How it's made

The Best Varieties of Cucumbers for Pickling

March 7, 2022 2 min readBy Atlanta Pickles Team

Cucumbers are the classic pickling choice: mild flavour, firm flesh, and a talent for soaking up brine and spices. Whether you are new to pickling or a seasoned pro, some varieties work far better than others. Here are the best cucumbers for pickling, what makes each one different, and how to choose the right one for the pickle you want to make.

The best cucumbers for pickling

Persian cucumbers

Long and slender with smooth, thin skin, a mild flavour and few seeds. Usually a salad cucumber, but they slice neatly into rounds or spears for bread and butter pickles.

Gherkins

Small, usually no more than three inches long, with a bumpy skin. Bred specifically for pickling and very mild, they are the cucumber behind cornichons.

English (hothouse) cucumbers

Long and slender with thin skin and few seeds. Better known in salads and sandwiches, they still pickle well as rounds or spears.

“Pickling” cucumbers

Varieties bred for the job: small, thin-skinned and crunchy, with a mild flavour. Gardeners love them for their high yields.

Kirby cucumbers

Another common pick: small and bumpy with thin skin and a good crunch, often used for classic dills.

How to choose: pick firm, fresh cucumbers with no blemishes or soft spots. Over-ripe cucumbers go soft and can fall apart in the jar. Match size to your jar, too: small cucumbers like gherkins suit small batches, larger ones suit bigger jars.

Match the cucumber to the pickle

Classic dill pickles are usually made with small pickling cucumbers, while bread and butter pickles often use Persian or English cucumbers. Your spices and brine shape the flavour just as much, so choose a recipe that suits your taste.

The short version: look for firm flesh and mild flavour, and your pickles are set up for success. It is the same thing we look for in every cucumber that goes into our jars.

Cucumber pickling FAQ

Are English cucumbers good for pickling?

Yes, with a caveat. English (hothouse) cucumbers have thin skin and few seeds, so they slice cleanly into rounds or spears and soak up brine well. They are softer than small pickling varieties, so they work best for quick fridge pickles and bread and butter style chips rather than long-keeping whole pickles.

Are Persian cucumbers good for pickling?

Yes. Persian cucumbers are small, firm and nearly seedless with thin skin, which makes them one of the easiest supermarket cucumbers to pickle. Slice them into spears or chips; there is no need to peel them.

Can I pickle any cucumber?

You can, but firm, fresh cucumbers with small seeds give the best crunch. Large, seedy or waxed slicing cucumbers tend to go soft in the jar.

Should I peel cucumbers before pickling?

Usually not. The skin helps the pickle hold its crunch. Just wash them well.

Rather skip the canning?

If you want the crunch without a weekend of jarring, every jar below is made in small batches in Atlanta. Start with our sour scale, from gentle to full pucker: