Quick Pickled Cucumber Recipe
This Quick Pickled Cucumber recipe features thinly sliced Persian or English cucumbers packed with green onions, garlic, jalapeños, and fresh dill, soaked in a spiced vinegar brine with mustard seed, coriander, peppercorn, and bay leaves. The brine is boiled and cooled before covering the cucumbers, resulting in crunchy pickles with a tangy, slightly spicy flavor. The preparation includes an optional ice bath to keep crispness. These refrigerator pickles develop best after resting overnight and offer a fresh, zesty addition to sandwiches or salads.
Ingredients
- 3 cups vinegar distilled white vinegar or white wine vinegar will work
- 2 1/4 cup water cold
- 2 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 3 tablespoon mustard seed
- 3 tablespoon coriander seed
- 3 tablespoon peppercorn
- 2 bay leaf
- 1 1/4 lb Persian cucumber sliced into 1/2-inch rounds, or English cucumber
- 4 green onions trimmed and chopped (both white and green parts)
- 3 jalapeno pepper sliced into rounds (remove seeds for less heat
- 6 garlic minced, cloves
- dill to your liking, few sprigs, fresh
Instructions
- Prepare the cucumbers. (Optional) Place the sliced cucumbers and some ice cubes in a colander in the sink for 20 minutes or so (this helps give them better crunch). Drain completely and pat dry.
- Make the Brine. In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, salt, mustard seed, coriander seed, peppercorn and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Pack cucumbers and vegetables in jars. Pack the cucumbers, green onions, jalapenos, garlic, and a few springs of dill in some wide-mouth jars (they should be packed tightly).
- Add the brine to the jars. Ladle the brine into the jars to cover the cucumbers (use the back of a spoon to push the cucumbers down to submerge). Give the jars a couple of taps to release any air bubbles and allow the cukes to settle.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate. Cover the jars tightly with their lids and refrigerate. For best results, allow the pickles a full night in the fridge before using, but you can enjoy them earlier if you like.
Notes
- Using an ice bath for the sliced cucumbers before pickling enhances their crunchiness.
- Adjust vinegar-to-water ratios to control the tang level of the pickles according to your preference.
- Add sugar to the brine if you want a sweeter pickle; start with 1/4 cup and adjust to taste.
- Make more brine as needed and let it cool completely before adding to jars to preserve crunch and flavor.
- Store the pickles in the refrigerator; they keep well for about two months.
- Feel free to customize spices in the brine, such as adding fresh ginger or red pepper flakes, for varied flavor profiles.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 16 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 353
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 35.3kcal | 2% |
| Carbohydrates | 4.4g | 1% |
| Protein | 1.2g | 2% |
| Fat | 1g | 2% |
| Sodium | 1095.1mg | 46% |
| Potassium | 123.4mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 1.5g | 6% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 105.7IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 5.4mg | 6% |
| Calcium | 34.8mg | 3% |
| Iron | 0.7mg | 4% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.