12 Japanese Pickles You Can Make At Home

Turn your summer vegetables into delicious Japanese pickles with these classic recipes! From pickled ginger and quick-pickled cucumber to pickled tomatoes, you can easily adapt these time-honored Japanese pickling techniques to any fresh vegetables.

We have reached the tipping point of summer now. Do you find your kitchen counter overtaken by vegetables you’ve eagerly hauled from the farmers’ markets? And those of you with a garden—are cucumbers and cabbages spreading across the plot faster than you can pick them?

If you’re wondering what to do with all these vegetables, fret not. We’ve put together 12 Japanese pickle recipes that are not only delicious but will also help you make the most of your bountiful produce.

Known as tsukemono (漬物), Japanese pickles are palatable, crunchy and brimming with a sweet-tart flavor. If you haven’t tried Japanese-style pickles before, this is a fun place to start.

P.S.: You may also want to read Tsukemono: A Guide to Japanese Pickles for an overview before you get started. We wish you a lot of fun venturing into the world of Japanese pickles!

12 Japanese Pickles You Can Make At Home

1. Shiozuke (Salt Pickling)

Shiozuke is the simplest Japanese pickle to start with. You can use almost any vegetable—cucumbers, carrots, eggplant, daikon, celery—with this salt pickling method. There are plenty of tips and easy-to-follow guides in the post. Put your vegetables to work today and enjoy the pickles with Japanese steamed rice and miso soup!

2. Pickled Cucumber

If you prefer quick pickling, this is the recipe to follow. You can choose to pickle the cucumbers in as little as 2 hours or up to 2 days. Japanese cucumbers or Persian cucumbers are best since they are much crunchier. Serve this quick pickle as a refreshing counterpart to your grilled dishes.

3. Everyday Japanese Pickles

This easy pickle recipe is the one I make most frequently. It utilizes a variety of crunchy, colorful vegetables and is ready in just 1 hour!

4. Misozuke (Miso Pickling)

Yes, you can pickle your seasonal vegetables with miso. Known as misozuke, this miso pickling method helps preserve the ingredients for a long time. While it’s common to use bold-flavored miso, such as red miso, for pickling, any kind of miso will work. The result is unmistakably umami and pairs perfectly with plain steamed rice!

5. Shoyuzuke (Soy Sauce Pickling)

Shoyuzuke (醤油漬け) involves pickling ingredients in a soy sauce-based solution. It is another Japanese pickling technique that you can easily master at home. Try it with your favorite greens, such as bok choy, Japanese mustard spinach, or turnip tops. After pickling, the vegetables can be enjoyed straight from the refrigerator or at room temperature.

6. Pickled Cabbage

This pickle will put your whole head of cabbage and extra cucumber to good use. Brined in salt, kombu, and chili flakes, the palate-cleansing Pickled Cabbage (tsukemono) makes a perfect accompaniment to a traditional Japanese meal.

7. Japanese Pickled Cucumbers

Anyone new to pickling will be able to tackle this recipe. You’ll need only simple seasonings like salt, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. The cucumber is cut into deliberate cubes using a Japanese cutting technique to better absorb the flavors. Once pickled, keep the cucumbers in the fridge for 1-2 hours, and you’ll have a crunchy, refreshing side to go with your dinner.

8. Pickled Tomatoes

Reserve the extra tomatoes you were going to make into soup for these Japanese-style pickled tomatoes! Marinated in dashi-infused vinegar, they add a pop of color and make a refreshing side dish to serve with your meal.

9. Pickled Ginger (Gari)

Often served and eaten as part of a sushi meal, pickled ginger (known as gari in Japanese) is perfect for cleansing the palate. The store-bought version is often artificially dyed pink, so it’s worth making your own at home. Look for young ginger at your farmers’ market or Asian grocery store. Beyond sushi and sashimi, it’s delightful with rice bowls too!

10. Pickled Turnip with Yuzu

This pickled turnip uses a shallow pickling technique known as asazuke. Most Japanese home cooks favor asazuke because it allows you to pickle vegetables in a short period of time. You can also use cucumbers, daikon, napa cabbage, and eggplant with this recipe. Yuzu adds an aromatic citrus flavor to the pickles. If you can’t find yuzu in your area, substitute it with lemon zest and juice.

11. Shibazuke Pickles

Shibazuke is a popular pickle originated in Kyoto. The salty and slightly sour pickles have beautiful natural purple color from purple shiso leaves. They are absolutely wonderful with steamed rice or Ochazuke. The ingredients can be hard to find, but look out for it since you might have a chance to taste the pickles when you visit Japan.

12. Pickled Daikon

When you are getting another daikon in your CSA box, the easiest solution is to pickle it. The peppery daikon will mellow out nicely with a sweet and salty flavor. The pickling agents include only rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. You will end up with slightly sweet, tangy and refreshingly crunchy pickled daikon that you’d enjoy in every meal.

Will you try your hand at making Japanese pickles? If you tried any of the above pickles, tell us how it went in the comments below!