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

Beautiful fermented pickles are easier than you might think. Get a probiotic boost (and discover our secret ingredient)!- Scratch Mommy

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

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

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword fermented pickles, homemade pickles, no vinegar pickes

Servings Pickles

Calories 23kcal

Author Debbie Wolfe

Ingredients

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

Notes

📌 A note on salt: Use PURE sodium chloride (pickling salt or sea salt) with NO anti-caking agents. Some salts contain additives that cloud the brine—always check the label!

Nutrition