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Home » Recipes

Quick Swedish Pickled Cucumbers

Published: Jun 18, 2021 · Modified: Jun 20, 2022 by Kristi · This post may contain affiliate links.

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Pickled cucumbers are an essential component of Nordic cuisine. Scandinavians are experts at making the most of a short growing season and often pickle vegetables to extend their usefulness into the long, dark winter ahead.

But even if you aren't in to canning, you can make your own delicious Quick Swedish Pickled Cucumbers at home in a snap!

Extremely easy, these briny little bites add flavor and crunch wherever you choose to use them. For some of us, that might mean eating them straight out of the jar, which is okay too.

Quick Swedish Pickled Cucumbers in a jar next to peppercorns and fresh dill sprigs.

Why This Recipe Works

  • These Quick Swedish Pickled Cucumbers come together quickly and easily. No messy canning process required!
  • The recipe calls for just a handful of simple ingredients.
  • These pickle slices bring briny Scandinavian flavor to just about anything you choose to pair them with.

The Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for Quick Swedish Pickled Cucumbers

I prefer an English cucumber (sometimes called a seedless cucumber) for this recipe. It has fewer, less prominent seeds and a thinner peel than a regular cucumber. But feel free to use what you have available as both varieties will work just fine in this recipe.

How To Make This Recipe

These Quick Swedish Pickled Cucumbers really couldn't be much easier:

  • Slice your cucumber nice and thin (⅛ of an inch thick or less). Chop the dill and add both to a quart-sized Mason jar.
Sliced cucumbers on a white plate.
Sliced cucumbers and chopped dill in a jar.
  • Heat the vinegar, water, salt, sugar and peppercorns in a saucepan until the mixture just begins to boil.
A saucepan filled with water and whole peppercorns on a white kitchen towel.
  • Pour the vinegar mixture into the jar with the cucumbers and dill. Let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to use them!
Quick Swedish Pickled Cucumbers in a jar next to peppercorns and fresh dill sprigs.

FAQs

How do I store quick pickled cucumbers?

Unlike pickles that have gone through a traditional canning process to become shelf stable prior to opening, quick pickles need to be stored in their brine, tightly sealed in the refrigerator.

How long will they keep in the refrigerator?

These Quick Swedish Pickled Cucumbers are best enjoyed within the first 5-7 days. They will still have good flavor but will begin to lose their crunch over time.

How can I vary the recipe?

Play around with the spices! Keeping the recipe in line with Scandinavian flavors, consider adding mustard seeds, allspice or juniper berries to the brine. In the winter you can always skip the dill altogether. My favorite winter variation of Quick Swedish Pickled Cucumbers is to omit the dill and the peppercorns and add about 10-12 whole allspice berries to the brine instead.

How do I use these Quick Swedish Pickled Cucumbers?

The most fun and delicious of all the questions! Keep reading below for my Scandinavian-inspired ideas for putting these sliced pickles to work in your kitchen.

How to Enjoy Swedish Pickled Cucumbers

  • Use them to brighten up your Nordic open face sandwiches (smørrebrød or smörgås)! This can be as simple as a smear of paté, cream cheese or hummus on rye crispbread topped with a few crisp, delicious pickle slices. Get creative!
  • Make a batch of Easy Danish Remoulade Sauce. This zesty, traditional condiment features a unique combination of chopped pickles, capers and curry powder. Once you give this delicious sauce a try, it's bound to become a new favorite. It's perfect with fries, and SO delicious on hot dogs with pickled herring and on open sandwiches (smørrebrød) of all kinds!
A bowl of Danish Remoulade sauce next to a sprig of parsley and curry powder.
  • Serve them alongside Swedish meatballs (either a classic recipe or this vegetarian version). Don't forget the lingonberries!
Close up of Vegetarian Swedish Meatballs with pickles and lingonberries.
  • Pile them high on Danish Hot Dogs, or any other brat, sausage or hamburger situation you've got going.
Danish Hot Dogs on a marble surface.

Including some easy Scandinavian condiment recipes (like these pickles) in your repertoire is an easy way to bring Nordic flair to your table all year long. Looking for more condiments or sauces to try? I've got several here on the blog:

  • Close up of lingonberry sauce on a spoon.
    No Cook Lingonberry Sauce (Stirred Lingonberries)
  • Pickled beets in a jar next to spices and beets.
    Spicy Quick Pickled Beets
  • Creamy mustard dill sauce in a gravy boat with a spoon and fresh dill on a marble surface
    Creamy Mustard Dill Sauce
  • Danish remoulade in a bowl next to curry powder and parsley.
    Easy Danish Remoulade Sauce
Quick Swedish Pickled Cucumbers in a jar next to peppercorns and fresh dill sprigs.

Quick Swedish Pickled Cucumbers

An easy recipe for Scandinavian-style fresh pickled cucumbers with dill.  
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: condiments
Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian, Swedish
Keyword: easy pickled cucumbers, pickling cucumbers, quick pickled cucumbers
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
rest: 30 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 10 servings (one quart size jar of pickles)
Calories: 29kcal
Author: Kristi

Ingredients

  • 1 large cucumber preferably an English cucumber, sliced thin
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
  • 1 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt

Instructions

  • Place sliced cucumbers and dill in a quart-size mason jar.
  • Heat remaining ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat until simmering.
  • Pour vinegar mixture into the jar with the cucumbers and dill.  Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before using.  If you are not eating them immediately, cover and refrigerate the cucumbers once the mixture has cooled to room temperature.  The cucumbers are best fresh but will keep in the fridge for a week.

Video

Notes

Winter variation:  Omit the dill and the peppercorns and add 10-12 allspice berries to the brine instead.

Nutrition

Calories: 29kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 235mg | Potassium: 47mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 28IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

If you loved this recipe, give it a star review! Also, snap a picture of your Quick Swedish Pickled Cucumbers and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #truenorthkitchen and tagging me @true_north_kitchen. I can't wait to see how you put them to use in your own kitchen!

More Nordic/Scandinavian Recipes

  • Shrimp smørrebrød on a wooden surface.
    How to Make Smørrebrød (Danish Open Faced Sandwiches) at Home
  • Featured image for Cardamom French Toast.
    Easy Cardamom French Toast
  • Featured image of Quick Pickled Shallots.
    Quick Pickled Shallots
  • Crackers topped with Vegetarian Mushroom Pâtë and pickled shallots and mustard seeds.
    Vegetarian Mushroom Pâté

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Victoria

    January 01, 2021 at 12:41 pm

    These were super easy and tasted just like the ones I've had in Sweden. Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      January 06, 2021 at 10:36 am

      So glad you enjoyed them!

      Kristi

      Reply
  2. Beverly Petron

    August 05, 2021 at 9:19 am

    Can't wait to make them.

    Reply
    • Kristi

      August 06, 2021 at 11:30 am

      Hi Beverly,
      Yay! You are going to love them! So fresh and simple.
      Kristi

      Reply
  3. Jeanne

    December 17, 2021 at 4:01 pm

    Can you decrease or omit the sugar?

    Reply
    • Kristi

      December 17, 2021 at 4:37 pm

      Hi Jeanne,
      Thanks for your question. Sure! I think either way would work, but they might be a bit on the acidic side if you don't add any sugar at all. Hope this helps!
      Kristi

      Reply
  4. Nancy

    December 21, 2021 at 6:33 pm

    Addicted! Love this recipe and am giving pints for Christmas gifts!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      December 22, 2021 at 6:31 pm

      Hi Nancy,
      Yay! Lucky friends of yours!
      Kristi

      Reply
  5. Darcie

    January 08, 2022 at 12:36 am

    5 stars
    The perfect addition to our smörgåsbord presentation! And delicious! Mycket bra! Just like grandma’s!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      January 10, 2022 at 9:45 am

      Hi Darcie,
      Thanks so much for your comment! So glad you enjoyed them.
      Kristi

      Reply
  6. Suzanne

    November 21, 2022 at 9:43 pm

    Quick and easy recipe that went well with the Swedish meatballs and egg noodles.
    Thank you.

    Reply
  7. Jennifer

    December 30, 2022 at 12:39 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious, and easy to prepare!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      January 05, 2023 at 9:37 am

      Thanks for your comment, Jennifer! So glad you enjoyed them.
      Kristi

      Reply

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