Middle Eastern brined cucumbers (mekhallel khiar)
Homemade cucumber pickles: small cucumbers that have been pierced, coated with a brine of 6-7% salt, a little sugar, and calcium chloride, and fermented f…
At a glance: serves 10 people, 168 hr 20 min total (20 min prep and 168 hr resting), no cooking, difficulty: easy, about $0.49 per person, 98 kcal per serving.
To make successful homemade cucumber pickles, the key is the brine: 6-7% salt, 1% sugar, and a little calcium chloride to help keep the cucumbers firm.
Ingredients and directions
- Prep time20 min
- Cook time—
- Resting168 hr
- Total168 hr 20 min
- DifficultyEasy
- CostBudget
- Calories98 kcal/serving
- Cooking methodno cooking required
- Estimated cost$4.89 $0.49 / serving Estimated price; varies by store. Converted from euros at the ECB rate of October 16, 2026.
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
Ingredients
- $3.95
- $0.51
- $0.01
- $0.42
Prices from US supermarkets for 3 of 4 ingredients; Belgian prices for the rest.
Directions
- Dissolve the salt, sugar, and calcium chloride in the water. ≈ 3 min
- Wash the cucumbers and pierce them with a knife to prevent gas from forming inside. ≈ 2 min
- Place them in clean jars and completely cover them with brine. ≈ 3 min
- Pour a thin layer of oil on the brine: without air exposure, it will not become damp on the surface. ≈ 3 min
- Seal and allow to ferment for 2 to 3 weeks at room temperature. ≈ 3 min
The bill
Middle Eastern brined cucumbers (mekhallel khiar)
- 1 kg of small cucumbers$3.95
- 65 g of salt (4 tablespoons)$0.51
- 10 g of sugar (2 teaspoons)$0.01
- a little bit of oil$0.42
Total$4.89
that's $0.49 per person
Estimated price; varies by store.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 98 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 8.7 g |
| Saturated fat | 1.1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3.9 g |
| Sugars | 2.7 g |
| Fiber | 0.5 g |
| Protein | 0.7 g |
| Salt | 0.01 g |
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