The crunchy and refreshing Japanese pickled cucumbers are the perfect side dish when you're looking for fresh and light flavors. This recipe is incredibly easy and requires only two ingredients. Give it a try!
To make Japanese pickled cucumbers, all you need are cucumbers and shio kombu (flavorful kombu seaweed).
Enjoy these tasty pickles as a snack or as a refreshing accompaniment to your favorite Japanese dishes!
- This recipe is for you if:
- You love Japanese pickles (tsukemono).
- You are looking for Japanese pickled cucumber recipe.
- You want to try an easy pickle recipe.
Let's get started!
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About this recipe
- Quick pickled cucumber recipe
- Only two ingredients: cucumber and shio kombu
- Less than 5 mins for preparation
- Easy Japanese side dish
Japanese Pickled Cucumbers
Japanese pickled cucumbers, also known as "Tsukemono," are a popular refreshing side dish in Japanese cuisine. They can be seasoned with a variety of ingredients but are typically pickled in a mixture of salt, sugar, and vinegar.
This recipe is a quick pickle recipe, which is called Asazuke. Asazuke is a Japanese term that refers to quick pickling or lightly pickling fresh vegetables for a short period of time, usually 30 minutes to a few hours.
📋 Ingredients
Here are the ingredients (amounts are in the recipe card below).
- Japanese cucumbers: They are slim with a crunchy texture. If you cannot find them at your local store, Persian cucumbers, and English cucumbers are good substitutes.
- Shio kombu: See below
Shio kombu
Shio kombu is a Japanese seasoning made from dried kelp that is cut into thin, thread-like strips and seasoned with salt, sugar, and soy sauce. The seasoning creates a sweet yet savory taste that adds umami flavor to many dishes.
Shio kombu is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of Japanese dishes, such as rice, noodles, and stir-fries.
Here are some recipes with shio kombu:
- Pickled napa cabbage
- Daikon skin stir fry
- Takikomi Gohan with Shio kombu(seasoned rice)
- Onigiri rice balls without nori
Where to Buy Japanese Ingredients
If you live in the US, you can find Japanese ingredients in the list below.
- Japanese market: Mitsuwa Marketplace, Marukai
- Asian market
- Whole Foods Market
- Health food stores
- Online stores: Instacart, Walmart, Amazon
🔪Instructions
How to make it is super easy! Let me show you how. Click here to watch the recipe video.
- Cucumbers: Cut them into your desired size. (I recommend cutting the pieces a little larger than bite-size to enjoy their crunchy texture better.)
- Put in a plastic bag: Put cucumber and shio kombu in a plastic bag.
- Massage: Hold the edge of the bag and massage with both hands until it changes to brownish all over.
- Pickle: Close the bag, put it in a container, and sit in the fridge for more than 30 minutes.
Open the bag, transfer cucumbers into an airtight container, and that's it! Quick Japanese pickled cucumber is ready to eat!
If you are not in a hurry, you can leave it in the fridge overnight, and the taste is soaked in and more delicious. Please try!
Storage
Transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. The salad will keep well for 3 to 4 days
Variations
To enhance the flavor of the pickled cucumbers, you can add in the following ingredients:
Add in flavors:
- Sesame oil and sesame seeds: These will bring a nutty and roasted sesame aroma and flavor to the dish.
- Ground garlic: Adding garlic will provide a savory and appetizing flavor.
- Red pepper flakes: If you like your food spicy, you can add a pinch of red pepper flakes or chili peppers for some heat.
- Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar is a common ingredient in Japanese cuisine and will provide a tangy taste to pickled cucumbers.
- Kosher salt: Salt is an essential ingredient in pickling as it helps to draw out excess moisture from the cucumbers and adds flavor.
Add crunchy vegetables:
- Carrot
- Daikon radish
- Turnip
- Celery
- Cabbage
- Red onions
What to serve with
- Steamed white rice
- Kabocha miso soup
- Soy meat chunk karaage
- Kinpira Gobo
- Pickled cucumber
Thanks for Stopping By
If you're looking for something light and refreshing, these pickles are a great snack. I hope you enjoy this easy recipe!
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog♡ If you’ve tried this recipe(or any other recipe on the blog), please give it a star rating below!
Also, feel free to leave comments if you have any questions. I love hearing from you!
Chef JA Cooks is a Japanese food blog that shares simple and healthy Japanese home cooking recipes, including vegan and vegetarian. From traditional Japanese recipes to modern recipes with step-by-step instructions.
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📖 Recipe
Quick Japanese Pickled Cucumbers
Print Pin SAVEIngredients
- 2 Japanese cucumbers, 260g
- 1 tablespoon Shio Kombu, 5g
Instructions
- Cucumbers: Cut them into your desired size.
- Put in a bag: Put cucumbers and shio kombu in a plastic bag.
- Massage: Hold the edge of the bag and massage with both hands until it changes to brownish all over.
- Pickle: Close the bag, put it in a container, and sit in the fridge for more than 30 minutes.
Video
Notes
- Storage: It will last for 3 days in the fridge.
- Substitute: You can substitute shio kombu with 1 teaspoon of dashi powder and 1 teaspoon of sugar.
- Enjoy variations by adding: Sesame oil and soy sauce to add more flavor, or carrot and cucumber to make it more crispy, or red pepper to make it spicy.
- If you are not in a hurry, let it sit overnight to absorb the flavor.
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