Did you know there was a period of time when I was scared of pickles? If you've been following along for the past few years, that won't come as a surprise to you. I was a picky eater! But these days I'm all about these Homemade Spicy Pickles!

Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
OMG. These are hands down the best homemade spicy pickles on the planet! You can make them as spicy as you want or keep it mild - but literally get ready for your life to change. They are rocking my world and I've been making them on repeat ever since Persian Cucumbers have been exploding at the farmers markets.
I'd classify these as quick pickles. It doesn't take weeks to make them, just a few hours. Which means they are perfect to whip up the morning before a party, or the day before a BBQ... I've got ya covered!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Persian Cucumbers – I like to use Persian cucumbers as they don't usually have seeds. You might also find English or Hothouse cucumbers, which are very similar.
- Kosher Salt
- Garlic Cloves
- Fresh Ginger
- Green Onions
- Rice Vinegar
- Jalapeño
- Honey
- Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- Sesame Oil
How to Make Homemade Spicy Pickles
Start by placing the cut cucumbers in a colander set over a bowl, sprinkle with kosher salt and give a quick toss to make sure it’s evenly coated. Let sit 30 minutes.
Rinse cucumber under running water, remove excess water by placing cucumbers on a towel to blot dry.
In a mixing bowl, combine cucumbers and remaining ingredients. Stir to coat. The liquid should cover the cucumbers entirely. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Tips & Tricks
Garlic and ginger are the 2 most prominent flavors in this and gives it some real spunk. The rice vinegar gives it even more flavor than a traditional white vinegar, in my opinion! And the jalapenos and the green onions are icing on the cake. You can leave out the jalapeno if you want it to be mild, no problemo!
Similar Recipes

Homemade Spicy Pickles
Ingredients
- ½ pound Persian cucumbers sliced ½ in thick
- ½ tablespoon kosher salt
- 2-3 cloves garlic sliced thin or minced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 6 green onions chopped
- ½ cup rice vinegar plus more as needed
- 1 jalapeno sliced thin seeds removed for less spice.
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Place cut cucumbers in a colander set over a bowl, sprinkle with kosher salt and give a quick toss to make sure it’s evenly coated. Let sit 30 minutes.
- Rinse cucumber under running water, remove excess water by placing cucumbers on a towel to blot dry.
- In a mixing bowl, combine cucumbers and remaining ingredients. Stir to coat. The liquid should cover the cucumbers entirely. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe by What’s Gaby Cooking
I’m confused. The liquid doesn’t cover the cucumbers. So I guess I need to triple the ingredients to cover?
Do you use seasoned or unseasoned (plain) rice vinegar??
I've done it both way - and both work and are excellent
Delicious! I used these with a French lentil and pork belly salad and they were perfect!
Should these be completely submerged in the jars?
The vinegar & all don’t cover the cucumbers. Any advict
add more vinegar!
How long do they last in the fridge?
About a week!!
I am all set to try this with my abundance of cucumbers!! Yum!
How sweet does the honey make them and how would it be to omit the honey?
you can omit but it really just evens things out. Doesn't make them sweet at all
I made these last week and was so surprised at their taste. I've shared with several others and have more requests for jars!
Look no further for the BEST quick fridge pickle! These are amazing, I make them weekly since discovering this recipe!