Easy Lebanese pickled cucumbers recipe

With easy steps, and simple ingredients magic will work to give you mouth-watering crunchy pickled cucumbers to enjoy with your meal.

Going back to my country and the dishes spread on the dining table in a typical Lebanese lunch or dinner, you can never miss out on spotting a dish of pickles. The truth is pickles are the main side dishes served along with many Lebanese dishes, be it falafel, shawarma, grilled meat, you name it. And one of the famous sorts of pickles that we do enjoy next to our dishes or in our sandwiches is the famous Lebanese pickled cucumber.

Lebanese pickled cucumbers are not the same as the renowned deli cucumber pickles in the US. The Lebanese version, although taking a little bit longer to be ready, will give you a crunchy cucumber with a darker color and a tangier taste.

What are the ingredients needed?

This recipe is very simple and straight to the point. What you will need is:

• Cucumber
• Salt
• Vinegar
• Water
• Sugar

How to make these pickled cucumbers?

Making Lebanese pickled cucumbers at home is easier than you think. And believe it or not, it is even cheaper than those store-bought pickles jars standing on the shelves in grocery stores. All you need to do is to stack the cucumbers in your pickling jar, pour in the cooled water or room temperature water, along with sugar salt, and vinegar, and wait. Your homemade brine will work its magic in a few days to give you mouth-watering crunchy pickled cucumbers to enjoy with your meal.

Is it necessary to boil the brine?

Boiling water, vinegar, and salt will help the flavors blend later. However, you will have to wait until the water cools completely before pouring it into the jar. Otherwise, you will end up with semi-cooked cucumber. On another note, I also tried pickling cucumbers without boiling the brine first, and it did work perfectly.

Why add sugar?

There are two reasons for adding sugar to the pickling brine. Sugar works as a natural preservative, helping your pickles last longer. Moreover, sugar helps decrease the level of the tartness of the vinegar and supports producing crunchy pickles.

What are this recipe’s variations?

Sweet pickles

If you are on the verge of sweet pickles, you can add more sugar to your brine to have a sweeter taste. Make sure to taste the initial brine before adding sugar.

Spicy pickles

If you like spicy pickles, then why not add a teaspoon of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to your brine.

Garlicky pickles

Adding garlic to the brine is a famous practice in Lebanon. Garlic adds a special flavor to the pickles that you will love upon tasting.

What cucumbers are best for pickling?

When it comes to Lebanese pickled cucumbers, Persian and green cucumbers are the best. Not only because you can find them easily in the market, but also these types of cucumbers have thicker skin than other types, helping the cucumbers to stay crunchy for a long time after pickling.

 How long do these cucumbers last?

With sugar and salt in the brine working as natural preservatives, these pickled cucumbers can last for months if stored properly in an air-tight container.

How to serve these pickles?

• Top the meat in your burger with pickles for a juicier flavor.
• Add it to your shawarma sandwich, be it meat or kitchen.
• Pickled cucumbers make an amazing add-on to any salad.
• A falafel sandwich is never complete without pickled cucumbers.
• Tawook sandwiches call for a loaded amount of pickles.

Do you like pickles? Check out these recipes:

• Crunchy pickled onions
• How to pickle chili peppers
• Addictive pickled avocados

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