Easy Fermented Pickles

No vinegar? No problem! If you love pickles but want a healthier, probiotic-rich version, you’ll love these easy fermented pickles. Fermentation has been around for centuries, long before refrigeration or canning. In fact, if you’ve ever enjoyed sauerkraut, yogurt, or wine, you’ve already tasted the magic of fermentation!

So, what makes fermented foods so special?

✔️ Preservation: Fermenting keeps food fresh without canning or freezing.
✔️ Nutrition Boost: It increases vitamin and enzyme levels naturally.
✔️ Easier Digestion: Fermented foods improve digestibility and gut health.
✔️ Probiotics: Fermentation creates beneficial lactobacillus bacteria that support digestion.

…AND, most importantly, they taste amazing! These pickles are naturally tangy, crisp, and full of flavor—without a drop of vinegar.

7 simple ingredients & just 3 easy steps. Let us take you step-by-step through our easy fermented pickles recipe. Enjoy our step-by-step photos to help while you create! Ready to get started? Let’s go!

Why Fermentation? (The Secret to Tangy, Crunchy Pickles!)

Fermentation is the process of using naturally occurring bacteria (lactic acid bacteria) to preserve food. In pickling, fermentation replaces the need for vinegar, instead allowing cucumbers to develop a tangy, probiotic-rich flavor over time.

Fermented Pickles vs. Vinegar Pickles

How to Make Fermented Pickles (Step-by-Step Guide)

This foolproof recipe will guide you through the process of making fermented cucumbers with just salt, water, and spices.

1. Prepare the Cucumbers

Use small, firm pickling cucumbers (Kirby cucumbers work best!). All cucumbers have a stem end and a blossom end. The blossom end contains enzymes that can cause softening. Removing the blossom end will help keep the cucumbers crunchy. Confused about which end is which?

The stem end will be greenish and rough, and in most cases still have the stem attached.

The blossom end is yellowish or whitish. It’s typically smooth. Remove at least 1/16th inch from the blossom end. Repeat for all the cucumbers.

2. Prepare the Brine

Use filtered water (chlorine can kill beneficial bacteria). Add the non-iodized salt (sea salt or pickling salt) in room temperature water.

Mix in the salt until completely dissolved. The water will be clear again.

3. Pack the Jar

Add the spices to the bottom of a clean, sterilized jar and pack in the cucumbers tightly.

I like to just fill it up to the “shoulders” of the jar. Fill the jar with the brine until the cucumber are completely covered, but don’t forget to leave a one inch headspace.

The cucumbers need to stay submerged. I learned this water-bag trick from Alton Brown…

Use a sandwich size zip baggie and fill it with about an inch of water. Press as much air out as you can and zip it shut. Press the baggie into the jar until the cucumbers are completely submerged. Some brine may spill out—that’s fine. Wipe the rim and put on the lid. Place the jar on a saucer (and a towel you can remove to clean…more below) in a cool, dry place.

4. Fermentation Process

Store the jar at room temperature (65–75°F). Depending on how warm it is in your home, fermentation will take up to four weeks. After a couple of days you will see little bubbles forming in the jar. This is the fermentation process. The warmer the temperature in your home is, the faster the fermentation process.

After 24-48 hours, small bubbles will form—this means fermentation is working! As the fermentation process gets going, you will need to check it daily. The gas produced during the fermentation process will cause the lid to bulge and some of the brine will leak out.

Replace your towel on the saucer, if needed. You don’t want fruit flies coming around! You can alleviate this leakage by “burping” the jar. Simply remove the lid to let the excess gas out. Replace the lid and check again the next day.

5. Storing and Enjoying Your Pickles

The pickles are done when the bubbling stops and the cucumbers have turned an olive green color inside and out. This is usually 7-14 days, but can take longer (remember the temperature variations of your home). At this point, refrigerate the pickles. The fermentation process will continue, but a slower rate in the fridge. Enjoy your pickles on sandwiches, burgers, or straight up!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Fermented Pickles

Can you use distilled white vinegar for pickling?

No vinegar pickles – is this safe?

Do pickles go bad?

Fermented pickles last months in the fridge! If they smell bad, taste off, or develop mold, discard them.

Fermented pickles vs. vinegar pickles – which is better?

Fermented pickles = tangy, probiotic-rich, and naturally preserved.
Vinegar pickles = long shelf life, but no probiotics.

How do you keep fermented pickles crunchy?

How long do fermented pickles take?

Fermentation takes 7-10 days at warmer temps (70-75°F) and 2-4 weeks at cooler temps (60-65°F). Taste test after a week and refrigerate when ready.

Can I reuse pickle brine for fermentation?

No, old brine may lack active bacteria and can introduce spoilage. Instead, use leftover brine in dressings, marinades, or soups!

Pro Tips for Crunchy, Flavorful Fermented Pickles

• Use tannin-rich ingredients (grape leaves, bay leaves, or green tea) to keep pickles crisp.
• Keep the temperature between 65-75°F—warmer speeds up fermentation but can soften pickles.
• Use small cucumbers—larger ones can get mushy inside.

Printable Recipe Card

Easy Fermented Pickles (No Vinegar!) – Crunchy & Probiotic

Debbie Wolfe

Get your daily dose of probiotics in our easy fermented pickles recipe! 7 common ingredients, 3 simple steps!

5 from 5 votes

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Course Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 8 Pickles

Calories 23 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• Enough pickling cucumbers to fill a ½-gallon glass jar – I usually fit in 8 cucumbers. Kirby pickling cucumbers work best! Avoid salad cucumbers—they get mushy.
• 2 Qt. Water – filtered room temperature
• 5 Tbsp. Sea salt – or pickling salt (see note below)
• 4-6 Cloves Garlic – peeled
• 2 Tbsp. Dill seed
• 1 Tsp. Loose leaf green – any loose leaf tea increases the tannins, which help keep the cukes crunchy (this is a nice organic jasmine green tea)

Optional Add-Ins for Extra Flavor

• 1 Tbsp. Black peppercorns
• 1 Tbsp. Red pepper flakes

Instructions

 

Preparing the Cucumbers

• Trim the blossom end of each cucumber—this prevents softening.
• The stem end is greenish and rough; the blossom end is smooth & pale.
• Remove at least 1/16 inch from the blossom end of all cucumbers.

Prepare the Brine

• Add salt to the room temperature filtered water and stir until fully dissolved.
• Add dill seed, garlic, and other spices to the bottom of a clean, sterilized jar.
• Pack cucumbers tightly into the jar, leaving 1 inch of headspace. I pack to the "shoulder" of the jar.
• Pour the brine over cucumbers until fully submerged.
• Keep cucumbers submerged using the Alton Brown water-bag trick (a sandwich bag filled with water works great!)

Fermentation Process

• Place the jar in a cool, dry place (65-75°F)—this helps control fermentation speed.
• After 24-48 hours, small bubbles will form—this means fermentation is working!
• Burp the jar daily (release gas buildup to prevent overflow).
• Pickles are done when they turn olive green and stop bubbling (7-14 days).
• Refrigerate once they’re tangy enough for your taste!

Video

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Nutritional information provided is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Fermented Pickles (No Vinegar!) – Crunchy & Probiotic

Serving Size

 

1 Pickle

Amount per Serving

Calories

23

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

1

g

2

%

Saturated Fat

 

0.1

g

1

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

0.2

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

0.4

g

Sodium

 

1100

mg

48

%

Potassium

 

112

mg

3

%

Carbohydrates

 

5

g

2

%

Fiber

 

2

g

8

%

Sugar

 

0.2

g

0

%

Protein

 

1

g

2

%

Vitamin A

 

560

IU

11

%

Vitamin C

 

1

mg

1

%

Calcium

 

82

mg

8

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

These easy fermented pickles are a great way to get a daily dose of healthy probiotics in your diet (& they are oh.so.tasty)!

FEATURED! This recipe was featured on South Your Mouth!