Description
This Pickled Cucumber recipe offers a vibrant and tangy quick-pickle option perfect for adding a crisp, refreshing bite to sandwiches, salads, or as a standalone snack. Using simple pantry staples and fresh cucumbers and dill, this pickling method creates a balanced blend of sweet, salty, and mildly spicy flavors with a hint of herbal freshness.
Ingredients
Scale
Pickling Brine
- 1¼ cups white vinegar
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Vegetables and Herbs
- 2 large thinly sliced fresh cucumbers
- 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 4 sprigs fresh dill, trimmed to just the dill fronds
Instructions
- Make the Vinegar Mixture: Add the white vinegar, granulated sugar, kosher salt, celery seed, and red pepper flakes to a 2 to 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir constantly until the sugar completely dissolves. Once dissolved, remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool completely for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Layer the Vegetables and Herbs: In a quart-sized canning jar, alternate layers of the thinly sliced cucumbers, red onions, and fresh dill sprigs, creating an even distribution of each ingredient within the jar.
- Add the Brine and Marinate: When the vinegar mixture has cooled fully, carefully pour it over the cucumber and onion layers in the jar, ensuring all the vegetables are submerged. Close the jar and let the pickled cucumber salad marinate at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.
Notes
- For crisper pickles, use firm and fresh cucumbers with minimal moisture.
- If you prefer a less sweet pickle, reduce the sugar slightly.
- Allow the pickles to marinate for longer (up to several hours or overnight) for a more intense flavor.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator and consume within one week for optimum freshness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Pickles & Preserves
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: pickled cucumber, quick pickles, cucumber salad, fresh dill pickles, easy pickles, vinegar pickles
