Add zesty flavor and a warm aroma to your Japanese pickles with this easy recipe for Pickled Cucumbers with Ginger. These quick-pickled tsukemono (漬物) make a refreshing palate cleanser and crunchy side dish in your Japanese meal. They‘re delicious with steamed rice!
In Japanese cuisine, we have so many varieties of pickles to accompany our meals. Home cooks often make quick and simple homestyle pickles like this super easy Japanese Pickled Cucumbers with Ginger recipe.
This crunchy side dish is a refreshing palate cleanser with a zesty flavor and a warm aroma. You’ll love it with steamed rice! I like to start this quick pickle before I begin prep on the rest of the meal. It’s done in 1–2 hours! Let me show you how easy it is to make it.
Table of Contents
What is Tsukemono?
Japanese pickles, or tsukemono (漬物) in Japanese, are a really important part of the Japanese meal. One or a few kinds of pickles are always served with steamed rice and enjoyed as a garnish or palate cleanser.
Unlike Western-style pickles, tsukemono are considered “preserved vegetables” as they are not primarily pickled in vinegar. They are usually preserved in salt (shiozuke 塩漬け), rice bran (nukazuke 糠漬け), sake lees (kasuzuke 粕漬け), soy sauce (shoyuzuke 醤油漬け), rice vinegar, (suzuke 酢漬け), or miso (misozuke 味噌漬け).
Typical veggies to pickle include cucumber, daikon (Japanese radish), eggplant, cabbage, and ume (Japanese plum).
What is Asazuke?
Today’s pickles are called asazuke (浅漬け), literally meaning “shallow pickling.” The vegetables are pickled only for a short time, between 30 minutes to 2 or 3 hours. They are usually not as salty as other kinds of tsukemono.
If you don’t like cucumbers, you can also use napa cabbage (hakusai), daikon, and eggplant for asazuke as well. I put fresh ginger as a seasoning today, but you can also use kombu or chili pepper which are also popular seasoning ingredients.
Ingredients for Pickled Cucumbers with Ginger
You only need 3 ingredients for this quick and easy homestyle pickle!
- Japanese cucumbers – or use Persian cucumbers
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt – use 2% of the cucumber weight
- knob of fresh ginger
How To Make Pickled Cucumbers with Ginger
The instructions for this cucumber recipe couldn’t be easier!
- Prep and slice the cucumbers. Cut off both ends and rub into the cut sides until you see the small bubbles (this removes the bitterness). Discard the end pieces.
- Peel and cut the ginger into julienne strips.
- Use a resealable plastic bag to hold the sliced cucumbers, salt, and ginger strips. Toss gently to combine. Remove the air and seal the bag.
- Place a heavy object on top of the bag and refrigerate it for 1–2 hours. Drain the excess moisture/pickling liquid and serve.
Serve the cucumber and ginger pickles in a small condiment bowl to enjoy with your Japanese meal. I know you’ll love the crispy crunch and fresh taste of this refreshing side dish!
Other Quick Pickles You’ll Love
- Everyday Japanese Pickles (Asazuke)
- Pickled Cucumbers
- Japanese Pickled Cabbage
- Pickled Turnip with Yuzu
- Pickled Napa Cabbage
Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.
Pickled Cucumbers with Ginger
Ingredients
- 3 Japanese or Persian cucumbers (8.8 oz, 250 g)
- 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (5 g; 2% of the cucumber weight)
- ½ knob ginger (½ inch, 1.3 cm)
Instructions
- Before You Start: Please note that this recipe requires a quick pickling time of 2 hours. Gather all the ingredients.
- Rinse 3 Japanese or Persian cucumbers and cut off both ends.
- Rub the end piece and cut end together until you see the small bubbles. This removes the bitterness from the cucumber. Discard the end pieces.
- Slice the cucumbers.
- Peel ½ knob ginger and cut it into julienne strips.
- Put the sliced cucumbers, 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and ginger strips into a resealable plastic bag.
- Remove the air completely and seal the bag.
- Place a heavy object on top of the bag and refrigerate it for 1–2 hours. Here, I sandwiched the resealable bag with two plates and then put a mortar on top. I recommend 3 hours at most, because otherwise it gets too salty. Check the level of saltiness according to your preference. Enjoy!
To Store
- You can keep the pickles in the refrigerator for 2–3 days. When the flavor is getting strong, remove the solution and store the pickles in an airtight container.
Hi! I made these, but I used some black roasted sesame seeds instead. I hope that’s “in character” enough for Japanese azasuke?
Hi Fish! Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe!
If you prefer black roasted sesame seeds, that is good too.🙂
What does it mean to cut both sides of the edge?
Hi Tom! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe!
As you see in the step 2 picture, please cut each end of the cucumber.
We hope this helps!
I love the flavor of these pickles and I make them often since they need almost no planning — thanks for the recipe! I’ve found this asazuke technique is also delicious with celery, since it also has a high water content and a refreshing flavor 🙂
Hi Daniel! We are so happy to hear you enjoyed this Pickled recipe!
Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and for your kind feedback!🙂
I made these today and family loved it! I served it with your gyudon, also from you recipe book. My younger just loved it and she is the most picky eater in our house. I also love the idea of making boring cucumber interesting. The steps are so simple with such simple ingredients…Love it!
Hi Maggie! Yay! So glad to hear your family liked this recipe. Thank you for trying it out! 🙂
I wish you’d come out with spiral hard copy recipe book. Bet lots of people would purchase
Hi Ogawa-san! Thanks for your kind words and interest. I have received many requests, but I just don’t have the capacity to create a cookbook while I maintain this website. 🙂
If you are not going to eat all the cucumber at once, should you rinse the salt off or leave it as is?
Hi Clara! No rinsing necessary. 🙂 Hope you enjoy!