Nordic Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Syltede Agurker
Crisp, sweet-tart Danish pickled cucumbers sliced thin in a vinegar brine with dill and sugar — the bright, acidic counterpoint every smørrebrød and roast pork plate needs.
No common allergens detected
Based on this recipe's ingredient list. Always verify with your own brands and labels.
Good to know
- Ready in under 30 minutes
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals
Instructions
7 steps- 1
Slice the cucumbers as thinly as possible, ideally with a mandoline, for the classic delicate texture.
- 2
Toss the slices with the salt in a colander and let them sit for 15 minutes to draw out excess water.
- 3
Rinse the cucumbers briefly and pat them dry with a clean towel.
- 4
Whisk together the vinegar, sugar, and water until the sugar fully dissolves.
- 5
Layer the cucumber slices in a jar or shallow dish with the chopped dill and white peppercorns.
- 6
Pour the vinegar brine over the cucumbers, making sure they are fully submerged.
- 7
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving, they keep well and taste even better after a full day.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
76/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving130
Calories
1 g
Protein
31 g
Carbs
0 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Syltede agurker are Danish sweet-and-sour pickled cucumbers, an essential condiment on the Danish open-faced sandwich (smorrebrod) and a permanent fixture in Scandinavian summer kitchens. The Danish tradition of quick-pickling cucumbers in a sweet white vinegar brine goes back centuries as a preservation technique, though the modern version is made for immediate flavor rather than long-term storage. The combination of sugar, vinegar, and fresh dill creates a brine that turns sliced cucumbers silky and tart within hours, producing a condiment that cuts through the richness of butter, herring, and smoked meats on open-faced bread.
Listahan note
This version relies on thin, even cucumber slices and a brine with a notably higher ratio of sugar to vinegar than a standard pickle, producing the sweet-forward, lightly acidic character that distinguishes Danish pickles from German or Eastern European styles.
Technique cues
- Salting the cucumber slices and pressing them under a weighted plate for 30 minutes before brining draws out excess water, preventing the brine from being diluted and ensuring the cucumbers stay pleasantly firm rather than soggy.
- The brine should be brought to a full boil to dissolve the sugar completely and to drive off any raw vinegar harshness before it is poured over the cucumbers; adding it hot also begins the pickling process immediately rather than waiting for the brine temperature to equilibrate.
- Fresh dill is the traditional flavoring and should be added to the jar after the brine has cooled slightly; adding dill to boiling brine cooks it and loses the fresh herbal brightness that is central to the condiment's identity.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Salt and press the cucumber slices first; make the brine while the cucumbers are draining so both are ready to combine at the same time.
- Make-ahead
- Syltede agurker are better after 2 to 4 hours of chilling and can be made up to 3 days ahead; the flavor deepens as the cucumber absorbs more brine.
- Leftover move
- Leftover pickled cucumbers and their brine can be stirred into potato salad or used as the acid component in a Nordic-style tartare sauce.
- Cleanup rhythm
- A single jar and saucepan; rinse both with hot water immediately after use as vinegar brine can leave mineral deposits if it dries.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
Cucumber
the pickled vegetable
Purpose: Cucumbers absorb the sweet-sour brine quickly and maintain enough texture to provide a refreshing crunch when served within 24 hours.
Handling: Slice very thin (2 to 3 mm) on a mandoline or with a sharp knife; salt and press before brining.
Adaptation: Thinly sliced fennel or radish pickled in the same brine makes an interesting variation, though neither is traditional.
vinegar
acid and preservative
Purpose: White wine vinegar or distilled white vinegar provides the clean acidity of Danish pickles without the color or flavor interference of apple cider or malt vinegar.
Handling: No preparation needed; combine with water and sugar in the saucepan.
Adaptation: Rice vinegar gives a milder, slightly more delicate acidity that still works well.
sugar
balancing sweetener
Purpose: A generous amount of sugar is the defining characteristic of Danish-style pickles; it softens the vinegar sharpness and creates the bittersweet flavor that makes them effective alongside rich smørrebrød toppings.
Handling: Dissolve fully in the boiling brine before pouring.
Adaptation: Honey at 75% of the sugar quantity adds a floral note; the result is slightly less transparent in color but equally good.
dill
fresh herbal flavoring
Purpose: Fresh dill is the signature aromatic of Scandinavian pickling and gives the cucumbers their characteristic anise-fresh fragrance.
Handling: Add whole fronds or roughly torn leaves to the jar after the hot brine has cooled to 60 C or below.
Adaptation: Dried dill can be used (1 teaspoon per tablespoon of fresh) but loses the vivid green color and fresh brightness.
Technique notes
- The salting-and-pressing step is optional but noticeably improves the final texture; cucumbers that have not been pressed release water into the jar over time and dilute the brine, making the pickle softer and less flavorful.
- Pack the jar tightly after pressing to keep the cucumber submerged in the brine; a small zip-lock bag filled with brine placed on top works as a weight if the cucumbers float.
- Taste the brine before pouring and adjust the sugar-to-vinegar ratio to your preference; authentic Danish versions are noticeably sweeter than most North American palates expect.
Ingredient swaps
- Sugar-free direction
- Replace the sugar with an equal quantity of erythritol; it dissolves similarly and produces a virtually identical result for low-sugar or diabetic-friendly serving.
- Flavor variation
- Add a few white peppercorns and a bay leaf to the jar with the dill for a more complex, aromatic pickle that works especially well alongside pickled herring.
- Mustard seed variation
- Add 1 teaspoon of yellow mustard seeds to the brine for a flavor note more common in the Norwegian version of this pickle.
Serve alongside
- buttered rye bread with smoked herring and hard-boiled egg
- smorrebrod with roast beef and remoulade
- cold poached salmon with creme fraiche
- cold lager such as Carlsberg or Tuborg
- aquavit served ice-cold alongside the smørrebrod spread
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate in a sealed jar for up to 5 days; the cucumber softens further beyond that but remains edible.
- Do not freeze; the cucumber texture is destroyed by ice crystals.
- Keep fully submerged in brine; cucumbers exposed to air above the brine line will discolor and soften faster.
Equipment
- mandoline or sharp chef's knife for thin, even slices
- colander and plate with weight for salting step
- small saucepan for brine
- 1-quart (1 liter) mason jar
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