How to Pickle Cucumbers in 10 Minutes for Crisp and Tangy Refrigerator Pickles

How To Pickle Cucumbers

Quick pickled cucumbers are the easiest pickles you will ever make. There is no canning pot, no boiling brine, and no waiting weeks for a shelf to do its work. You slice a cucumber, stir together a simple brine, and let the refrigerator handle the rest.

The hands on part takes about 10 minutes. Then you wait, and the waiting is the hard part. The flavor keeps building the longer those slices sit in the vinegar, so I usually make a jar in the evening and raid it the next afternoon.

I keep a rotating lineup of jars on the bottom shelf of my fridge. Pickled onions, pickled peaches, pickled banana peppers, pickled peppers, and always a jar of these cucumbers. They come out tangy, a little sweet, and honestly addictive. My husband eats them straight from the jar with a fork, which I pretend to mind.

They play well with a lot of dinners. I set them out as a side dish next to Korean Beef Bulgogi or Spicy Cucumber Salad, and they tend to disappear before the rice does. They also tuck beautifully into sandwiches and salads when you want a hit of crunch and acid.

That is the whole appeal. One cucumber, a few pantry staples, 10 minutes of work, and a jar of crisp pickles that makes any plate taste brighter. If you are the person who brings food to gatherings, this is a very good recipe to keep in your back pocket.

How To Make Pickled Cucumbers

The whole process comes down to four moves: slice, pack, stir, and pour. Here is the short version, and the full recipe card follows below.

1. Slice. Cut the cucumber as thin and as evenly as you can. A mandoline is the tool I reach for, because every slice comes out the same thickness and even slices pickle evenly.
2. Pack. Stuff as many slices as will fit into a sealable glass mason jar. The recipe card calls for a 12 ounce jar. Tuck the garlic cloves on top.
3. Stir. Combine ½ cup water, ½ cup unseasoned rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1½ tsp sea salt, and the optional ¼ tsp red pepper flakes in a medium bowl. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve, then taste and adjust the salt and sugar to your liking.
4. Pour. Pour the brine over the cucumbers so every single slice sits under the liquid.

Then you wait. The pickles are ready in as little as 10 minutes, and the ideal marinating time is 12 to 24 hours. If you can hold out, the brine sinks deeper and the flavor gets rounder.

Taste the brine before you pour it. It should be tangy and a little sweet, and you can nudge the salt or the sugar from there until it tastes right to you.

Recipe Variations

The base brine is a starting point. Taste it first, then push it in the direction your crowd likes best.

• Sweeter pickles. Add one extra tablespoon of sugar to the brine. Taste as you go so you do not overshoot.
• Spicier pickles. Add extra red pepper flakes. I have been known to add up to a full tablespoon when I want real heat.
• Korean style pickles. Stir ½ tablespoon coarse gochugaru, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds into the vinegar brine. That turns them into something you would happily eat next to a bowl of rice.

I usually make one plain jar and one spicy jar, because my family splits right down the middle on heat. The plain jar never lasts as long as I expect.

What Are the Best Cucumbers For Pickling?

Kirby, Persian, and green cucumbers are the best choices. Their thicker skins help the pickles stay crunchy longer, which matters a lot when you want a snap instead of a soft slice. These are the same types of cucumbers used in Korean cucumber salad.

Whatever variety you buy, choose cucumbers that are fresh and firm. A soft cucumber will not turn crisp in brine. If your store only carries one kind, buy the firmest ones you can find and use them the same day.

How Long Do Pickled Cucumbers Last?

Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and they keep for up to two months. In my house they are usually gone within a week, so the two month window is more of a safety net than an actual plan.

Uses

Snacking is the obvious one, and it is a great one. Beyond that, these pickles work as a side dish for Asian recipes, a topping on hamburgers, a layer inside sandwiches, or a crunchy addition to salads. They also make a lovely garnish for a Mango Michelada or a Classic Michelada.

One important note: this recipe has not been tested for canning. These are refrigerator pickles. Keep them cold, keep them covered, and eat them within two months.

I bring a jar to cookouts and set it next to the burgers, and there is never anything left in the jar by the time the plates are cleared.

Ingredients

Here is everything you need for one jar, which makes 4 servings.

• 1 large cucumber
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1½ tsp sea salt
• Optional: ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• Optional: 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

That is the whole list. If your pantry already has vinegar, sugar, and salt, you are basically ready to pickle.

Instructions

1. Slice the cucumber as thin and as evenly as possible. A mandoline is the easiest way to get consistent slices.
2. Stuff as many cucumber slices into a jar as possible. A sealable glass mason jar works best, and the recipe card calls for a 12 ounce jar. Top with the garlic cloves.
3. Add the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, and red pepper flakes (if using) to a medium size bowl. Stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Taste and adjust the salt and sugar to your liking.
4. Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers. They should all be covered by the liquid.
5. They are ready to go in as little as 10 minutes. The ideal marinating time is 12 to 24 hours.
6. Store in an airtight container for up to two months.

One small tip from many messy pours: mix the brine in a bowl with a spout, or in a large measuring cup. It is far easier to pour cleanly into a packed jar that way.

Notes

A few things I have picked up after filling a lot of jars.

• Cucumbers matter most. Kirby, Persian, or green cucumbers give you the best crunch.
• Slice evenly. A mandoline earns its keep here.
• Vinegar swaps work. Distilled white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or white wine vinegar can all replace the rice vinegar. The flavor shifts a little, but the pickles still turn out well.
• Less sweet is easy. You can leave the sugar out entirely for a sharper, less sweet pickle.
• Texture changes over time. The longer the cucumbers sit in the brine, the softer they get. Day 7 will not be as crunchy as day 1 or day 2.
• No canning. This recipe has not been tested for canning, so keep these in the refrigerator.

If you want maximum crunch, eat them early. If you want maximum flavor, let them sit a day or two. I like to make a jar on Sunday, start picking at it Monday afternoon, and finish it off by the weekend.

Recipe details

Prep time is 10 minutes, total time is 10 minutes, and the recipe yields 4 servings. That 10 minute total covers the hands on work. It does not count the time the pickles rest in the refrigerator.

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How to Pickle Cucumbers

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How To Pickle Cucumbers Quick pickled cucumbers are the easiest pickles you will ever make. There is no canning pot, no boiling brine, and no waiting weeks for a shelf to do its work.

• Total Time: 10 min
• Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

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Ingredients
1 Large Cucumber
½ Cup Water
½ Cup Unseasoned Rice Vinegar
1 Tbsp Sugar
1½ tsp Sea Salt
¼ tsp Red Pepper Flakes
2 Cloves Garlic, Peeled and Smashed

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Instructions

Instructions
1-Slice the cucumber as thin and evenly: Slice the cucumber as thin and evenly as possible. I recommend a mandoline to ensure consistency.
2-Stuff as many cucumber slices into a: Stuff as many cucumber slices into a jar as possible. I recommend a sealable glass mason jar (12 oz). Top with the garlic cloves.
3-Add the water, vinegar, sugar, salt and: Add the water, vinegar, sugar, salt and red pepper flakes (If using) to a medium size bowl and stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Taste and adjust the salt and sugar to your liking.
4-Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers: Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers. They should all be covered by the liquid.
5-They’re ready to go in as little: They’re ready to go in as little as 10 minutes. Ideal time is 12-24 hours.
6-Store in an airtight container for up: Store in an airtight container for up to two months. (*Note 5)

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• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 0 min
• Method: no_cook

Nutrition

• Calories: 28kcal
• Sugar: 4g
• Sodium: 878mg
• Fat: 1g
• Saturated Fat: 1g
• Carbohydrates: 5g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 1g