The Best Marinated Cucumbers
Who would have thought that marinating cucumbers could be so simple and delicious? Small in size, but mighty in flavor, this deceiving cucumber recipe is excellent in salmon sushi bowls, served alongside a fried egg, or it’s even good enough to stand alone as a refreshing side dish. But our most recent favorite way to eat cucumbers marinated is on our Soy Ginger Salmon Rice Bowls. Follow along as we share how to marinate cucumbers in vinegar to yield crunchy, flavorful cucumbers every single time.
Key Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- english cucumber – Any cucumber will do, but we love english cucumbers for their smaller size and crunchiness.
- rice vinegar – Made from fermented rice, rice vinegar is less tangy and acidic than white vinegar, and it has a subtle sweetness.
- apple cider vinegar – A little bit goes a long way to add just the right amount of sweet and sour flavors.
- fresh dill – A slightly tangy herbs with just a touch of anise flavor to compliment the star of the show.
English Cucumbers Or Regular Cucumbers
Either option will be great, but we prefer English cucumbers in this recipe. They’re a bit smaller than standard cucumbers and therefore have less water content, making them crunchy and better able to soak up all the rich flavors.
How To Make Marinated Cucumbers
Step 1: Wash and thinly slice your English cucumber with either a sharp knife or a mandoline slicer. If you chose the latter, be careful of those fingertips!
Step 2: Then add in thinly sliced onion to your cucumber bowl. Pour your rice vinegar and apple cider vinegar mixture over the cucumbers and onions.
Step 3: Next, add sesame seeds, dill, red pepper flakes, and salt and toss to combine.
Step 4: Let your cucumbers marinate in the refrigerator for as little as 30 minutes or as long as 2-3 days.
Step 5: Finally, enjoy these crunchy, sour, and subtly sweet marinated cucumbers in your favorite dish or eat them right out of the jar. We’re loving them in our soy ginger salmon bowls.
Other Cucumber Recipes You Might Like
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Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup sweet yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon white sesame seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh dill, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more if desired
- optional 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Add cucumber and onion to a medium bowl.
- In a separate small bowl, combine rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar. Stir to combine.ย
- Pour vinegar mixture over cucumbers. Add sesame seeds, dill, salt and red pepper flakes (if using); toss to combine.
- Let marinate a minimum of 30 minutes or up to 2-3 days in the refrigerator.ย
- Use in your favorite dishes or eat as-is – we love them in these Soy Ginger Salmon Bowls.ย
Notes
- English Cucumbers: you can use regular cucumbers for this recipe, but for best results use an English Cucumber – they are small, less watery and, therefore, more crisp and delicious.
- Sesame Seeds: for even greater depth of flavor you can toast your sesame seeds for a few minutes in a cast iron skillet!
- Storage: Store your marinated cucumbers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5-7 days.
Erin says
Super easy and fresh – really good, thanks