• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Explore Cook Eat

  • Recipes Home
  • 1,000 Foods to Eat Project
  • MUST Try Korean Dishes!
  • About Me
  • Recipes
    • USA
    • Asia
    • Salads
    • Soups
    • Europe
  • Travel
    • USA
      • New Mexico
      • Texas
      • Utah
      • North Carolina
    • Japan
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

Home » Recipes

Easy Japanese Pickled Cucumber Recipe

Feb 9, 2019Last Modified: December 18, 2022

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This page may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link.

Pickled slices of cucumber garnished with sesame seeds and green onions in a small patterned bowl with chopsticks resting on the bowl and the bowl is on a wooden board.
Jump to:
  • What Ingredients Do You Need To Make Japanese Pickled Cucumber?
  • The Method To Make Japanese Pickled Cucumber
  • FAQ
  • 1,000 Foods To Eat Project
  • Some Other Japanese Foods You May Be Interested In!
  • Join Me On A Fun Food Journey!
  • Japanese Pickled Cucumber

I confess I know very little about Japanese food, but I am determined to change that! My sister is Japanese, and I really hope that I can learn how to cook a great Japanese meal for her one day.

Therefore, I’m starting with a very basic recipe, the Japanese pickled cucumber. Otherwise known as tsukemono, Japanese pickles are a mainstay of Japanese meals. Asazuke are lightly seasoned quick pickles, which is what our recipe is for. I’m having quite a lot of fun trying to pronounce these words. 🙂

Serve tsukemono with with rice, as a snack, side dish, or garnish, as typically done in Japan.  This cucumber asazuke is a very quick and simple preparation. I originally made this to go into a poke bowl (click here for the recipe). This pickle is very light and refreshing, and a perfect and easy recipe to start with in my quest to learn about Japanese cooking and cuisine.

What Ingredients Do You Need To Make Japanese Pickled Cucumber?

All you will need for this dish is the following:

Soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, salt, cucumber, green onion, sugar, and sesame seeds
  • Salt
  • Japanese, Persian or English cucumber (or as close to a seedless cucumber as you can get)
  • Rice vinegar (or seasoned rice vinegar)
  • Sugar
  • Sesame seeds
  • Green onion
  • Sesame oil
  • Soy Sauce

Japanese cucumbers, called kyuri, are the ideal cucumber for this recipe. They are perfect for pickling and have the most satisfying crunch! Look for them at your local Asian market.

However, you can substitute Persian or English cucumbers if you aren't able to obtain Japanese cucumbers.

I have linked to Amazon for some of these items for convenience for anyone wishing to order from Amazon.

The Method To Make Japanese Pickled Cucumber

It couldn't be simpler to make this popular and delicious asazuke!

Thinly slice the cucumber, then sprinkle with some Kosher salt and leave for 30 minutes in a colander.

thinly sliced cucumber with salt in a colander

After that, rinse and gently squeeze out the water and pat dry with paper towels. Then add the cucumber to the prepared marinade.

Japanese Pickled Cucumber and a spoon

Allow the cucumber to marinate overnight if possible. If not, try to allow a few hours for the flavors to meld together.

The finishing touch is to add some sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds. This tsukemono is soooo good! You will absolutely love it!

Pickled slices of cucumber garnished with sesame seeds and green onions in a small patterned bowl with chopsticks resting on the bowl and the bowl is on a wooden board.

Above all, I hope you'll give this Japanese Pickled Cucumber a try!!

FAQ

Is Japanese cucumber good for pickling?

Japanese cucumber, called kyuri, are perfect for pickling! They have a thin and tender skin. In addition, they have the most perfect satisfying crunch!

What are Japanese pickled cucumbers called?

Otherwise known as tsukemono, Japanese pickles are a mainstay of Japanese meals. Asazuke are lightly seasoned quick pickles, which is what this recipe is for.

Do I need to peel Japanese cucumber?

You do not need to peel Japanese cucumbers. The skin is thin and tender and great for enjoying!

1,000 Foods To Eat Project

I am working my way through the foods that are listed in the book 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die by Mimi Sheraton. This is called my 1,000 Foods to Eat Project. Japanese Cucumber, or kyuri, is food #65 in my project.

In this book, the author Mimi Sheraton lists her choice for the 1,000 Foods of the World that you MUST try. So if you haven't tried kyuri, you'll definitely want to put it on your foodie list! And this recipe is a great way to enjoy kyuri!

I first got to try them on a trip to Japan. Here are pictures of kyuri in the market, and prepared with other pickled vegetables.

Japanese Cucumbers
Kyuri in a market in Japan
Pickled vegetables including daikon radish, cucumber, and carrots.
Pickled kyuri and other pickled vegetables

Please check out my 1,000 Foods to Eat Project page for some awesome food inspo!

Some Other Japanese Foods You May Be Interested In!

Yuzu - 1,000 Foods To Eat Project

Yuzu in a plastic container

Delicious Japanese Pork Katsudon and Rice Bowl

Breaded pork chop pieces on top of rice in a bowl and green onions garnishing the top of the pork chop pieces with a set of chopsticks resting on the left side of the bowl.
Japanese Pork Katsudon and Rice Bowl

Okinawan Carrots

Okinawan Carrots

Join Me On A Fun Food Journey!

I invite you to come along on this food journey with me! Please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food comfort zone! It's an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here.

Cheers!

Grace

Pickled slices of cucumber garnished with sesame seeds and green onions in a small patterned bowl with chopsticks resting on the bowl and the bowl is on a wooden board.

Japanese Pickled Cucumber

Grace
This light and refreshing Japanese Pickled Cucumber is the perfect accompaniment to rice and your favorite Japanese dish. It also makes a great addition to a poke bowl! 
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Total Time 10 mins
Course Salad
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 3 servings
Calories 39 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • Kosher salt for sprinkling
  • 1 large English cucumber or seedless cucumber very thinly sliced; if you are using cucumbers on the small side, then use 2 cucumbers for this recipe
  • ½ cup seasoned rice vinegar or rice vinegar
  • 1 ts sugar
  • ½ ts salt
  • 1 ts sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 1 green onion sliced

Instructions
 

  • Very thinly slice the cucumber(s)
    Thinly sliced cucumber
  • Sprinkle salt on the thin slices of English cucumber.  Leave these in a colander to drain for approximately 20 -30 minutes
    Salted cucumber
  • Rinse the cucumber slices with water and drain. Gently squeeze out excess water and pat dry with a paper towel.
  • Place the cucumber in a bowl, and add the rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, salt, and soy sauce.  Mix well.
    Japanese Pickled Cucumber and a spoon
  • Best to cover and leave to marinate in your refrigerator for a few hours so the flavors can meld. However, you can eat after marinating for 30 minutes if you just can't wait. 🙂
  • When ready to serve, sprinkle with sesame seeds and garnish with green onions. 
    Japanese Pickled Cucumber and chopsticks holding one up

Notes

This quick and easy pickle does taste better after  marinating overnight however you can serve after marinating for 30 minutes if you just can't wait!!!
If you are watching your salt, you can reduce the amount of soy sauce and salt (for the marinade) called for in the recipe. 
Serve this delicious pickle with rice, and alongside your favorite Japanese dish, or add to a poke bowl.  Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 39kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 1gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 724mgPotassium: 36mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 40IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Tsukemono (Japanese Pickle)
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
« 5 Star Italian Linguine Alle Vongole (Linguine With Clam Sauce)
Linguine with Delicious Parsley Pesto »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Takeki

    January 15, 2020 at 11:52 pm

    5 stars
    Perfect!
    I recommend a version that adds soy sauce(1tbsp) and sesame oil(1tsp) to your recipe!

    Reply
    • Grace

      January 15, 2020 at 11:58 pm

      Thank you so so much for your comments! I will add soy sauce and sesame oil as you have recommended to make this perfect! Thank you!!!!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Sign up so that you never miss the greatest recipes!

About Me

Hi I’m Grace! I'm married and a mom to my fur baby, Toby, and food and travel are two of my greatest passions! Since our bank account does not allow us to travel or eat out as much as we'd like, I decided I would cook delicious meals that could give us a taste of all the places we'd like to go. My goal is to get you in the kitchen, and inspire you to cook and taste delightful meals that will transport you too. Let’s throw some actual travel in from time to time, all with an emphasis on keeping your wallet full and happy as well. Let’s get cooking and let’s start exploring!! I'm excited to be on this journey with you!!

By the way most of these recipes are Toby taste tested and Toby approved!!

Chief Taste Tester Toby

Toby Chief Taste Tester

Recent Posts

  • Crispy Garlicky Roast Chicken Recipe
  • DELISH South Carolina Benne Wafers Recipe
  • Middle Eastern Style Cabbage Salad Recipe
  • Roasted Carrots With Berbere Spice Recipe
  • Perfectly Pan Fried Rainbow Trout Recipe

Recent Comments

  • Grace on All About Samyang 2x Spicy Buldak Ramen!
  • Alexis on All About Samyang 2x Spicy Buldak Ramen!
  • Grace on Easy and Delicious Connecticut Steamed Cheeseburgers!
  • Grace L Henrie on Easy and Delicious Connecticut Steamed Cheeseburgers!
  • Grace on How To Cook Korean Short Ribs In The Oven

Archives

Categories

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Footer

Amazon Associates Disclosure

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2023 Explore Cook Eat on the Foodie Pro Theme