Quick Pickled Cucumbers are the ultimate cool and refreshing way to enjoy cucumbers. With a simple vinegar brine, this crisp cucumber salad recipe is ready in 20 minutes and stays fresh in the fridge for weeks. Enjoy homemade refrigerator pickles, without canning!
Jump to:
⭐ Why Melinda Loves Quick Pickled Cucumbers
It's incredible how quick this is to make! Similar to my recipe for Easy Homemade Raspberry Jam, there's no hassle with canning.
Quick Pickled Cucumbers are a tried-and-true family recipe! I've been making it for years.
This cucumber salad is the perfect side dish for BBQs and a great dish to bring to a potluck or office party!
🥒 Ingredients to Have on Hand
This recipe for Quick Pickled Cucumbers is a family recipe that I've been making for over 20 years. The tangy flavor is delicious with savory and creamy main dishes like Spicy Peanut Butter Noodles, Lazy Lasagna and Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel. Or tasty fried seafood like Old Fashioned Salmon Patties.
Cucumbers: Any variety of cucumber will taste delicious. I've had the best results using the English Cucumber. That variety has a crunchier texture, a slightly sweet taste, fewer and smaller seeds, and a thinner peel. If you have a few cucumbers leftover, be sure to make my Pickle de Gallo Salsa, it's delicious!
Sweet Onions: You could use white or yellow onions, but the pleasant sweetness and juiciness of the sweet onions is by far my favorite.
Sugar: The sweetness of sugar blends with the tangy vinegar blend for the most delicious brine! Since the sugar stays behind in the brine when you serve the pickled cucumbers, it only provides a touch of sweetness to each cucumber and onion slice.
Vinegar: Use regular white vinegar and three tablespoons of seasoned rice vinegar to create a delicious brine that isn't overly tangy.
Canning Salt: This is the ideal salt for making the brine since it's a pure, granulated salt with no additives. It has a fine grain and dissolves in a flash in the liquid.
Scroll to the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
🥗 Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Partially peel and thinly slice the cucumbers. You'll need 5 cups, but a little more or a little less is fine.
Step 2: Place the sliced cucumbers in a large container or bowl. Slice 1 large sweet onion, and add it to the cucumbers.
⭐Pro Tip
Peeling the cucumbers is an option for Quick Pickled Cucumbers. I've found it's best to include some of the peel by just partially peeling each cucumber, leaving strips of the green skin and removing only about half of the peel.
Step 3: Use the same glass measuring cup that you used to measure the cucumbers, and whisk the brine ingredients.
Step 4: Pour the brine ingredients over the cucumbers and onions.
Step 5: Toss the ingredients to fully coat all of the cucumbers and onions.
Step 6: Serve right away or, better yet, cover and let the ingredients chill in the refrigerator for a few hours.
💭 Recipe FAQs
Yes, carrots and cauliflower are especially tasty in this brine. Scroll down to "Substitutions" for more ideas.
The brine will keep the veggies tangy and fresh for about two weeks, although the cucumbers can become slightly less crunchy in that time.
If that's what you have on hand, yes. The flavor of the brine will be slightly different but still delicious.
If you don't have canning salt, use sea salt or kosher salt. They may have different grain sizes than pickling salt, so that could impact the saltiness of the brine. Table salt is fine, but it can make the brine cloudy.
🥕 Substitutions
You can use other veggies in this brine for equally delicious results and you can even reuse the brine a second time. Just be sure to keep it chilled in the refrigerator.
Toss any combination of the following veggies into the brine and enjoy a delicious, crunchy, crispy pickled salad:
- thinly sliced carrots
- cauliflower florets
- sliced sweet peppers
- radishes
🥘 What to Serve with Pickled Cucumbers
Quick Pickled Cucumbers are a delicious and refreshing side dish that goes great with protein from the BBQ and other main dishes like Smoked Salmon on the Pellet Grill, sides like Sweet Corn Pasta Salad and Easy Franks and Beans.
The flavor of these tangy, slightly sweetened refrigerated pickles is a wonderful side for appetizers like Corn Dog Nuggets or Cheeseburger Sliders with Hawaiian Sweet Rolls.
⭐Pro Tip
For tips on how best to store cucumbers at home, check out this article where I was among the experts quoted. Spoiler Alert: Remove the cukes from any plastic packaging and wrap them in paper towels in an area of the fridge with low humidity.
🥣 Leftovers and Storage
Store the pickled cucumbers in the refrigerator covered in a glass jar, food-safe plastic container or even a serving bowl.
The cukes and onions will stay fresh for several weeks submerged in the brine, although the cucumbers tend to soften a bit after the first few days.
Note: Some of the links in this recipe post are Amazon affiliate links, which means I make a small commission from Amazon if you link to and purchase the item. The affiliate process never affects your cost and I only link to products that I use and highly recommend.
⭐Pro Tip
One of the easiest ways to get cucumbers sliced quickly and evenly is with a (affiliate link) handy cabbage shredder. It's good for so much more than cabbage. I love how it works with cucumbers and onions in this recipe. Just be sure to use a (affiliate link) protective glove so you don't take any risks as your hand gets closer to the blades.
🍏More Summertime Recipes
Looking for another way to use fresh produce? Try my No Peel Apple Cake. It's a wonderful way to use fresh apples and another all-time favorite among aunties.
Quick Pickled Cucumbers are especially refreshing during the warm summer months. Here are more of my favorite recipes for the hot days of summer, although I make them all year long!
If you make Quick Pickled Cucumbers, I'd love to hear how they turned out and if you enjoyed the recipe. Please leave a 🌟🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 star rating and a comment below. I'm looking forward to hearing from you!
Recipe
JC says
This was the perfect use of garden cucumbers. Delicious. Will be making these to eat all summer long!
Melinda O'Malley Keckler says
Glad to hear it! Thank you for the five star rating.
Alexandra says
Homemade pickles are the best - this recipe is ideal and I won’t be buying store bought again. They also make a lovely edible gift!
Juyali says
Homemade pickles are the best. I love the sweet and sour taste of these. I actually love these on tacos. So good!
Amy says
So easy and absolutely delicious! Left the peel on as I thought it would give it a little extra crunch.
Melinda O'Malley Keckler says
I like to leave the peel on too!
Oscar says
I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious these Refrigerator Pickles turned out. They're cool, crisp, and offer a tangy bite that's perfect for summer dining.
Melinda O'Malley Keckler says
Thank you Oscar, glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Liz says
Oh, my gosh, I never knew making pickles could be so easy! We all loved these!!
Nancy Kane says
Love all your recipes. Easy to follow
easy to make + of course, tasty to eat.
Keep up the great work.
Melinda O'Malley Keckler says
Thank you Nancy! I appreciate your kinds words and am thrilled that you enjoy the recipes you find here in my little corner of the food world.
Andrea White says
I need to make this ASAP! Pickles have been growing on me lately!
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says
We are growing a ton of cucumbers this year and this is a great recipe to use them in!
Luca says
They are definitely refreshing!
Akshita says
I love pickles! Thank you for this easy recipe 🙂