich, or a Pasta Salad, a couple pieces add a tasty, briny, bright garden fresh flavor to any dish. There are variation ideas at the bottom of this post to help you maximize your pickle potential.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 2 cucumbers , cut into spears (do not peel)
- 2 bay leaves
To Pickle:
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon whole allspice
- 2 cloves garlic , whole
- 1/4 cup fresh dill
Instructions
- Add the cucumbers and bay leaves to two heat proof jars with lids.
- To a pot add the vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, salt, cloves, allspice, garlic and dill.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring well.
- Pour the liquid into the heat proof container over the cucumbers.
- Cover tightly, refrigerate for overnight before serving.
Nutrition
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Note from Sabrina
I typically use distilled white vinegar, since it’s the best vinegar for pickling. It has a clean, sharp taste and a high acetic acid content, usually around 5%, which is ideal for the pickling process. However, apple cider vinegar or wine vinegar can also be used for variations that require a slightly sweeter or more complex flavor profile.
Table of contents
Can this be made ahead of time?
Absolutely! In fact, pickled cucumbers need time to marinate and absorb the flavors of the brine. The recommended minimum is overnight, but the flavor deepens over time, so making them a few days in advance can enhance their taste.
How to Store
- Store: Storing pickled cucumbers is basic, just keep them refrigerated in their brine. These are not traditional canned pickles though, so they need to stay chilled. They should last for up to 2 months if kept sealed.
- Freeze: Pickles are not good for freezing. The texture would significantly change, and would become mushy.
Variations
- Sweet: Substitute half of the white vinegar with apple cider vinegar and add an extra ¼ cup of sugar to the brine. Reduce the amount of garlic cloves to let the sweetness really shine through.
- Spicy: Add sliced jalapeno peppers or cherry peppers, or just add a teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the brine for a fiery kick. If you use fresh hot peppers, you could chop everything into smaller pieces and turn it into a spicy relish.
- Asian-Style: Use rice vinegar instead of white vinegar, add a tablespoon of soy sauce, and replace the sugar with honey. Add some fresh ginger for an even more Asian-inspired flavor.
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Easy Pickling Options
