A crisp, tangy, sweet-savory refrigerator pickle ready in about an hour — perfect for bowls, snacks, and sandwiches.
If there’s one recipe I make on repeat, it’s these Quick Asian Pickled Cucumbers. They’re fast, fresh, and wildly flavorful for something that takes almost no effort. Thin-skinned cucumbers soak up a bright marinade made with rice vinegar, lite soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and a touch of heat — the perfect balance of tangy, sweet, salty, and umami. They taste like something you’d get at a great noodle shop but require exactly zero cooking skills.
The best part? These pickles are endlessly versatile. I keep a jar in the fridge for topping rice bowls (especially my tofu bowls), adding crunch to sandwiches, or just grabbing a handful when I need a quick snack. They’re crisp, refreshing, and the kind of simple recipe that makes everyday meals better.
The versatility of Asian pickled cucumbers is what makes them a staple in my fridge. Whether they're served alongside a tasty bowl of rice, tucked into a sandwich, or simply snacked on straight from the jar, they never disappoint. The quick pickling method not only preserves the crispness of the cucumbers but also enhances their natural taste with the depth of the vinegar mixture. To me, they're the perfect accompaniment to any meal that could use a touch of acidity to balance rich flavors.
Why You’ll Love These Quick Asian Pickled Cucumbers
- Fast: Ready in about an hour — no canning, no boiling jars.
- Crisp, not mushy: The salting step pulls out moisture while keeping every slice crunchy.
- Flavor-packed: Sweet, tangy, garlicky, and lightly spicy.
- Versatile: Great on bowls, sandwiches, salads, or straight from the jar.
- Beginner-friendly: If you can slice a cucumber, you can make these.
Ingredients needed to make quick Asian Pickled Cucumbers
The detailed recipe card is below, but this section walks you through the key ingredients, why they matter, and how to make swaps if needed.
- Thin-skinned cucumbers – Persian, mini, or English cucumbers stay crisp and don’t require peeling.
- Salt – Draws out moisture so the cucumbers stay crunchy.
- Rice vinegar – Seasoned or unseasoned works; seasoned adds a slightly sweeter note.
- Lite soy sauce or tamari – Flavor without overpowering saltiness.
- Sesame oil – Adds nutty depth.
- Agave syrup – Balances acidity. Maple syrup works in a pinch.
- Ginger paste or fresh grated ginger – Adds warmth and brightness.
- Minced garlic – Fresh or jarred.
- Red pepper flakes – Optional, but recommended for a little kick.
- Cold water – Helps cover the slices during marinating.
- Optional toppings: sesame seeds, sliced red chili, sliced shallots, or green onions.
How to Make Quick Asian Pickled Cucumbers
The exact ingredients with measurements can be found in the recipe card below along with more concise abbreviated instructions. Read on for more details, tips, and tricks so that you will feel confident making this recipe.
Step 1: Prep the Cucumbers
Rinse, trim the ends, and slice thinly — no thicker than ¼ inch. A mandoline slicer gives the thinnest slices, but a sharp knife works perfectly.
Step 2: Salt to draw out moisture
Place slices in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat and let sit 15–20 minutes. They’ll release a surprising amount of water!
Lift the cucumbers out with a slotted spoon (don’t rinse). Discard the salty water left behind — that’s where most of the sodium lives.
Step 3: Make the Marinade
Whisk together the rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, agave, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
Step 4: Combine
Add the salted cucumbers to the marinade. Stir gently to coat.
Step 5: Add cold water to cover
Pour in one-half to one cup of cold water. You want to use just enough to fully submerge the cucumbers.
Steps 6 and 7: Marinade, Serve & Store
Let them sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour for quick pickles, or refrigerate several hours for deeper flavor.
Keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. The flavor improves over time.
Serving Suggestions
These pickles brighten almost anything. Try them:
- tucked into sandwiches and wraps
- spooned onto rice bowls, tofu bowls, or Buddha bowls
- piled onto vegan burgers
- chopped into salads
- served on plant-based charcuterie boards
- enjoyed straight from the jar (my personal favorite)
Tips for success
- Don’t rinse the cucumbers after salting — you’ll wash off flavor and moisture control.
- Slice evenly so they pickle at the same rate.
- Use thin-skinned cucumbers so you can skip peeling.
- Taste as you go — add more agave for sweetness, more vinegar for tang, or more red pepper for heat.
- Expect the nutrition panel to look salty — most of the salt is left behind in the discarded brine.
The Printable Recipe Card
Did you love this recipe?
Want to share the love? It would be great if you could leave five ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ stars and even a comment. Did you know that this will help Google to find this recipe when others are looking for something similar? Thanks, Cindy
Quick Asian Pickled Cucumbers
Ingredients
- 12 ounces thin-skinned cucumbers see notes
- 2 Tablespoons salt
- 1 cup rice vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons lite soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons sesame oil
- 1½ Tablespoons agave syrup
- 1 Tablespoon ginger paste or use 1-inch fresh ginger
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½-1 cup cold water
- optional sesame seeds, more red pepper flakes, sliced shallots, green onions
Instructions
- Wash the cucumbers and cut off the ends. Do not peel the cucumbers. You can run a fork down the sides for an interesting look. See the blog post for a photo.
- Slice the cucumbers thinly using a knife, mandoline slicer, or vegetable peeler. The slices should be no more than one-quarter inch thick.
- Place the cucumber slices in a bowl and sprinkle them with salt. Toss to evenly distribute the salt. Let them sit for about 15-20 minutes to release excess moisture.12 ounces thin-skinned cucumbers, 2 Tablespoons salt
- While the cucumbers are resting, prepare the pickling marinade. In a separate bowl, mix rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, agave, ginger paste, and minced garlic. Add the red pepper flakes if you will be using them.1 cup rice vinegar, 2 Tablespoons lite soy sauce, 2 Tablespoons sesame oil, 1½ Tablespoons agave syrup, 1 Tablespoon ginger paste, 3 cloves garlic, ½-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- After the cucumbers have released moisture, do NOT rinse the salt off, but lift them out of the bowl with a slotted spoon and place the cucumbers into the vinegar mixture. You will be discarding 3-4 tablespoons of salty water from the cucumbers.
- After adding the cucumbers to the marinade, toss to coat them evenly. Place the prepared cucumbers in a container with a lid. Pour 1/2-1 cup cold water over the top just to cover the cucumbers. Give it a little stir. Allow the cucumbers to marinate in the mixture for at least 30 minutes to an hour, or refrigerate for a few hours to intensify the flavors.
- Top with optional sliced red chili, sesame seeds, and shallots or chopped green onions for an extra kick and visual appeal.
I love cucumbers and this is yet another fantastic way to enjoy them. The flavor combination makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Outstanding!
Thanks so much for the great comment and rating! I’m so glad you are enjoying the recipes:)
Wonderful pickles. I didn’t have agave and honey sounded too rich so I substituted organic brown sugar and increased it by a couple of teaspoons. In addition to thinly sliced scallion I added thinly sliced sweet snacking peppers in a rich orange color. Perfect and classic.
Wonderful! I’m so so glad you enjoyed them and it sounds like a great substitution idea!
Sounds like a great recipe, I’m going to try it tomorrow! One question: If you’re not going to eat all the cucumbers immediately, how do you store them? The recipe seems to indicate they should only stay in the pickling juice for a short time so what do they sit in if keeping them in the fridge for a week or so?
They’ll stay fresh for a couple of weeks. Save a little of the juices.
How long can you store these in the fridge?
I’ve stored up to two weeks.
If you really want impact put your recipe in Grams and Liters
Are you aware that only 2 countries in the world use Imperial measurements?
US and Birma!!
I know. We suck.
DELISH! This has become my base marinaded cucumber recipe. Sometimes I use a different oil, flax seed, peanut. Sometimes I add shredded cabbage or carrots. Sometimes I add different seeds like caraway, fennel, or cumin. And sometimes I make your exact recipe. It’s always a winner!
Can you make these ahead and keep in a jar to serve up in a week or two?
That should be fine.
Thanks Cindy, exactly what I was looking for and it came out great!
This was delicious!
I ate a whole bowl of it for dinner.
I didn’t have agave, so I substituted it with honey. I also got busy while making this, so my baby cucumbers had been soaking in salt for quite a bit. I had to squeeze out the salted water from the cucumber, but maybe the extra soaking is probably what made it more flavorful!
Don’t skip the grated ginger folks!
My Mom made a version of this recipe!
It was always a staple at summer cookouts!!
I subbed some things; added others i thought appropriate; veggie base for a richer flavor, EVOO! ..no sesame oil in pantry, Damn!, large green tomatoes ..from the garden, white onion chunks, & Rosemary.., sugar instead of Agave.., pepper corns, and a little Chinese hot mustard!
What an explosion of flavors!!
Thanks for sharing!
Nice flavors but I used half the sesame oil and salt. I used 1/2 tsp. of ground pepper flakes and it was spicy enough for all types of eaters. I used a small coffee grinder that I only use for spices to grind a fine texture. It’s great to have the heat and the seeds disappear. Put it in a salt shaker to add to pizza, coconut shrimp and wherever you want to control the amount of spice with an even application.
I like to lay the cucumber slices on paper towels and add more layers of paper towels of cucumbers on top. Works well to absorb excess juices in a short time. I used about 3 paper towels and am happy to avoid the salt. Family loved the pickle cucumber flavors!
How long will they keep in the refrigerator?
I’ve kept them for a couple of weeks.
Can these be canned?
No – I checked with my sister who is a canning expert and she said the texture would be drastically changed.
How long would these keep in the fridge once made?
I’ve kept them for a couple of weeks. I’ve never tested how long they’ll keep because I eat them before then.
Will these store if so for how long do these keep for?
I’ve kept them a couple of weeks – but then I eat them!
I can’t quit eating these.
Can you can these pickles?
I wouldn’t – but they do last a long time in my fridge
My gaden cucumbers were ready so I wanted to find something especially good to do with them. Oh my goodness! This was definitely 5 star!!!!!! I love this recipe!!! The sesame oil really makes them smooth. Easy, healthy , pretty and delicious!