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Chinese Pickled Cucumber
5 from 24 votes

Chinese Pickled Cucumber

Chinese Pickled Cucumber features thinly sliced mini seedless cucumbers cooked briefly in a flavorful mixture of soy sauce, water, sugar, white vinegar, and optional chili pepper. After cooking, the cucumbers are cooled and dried to achieve a crisp texture. This quick pickle provides a tangy, sweet, and slightly spicy side dish or snack.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Additional Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 25 mins
Servings: 12
Calories: 28 kcal
Course: Side Dish, Appetizer
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese, Taiwanese

Ingredients

  • 1 pound mini cucumbers I had 6 pieces in one pound bag, seedless
Sauce Mixture:
  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon Chili pepper (You can add more or less. Or, you don't add it at all.)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Wash one pound of mini seedless cucumbers. (I had 6 mini cucumbers in one pound bag.)
  2. Slice the seedless mini cucumbers into ¼ inch thick.
  3. After that, pour ½ cup of soy sauce, ½ cup of water, 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, ¼ cup of sugar and ½ teaspoon of crushed chili peppers. (You can add less or more chili peppers. Or, don't add at all.) Then, mix it well and turn the fire to small until it's boiling.  
  4. When the sauce mixture boils, add the sliced mini cucumbers from step 2 into the pot.
  5. Mix and stir it and let it cook for 2 minutes. Then, turn off the fire and take the cucumber out immediately.
  6. After taking out the cucumbers, turn on a small fire and wait until the sauce mixture boils again. Then, turn off the fire and let the sauce cool off.
  7. Meanwhile, spread the cooked cucumbers on parchment paper over the tray. To let it cool off and dry for 30 minutes to an hour. This process can help the pickled cucumber to be crispy and crunchy.
  8. Sterile 3 half pint sized glass jars (8oz) in the microwave for 2 minutes. Or, use a traditional method to boil them for a few minutes.  
  9. Make sure the jars are cool off and dry. Then, put the cooked cucumbers from step 7.
  10. Later, pour the cooled off sauce mixture from step 6 into the jars. (Make sure the sauce mixture is completely cool off before pouring into the jars because it helps pickled cucumbers to be crunchy.)
  11. Close the lids and refrigerate them for a day or two before consuming it because the cucumbers absorb the sauce and taste even better. (Or, you can eat them the same day after soaking into the sauce for a few hours.) 
  12. When you take the pickled cucumber from a jar, please use a dry and clean fork every time. 

Notes

  • Cut mini seedless cucumbers into ¼ inch thick slices for even cooking and texture.
  • Use a sterilized jar and utensils to store the pickles, ensuring freshness and safety.
  • After cooking, let cucumbers cool and dry on a tray for 30 minutes to an hour to maintain crispness.
  • Allow the sauce mixture to cool completely before adding it to the jar with cucumbers.
  • Though they can be eaten the same day, refrigerate for one to two days for improved flavor.
  • Use a dry and clean fork each time to prevent spoilage when taking from the jar.

Nutrition Information

Calories 28kcal (1%) Carbohydrates 6g (2%) Protein 1g (2%) Fat 0.1g (0%) Saturated Fat 0.02g (0%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.02g (0%) Monounsaturated Fat 0.003g (0%) Sodium 541mg (23%) Potassium 77mg (2%) Fiber 0.3g (1%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 42IU (1%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 9mg (1%) Iron 0.3mg (2%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 28

% Daily Value*

Calories 28kcal 1%
Carbohydrates 6g 2%
Protein 1g 2%
Fat 0.1g 0%
Saturated Fat 0.02g 0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.02g 0%
Monounsaturated Fat 0.003g 0%
Sodium 541mg 23%
Potassium 77mg 2%
Fiber 0.3g 1%
Sugar 5g 10%
Vitamin A 42IU 1%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 9mg 1%
Iron 0.3mg 2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.