Pickled Vegetable Stuffed Cucumber Cups (Vegan, GF)

Learn how to make pickled vegetable stuffed cucumber cups, filled with an straightforward, flavor-packed, Asian filling. Vegan, keto and gluten-free, they are reliable for show-off appetizers or nourishing snacks.

Nourishing Fresh & Flavorful Snacking: Stuffed Cucumber Cups

These Pickled Vegetable Stuffed Cucumber Cups are crisp, colorful, and ridiculously straightforward to make. This is 100% my kind of snack-appetizer hybrid: it tastes complex, looks fancy, but requires little effort.

The secret is jarred giardiniera. Chop it finely, then toss it with fresh cilantro, toasted sesame oil, and a little sriracha, and suddenly those briny pickled vegetables take on a bright, savory, lightly spicy twist. Spoon the mixture into cool English cucumber cups and you have a 5-ingredient bite that is fresh, punchy, naturally vegan, gluten-free, and low in calories.

Serve these cucumber cups as a showy appetizer, a quick party snack, or just a crunchy little something when you want a snack with big flavor without turning on the stove.

Why You’ll Love These Stuffed Cucumber Cups

This is a snack or appetizer that almost everyone, regardless of their diet plan, can (very happily!) eat and and enjoy. It is because they are:

• Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
• Grain-free
• Gluten-free
• Nut-free
• Low-Carb
• Keto
• Paleo
• Low Calorie

Ingredients for Pickled Vegetable Stuffed Cucumber Cups

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post.Toggle betweenUS Customary(volume) andMetric(weights) for preferred measurement option.

This fresh and nourishing snack/ appetizer is straightforward to assemble. The short list of ingredients might not sound like much, but this is a case of the sum being far greater than the parts!

Here is what you will need to make the stuffed cups:

1. English cucumbers
2. Jarred pickled vegetables (see next section)
3. Toasted sesame oil (just a touch)
4. Cilantro
5. Sriracha (Asian hot sauce)

Toasted sesame seeds can be added as a final flourish, but they are optional.

The Surprise Ingredient in these Cucumber Cups: Giardiniera

Have you heard of giardiniera? You may have noticed it near the olives and pickle condiments in the supermarket and never given it a second thought. Simply put, it is a Italian pickled vegetables (cauliflower, carrots, bell peppers and celery are the most common vegetables in the mix).

Kitchen-made recipes are preserved in either oil or vinegar; most of what is sold in supermarkets is in the latter (and it’s what I use here).

It may sound like an unusual ingredient for an Asian recipe, but it is reliable. Pickled vegetables are essential eating across Asia, too, so with a few tiny tweaks–a bit of sesame oil, a dash of sriracha, a sprinkle of sesame seeds–the classic Italian mix takes on a new identity.

How to Make the Stuffed Pickled Vegetable Cucumber Cups

Note that the complete instructions are also in the recipe card below.

Step One: Make the Cucumber Cups

Begin by making the cucumber cups. You do not have to peel the cucumber; the skin of English cucumbers is tender. Simply cut the cucumbers (I used 2) into approximately 1-inch-wide pieces. I got 12 pieces per cucumber.

Next, use a melon baller or small spoon to scoop out some of the cucumber in each piece, creating cucumber “cups.” Be sure the keep the bottom intact.

Step Two: Make the Quick Pickle Filling

Next, pulse (or finely chop on a cutting board) 1 cup of the drained pickled vegetables (giardiniera). Use on/off pulses if using a food processor. The aim is finely chopped vegetables, not a puree.

Transfer the chopped salad to a small bowl and stir in the cilantro, sesame oil and sriracha. The combination is so flavorful! You can easily skip the cucumbers and simply serve this as a dip or spread.

Step Three: Stuff the Cucumber Cups

Fill the cucumber cups with the pickled vegetable mixture, mounding slightly. If you like, sprinkle with sesame seeds (I used both black and white seeds).

That’s it! You can serve immediately, or loosely cover and chill for up to 8 hours before serving.

As good as these are as appetizers, they also make satisfying snacks–reliable for keeping nourishing New Year resolutions to eat more vegetables!

Ingredient Substitutions

• Can I use a different other than giardiniera in the filling?Yes! Use pickled cauliflower or carrots, or consider using an equal amount of kimchi (pickled cabbage). If using kimchi, skip the addition of sriracha.
• Can I use something other than sriracha?Yes. You can use a few dashes of another hot sauce, or add a generous punch of red pepper flakes or cayenne. You can also omit the hot sauce altogether.
• Can I use something other than cilantro?Yes. You can skip the sesame oil and use fresh parsley, basil, or dill in place of the cilantro.

Expert Tips for the Reliable Stuffed Cucumber Cups

• Use English (hothouse) cucumbers.English cucumbers are longer, narrower and firmer than regular cucumbers. They also have few seeds at the center, making it easier to create scooped out cucumber cups.
• Fill shortly before serving.You can make the filling and the cucumber cups ahead of time, But to keep the cucumbers crisp, add the filling just before serving.
• Drain the giardiniera.Be sure to thoroughly drain the pickled vegetables before making the filling. Otherwise, the filling will be too wet.
• Use fresh cilantro.Dried cilantro will not have the same bright flavor and color as fresh cilantro leaves.

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