Pickled Cucumbers and Onions

Make tangy pickled cucumbers and onions with this quick refrigerator pickle recipe! They’re crunchy and flavorful, ready in 30 minutes and perfect for bowls, salads, and sandwiches.

Here’s a condiment secret that will revolutionize all your meals, from bowl meals to sandwiches. Try these pickled cucumbers and onions! If you’re a fan of pickled red onions like I am, you’ll know they add a tangy sweet crunch to everything they touch.

So I thought, why not add cucumbers? Turns out, they add a next level crunch. I originally made them for this Mediterranean-style falafel bowl, but they work with just about anything: cheese boards, sandwiches, tacos, and more! As a cookbook authors who’s made dozens of pickle recipes, this one is actually my favorite of them all.

5 Star Reader Review

“Made this recipe about two hours ago, just tried one, delicious! When I was younger my mother often made a big bowl of them, she just kept them on the counter because they seldom lasted more than a day!” -Michell

Ingredients You’ll Need

These pickled cucumbers and onions are quick pickles (aka refrigerator pickles), vegetables that have been marinated in a mixture of vinegar, salt, sugar, and water. They don’t require canning, so they’re not shelf stable like canned pickles. Instead, you can store them refrigerated, where they can last for up to 1 month. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

Cucumber: I always use English cucumber here: this type has a thin skin and imperceptible seeds. You can also use standard cucumber if desired, but it’s best with English cucumber.
Red onion: This method works with white onions as well, but red onion has the best bright pink color.
White vinegar: White vinegar has the best straightforward flavor. I’ve tried it with white wine vinegar and it is too sour!
Granulated sugar: Sugar is essential to any pickle recipe to make the tangy flavor.
Salt and pepper: Salt is the other essential ingredient for pickles, which seasons the vegetables and inhibits the growth of bacteria.

Tips for Perfect Pickled Cucumbers and Onions

These quick pickled cucumbers and onions take only 5 minutes of hands on time, so it’s not difficult to make time for whipping up a jar.

Cut the vegetables as thin as possible; this makes the best texture in the final result.
Heat the brine until the sugar and salt are dissolved. You can also add other flavorings into the brine if you like, like dill seeds, peppercorns, or coriander seeds.
Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes for the full pickling effect. These are perfect for making in advance and throwing the jar in the fridge for meals throughout the week.

Ways to Serve Them

We know you’ll have great ideas for serving pickled cucumbers and onions: they are incredibly versatile! Here are a few of our top ways to use them:

Bowl meals like a falafel bowl, Mediterranean bowl, salmon bowl, shrimp bowl, and more
Salads like chopped salad, kale salad, and Mediterranean salad
Tacos like chickpea tacos or fish tacos
Sandwiches like chicken salad, chickpea salad sandwich, egg salad sandwich, falafel sandwich, or tofu sandwich

Storing Leftovers

How long do homemade pickled cucumbers and onions red onions last? In a sealed container, pickled red onions last up to 1 month refrigerated. Because they are not canned pickles, they are not shelf-stable.

Recipe Variations to Try

Once you master this basic recipe, the possibilities expand. I’ve developed several favorite variations over the years.

For a spicy version, you can add red pepper flakes or a sliced jalapeño to the brine.
Try fresh dill or dill seeds (not dried dill) for a more traditional pickle flavor: see my dill pickle recipe.
Use other veggies. If you love the flavor of pickled red onions, you can make this recipe with just onions and increase the quantity to 3 cups. Other vegetables work too: I’ve successfully pickled carrots, cauliflower, green beans, jalapeños, and radishes.

Dietary notes

This pickled cucumbers and onions recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.