Fermented Pickles
These aren’t your average cucumber pickles.
With over 6 million views across platforms, my fermented cucumber pickles have officially gone viral — and for good reason. There’s no vinegar, no boiling, and no preservatives. Just fresh cucumbers, filtered water, garlic, spices, and natural fermentation.
In a world of quick-pickle shortcuts, this method taps into old-world fermentation techniques that transform cucumbers into tangy, crisp, probiotic-packed pickles that taste like summer in a jar. Whether you’re here from TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube, you’ve seen the buzz — and now you can make them yourself.
This is my go-to method for making lacto-fermented pickles at home, and it’s the exact recipe I used in the video that started it all. Thousands of people have already made these and commented with their own tweaks, variations, and success stories.
So if you’re wondering how to make fermented pickles that actually stay crunchy, taste amazing, and support gut health — you’re in the right place.
Let’s get into the full step-by-step recipe for fermented cucumber pickles, including the brine ratio, the fermentation timeline, storage tips, and one big mistake to avoid.
Fermented Cucumber Pickles – No Vinegar, Crunchy, 7-Day Recipe
Equipment
- 1 1-Gallon Glass Jar
- 1 Fermentation Weights
- 1 Lid with Airlock (optional)
Ingredients
Fermentation Brine (7 Days)
- 200 grams Pickling Salt (Do NOT use iodized salt)
- Filtered water (Chlorine-free water is essential for fermentation.)
- pickling cucumbers (Fresh, firm, and unwaxed.)
Flavoring Brine (After 7 Days)
- 1 head Garlic sliced in half
- fresh dill sprigs
- 4 celery stalks (optional for flavor)
- 2 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp 1 tsp dill seed
- Filtered water (to fill the jar after discarding the initial salt brine.)
Instructions
Fermentation Brine (7 Days)
- Wash cucumbers & trim blossom ends
- Pack cucumbers into 1-gallon jar
- Dissolve salt in filtered water
- Pour salt brine over cucumbers
- Cover loosely, ferment for 7 days
Flavoring Brine (3 Days in Fridge)
- Discard salt brine (do not rinse cucumbers)
- Add garlic, dill, celery, peppercorns, dill seed
- Fill jar with fresh filtered water
- Seal jar & refrigerate for 3 days
Looks great, but why replace the brine? Theres gotta be some great flavor in there that you spilling out.
Because the salt level will be too high however the high salt allows the fermentation to be much stronger during the initial 7 day ferment. Then replacing it with fresh water and adding spices and aromatics at that point, will make it flawless. Trust me.
I can’t wait to try this! Hurry up cucumber season!
I love it!
I cannot follow the recipe. Is it for 4 different recipes? Or 2? Compared to the video it looks like its the wrong recipe. I want to make pickles w probiotics. But only a smaller 16 oz jar.
I hope u can reply to this. Thx. I do not want spicy.
ddra2010@yahoo.com
Thanks so much for your comment — I totally hear you. The recipe currently combines a few methods (including the viral version) into one guide, and I realize it may read as confusing. I’ll be updating it soon for clarity.
But if you’re looking to make a small, probiotic-rich batch without spice, here’s the quick version:
Use a clean 16 oz jar
Add ½ tsp sea salt
Fill with filtered water (leave ½ inch at the top)
Add garlic + dill (skip chili or spice)
Submerge small cucumbers fully (you can use a fermentation weight if needed)
Leave at room temp for 7 days, then refrigerate
That’s it! You’ll get the same natural fermentation process and gut-healthy probiotics without the heat. Feel free to reach out if you need help — I’m here.
So do you ferment, flavor, then ferment and flavor again? I’m a little confused.
You ferment, then flavor and done. Not again.
How long will they last in the frig?
2 years for sure
What about vinegar?
In fermented pickles, vinegar would only kill the probiotics.
Do you refrigerate during the ferment process or leave at ambient temp?
Ambient temp for 7 days, then when you replace the water and add the aromatics and spices, it goes in the fridge for at least 3 days but the flavor and taste will develop over the months and years even. TRUST!
Can you reuse the liquid or do you have to start over with each batch?
For this recipe, you must start over. If it were vinegar based, it would be another story.
I followed this to the letter and they ended up extremely salty. I’m wondering if it’s because I didn’t clean the jar after the fermentation and there was still a lot of salt in it, otherwise I’m not sure I like the flavor. Too salty for me.
You have to wait 1 week with the new water in there before eating them. The salt will leave into the new brine and then you eat.
If it is still too salty after that you may need to remove another 20% of the brine (taste it for saltiness if it is still super salty go ahead) and add 20% new clean water. Wait another week and should be good.
What would happen if I didn’t change the brine and just left it alone? I don’t mind a salty pickle.
Thanks!
You can but cut the salt in half
What if I can’t refrigerate the pickles? Any other method?
Thanks, Paul.
You would need to boil the jar before storing with airtight lid
Can you do the 1st frement step in the fridge or is it done at room temp?
Thank you
First one is at room temp. If it is colder in your home, then it will take longer.