Make Swedish pressgurka, a quick pickled salad with sweet and sour flavor – a hallmark of Scandinavian cuisine. The pressed cucumbers are light and delicious and pair perfectly with savory meals like IKEA Swedish meatballs and Instant Pot pot roast.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cucumber: Ridged cucumbers work best since they are less watery, but use what you have.
- Pickling Mixture: For this quick pickled side dish or topping, use a combination of salt, white vinegar, and granulated sugar. If you find the taste of white vinegar too strong, replace it with red wine vinegar.
- Caraway Seeds: Caraway seeds have a nice, peppery-citrus finish.
- Dill: Garnish the salad with fresh dill. The combination of dill and caraway seeds is mind-blowing. Don’t believe me? Prepare Austrian goulash.
Additions and Substitutions
- Add Dijon mustard to the caraway seeds and fresh dill for even more flavor.
- Include more pickling spices like black or white peppercorns.
How to Make Pressgurka
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Thinly slice the cucumbers with a sharp knife or mandolin.
Step 3: Place something weighted over the top to press the water out of them. Set them aside for 1 hour.
Step 4: Meanwhile, add white vinegar and sugar to a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and whisk until the sugar dissolves.
Step 5: Remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool. Stir in the caraway seeds and fresh dill until combined.
Step 6: Pat the cucumbers dry with paper towels to remove the excess salt and transfer them to a large bowl.
Pour the vinegar mixture over the top and gently stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving.
Step 7: Drain the cucumbers in a mesh strainer and arrange the drained cucumbers in a serving dish to serve.
Expert Tips
- While the cucumber salad is simple and easy to make, set aside the time to prepare it. The cucumbers take time to become crisp and develop flavor.
- Salt the cucumbers and place something heavy on top of them to press out the moisture, as is tradition.
- Refrigerate the salad for several hours before serving for the best results.
If you enjoy the side dish, try one of these salad recipes!
Serving Suggestions
Pressgurka is a classic accompaniment for savory meals like køttbullar (similar to IKEA Swedish meatballs), roast, and grilled meat. And they are often featured on smörgåsbords, a Scandinavian buffet or charcuterie board.
More Serving Ideas:
- Ham Sandwiches
- Boneless Leg of Lamb
- Lingonberry Jam, Fig Jam
- Rye Bread, Crisp Bread
- Smoked Salmon
What to do with the Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 2-3 days, long enough to prepare another batch so you always have them on hand.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of vinegar is best?
Preserving and pickling are traditional practices in Swedish culture. Ingredients like salmon, herring, beets, and cucumbers are among the favorites to pickle.
The most common vinegar for pickling is attika. It can be hard to find outside of Sweden unless you order it online or visit a European grocery store. Distilled white vinegar is a convenient substitute, but red wine vinegar also works.
More European Recipes:
Pressgurka
- Plate
- 2 English cucumbers, sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 2 teaspoons fresh dill, chopped
- Thinly slice the cucumbers with a sharp knife or mandolin.
- Meanwhile, add white vinegar and sugar to a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and whisk until the sugar dissolves.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool. Stir in the caraway seeds and fresh dill until combined.
- Pat the cucumbers dry with paper towels to remove the excess salt and transfer them to a large bowl.
- Pour the vinegar mixture over the top and gently stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving.
- Drain the cucumbers in a mesh strainer and arrange the drained cucumbers in a serving dish to serve.
- While this dish is simple and easy to make, set aside time to prepare it, as the cucumbers require time to become crisp and develop flavor.
- Set something heavy over the cucumbers to press out the moisture – as is tradition. Squeezing the cucumbers removes the excess water and makes the cucumber slices crispier.
- For best results, store the salad in the fridge for several hours before serving for the cucumbers to develop flavor.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
Sofia
Friday 26th of May 2023
Love how the cucumbers turn crisp and flavorful over time.
Tressa Jamil
Friday 26th of May 2023
I'm thrilled to hear that you loved our cucumber recipe; thank you for taking the time to leave a comment.
Oliver Johansson
Friday 26th of May 2023
Impressed by the simplicity of pressgurka.
Tressa Jamil
Friday 26th of May 2023
Me too, and I love that you can pair it with pretty much any meal!
Mia Johnson
Friday 26th of May 2023
Pressgurka is a must-try! The sweet and sour flavors are so tasty, a perfect Scandinavian side dish.
Tressa Jamil
Friday 26th of May 2023
I couldn't agree more. I love making it at the beginning of the week so I can eat it with my lunches or if I want something to snack on.