Quick lemon and cucumber pickle recipe. These cucumber pickles are really delicious. The right balance of sweetness, tanginess and the crunchiness is so refreshing and invigorating!
Cucumber pickles are quite popular in Korea. You can often see them served at a pizza or pasta restaurant (mostly western style restaurants). At these place, as you would know, serving kimchi is considered somewhat awkward, so they often serve cucumber pickles instead.
Though I find that these cucumber pickles can be hit or miss. Some fast food restaurants just serve store bought pickles while others serve their store made pickles. I definitely prefer “their own made” versions. They taste more natural without being overly sweet and/or sour.
Koreans love adding some lemon with cucumber pickles too. I do think they go well wonderfully together. Lemon adds a nice fragrance and tanginess.
I typically serve my pickles with homemade pizza, pasta and also buttery fried rice. But they will also go well with hot dogs and sandwiches too. It’s very versatile and the best part is it’s very easy and quick to make!
Hope you give this a try soon!
Other Korean Pickling Recipes
Below, you can find my other pickling recipes, so please take some time to browse through them!
- Pickled Carrots and Daikon Radish
- Pickled Chili Peppers (Gochu Jangajji)
- Pickled Onions (Yangpa Jangajji)
Ingredients for Lemon and Cucumber Pickles
Main
- 1 kg / 2.2 pounds cucumber, I used Lebanese cucumber but you can use other cucumbers that are suitable for pickling.
- 3 Tbsp coarse sea salt
- 1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
Cucumber Pickle Brine
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar (or rice vinegar)
- 2 Tbsp fine sea salt
- 2 tsp pickling spice (*see note)
- 10g / 0.35 ounces ginger, thinly sliced
- 5g / 0.17 ounces garlic, thinly sliced
*1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 Cup = 250 ml
How to Make Cucumber Pickles
1. Wash the cucumbers under running water. Scrub the cucumber skin thoroughly. Cut off both ends of the cucumber. Unless you’re using baby cucumbers, chop the cucumber into small thumb size pieces (about 4 cm / 1.5 inch length) then put them into a mixing bowl.
Add the coarse sea salt and let it sit for 30 mins to drain some water out. During this time, turn the cucumber around a few times. After 30 mins, brush off residual salt from the cucumbers then put them into a clean sterile jar. Add the sliced lemon into the jar.
2. Combine the brine ingredients in a saucepan and boil over medium heat until the sugar dissolves (4 to 5 mins). Whisk occasionally.
3. Pour the pickle brine into the jar until the jar is full. Close the lid. Leave at room temperature for 3 hrs then move it to the fridge. Start eating from day 3. (You can start eating from day 1 but it becomes more flavorful from day 3.) The pickles can last for about 3 weeks in the fridge.
Note
I used store bought pickling spice in the recipe, but you can combine these spices: mustard seeds, black peppercorns, dill seeds, allspice whole, to make a homemade pickling spice.
Cucumber Pickles with Lemon
Ingredients
MAIN
- 1 kg cucumber (2.2 pounds), I used Lebanese cucumber but you can use other cucumbers that are suitable for pickling.
- 3 Tbsp coarse sea salt
- 1/2 lemon , thinly sliced
CUCUMBER PICKLE BRINE
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp fine sea salt
- 2 tsp pickling spice
- 10 g ginger (0.35 ounces), thinly sliced
- 5 g garlic (0.17 ounces), thinly sliced
Instructions
- Wash the cucumbers under running water. Scrub the cucumber skin thoroughly. Cut off both ends of the cucumber. Unless you’re using baby cucumbers, chop the cucumber into small thumb size pieces (about 4 cm / 1.5 inch length) then put them into a mixing bowl. Add the coarse sea salt and let it sit for 30 mins to drain some water out. During this time, turn the cucumber around a few times. After 30 mins, brush off residual salt from the cucumbers then put them into a clean sterile jar. Add the sliced lemon into the jar.
- Combine the brine ingredients in a saucepan and boil over medium heat until the sugar dissolves (4 to 5 mins). Whisk occasionally.
- Pour the pickle brine into the jar until the jar is full. Close the lid. Leave at room temperature for 3 hrs then move it to the fridge. Start eating from day 3. (You can start eating from day 1 but it becomes more flavorful from day 3.) The pickles can last for about 3 weeks in the fridge.
Nutrition Info (per serving)
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
My 14 year old loves anything pickled. I made these yesterday and told her to leave them alone for a few days. Well…I went to check on them earlier today and half the jar was gone. When asked she said she only went to try one but they were so good she couldn’t stop!!
Have you tried canning these before?
No, I haven’t. But there are a few people who have asked the same questions in the past, so I’m hoping that someone who has tried it will leave a comment on that. 🙂
I am sooo excited to try this! Please could you let me know what kind of sugar you used? Brown or white? Thank you!
I used white sugar in this recipe for better visual presentation. (Darker sugar will make the pickle look darker.)
These are great! The lemon flavor is subtle but still detectable and enjoyable. I also added dried peppers to add some spiciness. Thanks!
Initially I thought it was too sweet but as time passed it was perfectly seasoned. Thank you! I made my second batch in kimchi jar today and tripled recipe since we have abundant cucumbers from our garden.
Excellent! I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed it. 🙂
this looks great and easy enough for a newbie like me!
a quick q; do i pure brine mix into the jar right away or should i wait for it to cool down a bit? your recipe will be the first cucumber pickles i make 😉
thanks~
I didn’t think the brine was hot enough, so I poured it over straight away. But if you’re concerned about the jar cracking, you probably should cool it down first.
can I use this recipe for canning ? instead of refrig.
It could be. I’m not familiar with canning techniques so I can’t comment much further. Hope it works out well! 🙂
Would these pickles do well preserved. I have several pickle varieties that I can and store but nothing like your lemon pickles.
I have not tested canning these pickles. Maybe someone else can answer your question if they tried it. 🙂
My fridge is full of jars of your recipes. I love them. The lemon cucumbers are so pretty and flavorful. I added a lot of lemon so they are zangy!! I made the suated cucumbers, spicy cucumbers, seaweed salad, diakon and carrot salad, fish cake salads, both versions, along with homemade kim chi and various sauces, your bibimbap sauce and such. Now throwing a meal together is simple, just cook rice, noodles,or not,some protein and wala. dinner. And health!!
I’m so happy to hear that, Karen! Can I invite myself to your house? 🙂
Love the way this recipe looks! I have never added lemon to my pickles before but I love the flavor it adds, so I think my next ferment is going to have lemons added! Thank you for sharing!
It does give nice lemon fragrance and flavor to the pickles. Hope you like it! 🙂
Hi Sue, Cucumber for me is only salad and as a healthy munching snack when I am hungry. but Cucumber pickle is quite interesting. I would give a try. I have put it in my to try recipe list.
Hope you like it!
Never heard about the cucumber pickle till today but as i have read it here, so will surely give it a try. BTW pictures looks so tempting.
Thank you!
I love pickles.. Cucumber Pickles with Lemon is soo delicious . thanks for sharing this recipe Sue
Thanks, Jessica! I hope you like it! 🙂
These look refreshingly delicious!
Hi Allison, Yes, it is very refreshing! Perfect for a hot summer weather! 🙂
Hi, Sue.
These cucumber pickles sound delicious. I am going to make some this weekend. I am also going to make your Korean Pickled Peppers using Japanese Shishito peppers. I can’t wait to try them.
Hi Alexander, Hope you enjoy my recipes & have fun pickling! 🙂