Quick Pickled Cucumbers

This post was updated with images and text to serve you better. The recipe remains the same. Originally posted in July 2012.

I have to confess that cucumbers are not really my thing. There are so many other vegetables to try that I never seem to get to them.

But, as we all know, a good burger deserves a great cucumber pickle. And with that, I can relate. Especially if they're quick and easy. Who can argue with that, right?

Ingredients 

• Cucumbers: I use regular cucumbers (image below), but you can use other similar types.
• Salt: coarse salt for draining the cucumbers of their liquid and fine salt or kosher for canning them with oil.
• Vinegar: it wouldn't be a pickle without vinegar. White or rice vinegar is used in this recipe.
• Ginger and red pepper flakes: these might be optional, but they add a lot of flavor and spiciness.
• Sugar: a tiny bit of regular white sugar to balance so much acidity and spice.
• Olive oil: my only choice, though you certainly can use other oils such as canola or sunflower.

Easy steps 

1. Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise and then in slices. Or simply slice them whole cucumbers. A mandoline can be used too. I like them rustic and irregular (image above, left), but that might not be the case for you.
2. Put cut cucumbers in a bowl and sprinkle with the coarse salt (image above, right). Mix lightly and let stand at room t°. The liquid in the vegetables (which is a lot) will come out, and with it the bitterness they might have.
3. Drain cucumbers and toss with other ingredients except for oil (image below, left).
4. Put all of this in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, add olive oil to cover, and refrigerate (image below, right).

I liked this side dish. It's really good for a burger, beef of course but also lamb.

So I will keep them in the fridge, pillowed in olive oil, the way I do with pickled eggplants, while they wait for the day when the buns emerge golden from the oven and the burgers sizzle in the skillet.

No barbecue for me these days, did I tell you it's winter?

Top tips 

• Washing: thoroughly wash the cucumbers before cutting and salting.
• Salt: we have a 'barbecue salt' here which is in between fine and very coarse. That's what I use, but any salt will do really. Let not that stop you from making these quick pickles.
• Oil: I use olive oil and that's why the images have a yellow tint. Most recipes don't have oil, but it is a wonderful way of keeping them in the fridge.
• Vinegar: I use white vinegar but rice works well too.
• Spiciness: keep in mind when adding ginger and red pepper flakes that the longer you keep them, the spicier the cucumbers get. Decrease the amount if you plan to use them in a few weeks. At least the first time you make them. Or you can omit them altogether, but they will lack something, in my opinion.

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Quick Pickled Cucumbers

★★★★★ 5 from 4 reviews

• Author: Paula Montenegro
• Prep Time: 50
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 2 cups aprox. 1x
• Category: Condiments
• Method: Canning
• Cuisine: International

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Description

Quick Pickled Cucumbers are super easy to make and exactly what their name implies: a delicious pickle in less than an hour.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 cucumbers
• 1  teaspoon sea salt
• 1 Tbs minced fresh ginger
• ½  cup white vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• Pinch of red pepper flakes or smoked merken
• Olive oil (to cover)

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Instructions

1. Wash well the cucumbers, cut in half, each piece inhalf again and cut along the seeds. Cut each quarter into ½ inch pieces.
2. Toss in a bowl with salt and let stand 30 minutes at room temperature.
3. Drain off the liquid that was released.
4. Mix in the vinegar, sugar and pepper flakes. Mix well with the cucumbers.
5. Transfer to a jar, packing. Add olive oil until all cucumbers are covered, close tightly and store in the refrigerator.
6. You can eat them immediately or wait until they are colder from the fridge.
7. They last one month.

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Notes

• Washing: thoroughly wash the cucumbers before cutting and salting.
• Salt: we have a 'barbecue salt' here which is in between fine and very coarse. That's what I use, but any salt will do really. Let not that stop you from making this quick pickles.
• Oil: I use olive oil and that's why the images have a yellow tint. Most recipes don't have oil, but it is a wonderful way of keeping them in the fridge.
• Vinegar: I use white vinegar but rice works well too.
• Spiciness: keep in mind when adding ginger and red pepper flakes that the longer you keep them, the spicier the cucumbers get. Decrease the amount if you plan to use them in a few weeks. At least the first time you make them. Or you can omit them altogether, but they will lack something, in my opinion.

Keywords: pickled cucumbers, cucumber pickle

Barely adapted from Around My French Table, by Dorie Greenspan

Paula Montenegro

I'm Paula, a baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe finder, sharing the best ones on this blog, with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.