Fermented Honey Mustard Pickles with Shallots and Dill
Introduction
Fermented Honey Mustard Pickles with Shallots and Dill deliver a punch of complex flavors and probiotic goodness, making them the perfect homemade snack or sandwich upgrade. Fermentation brings out tangy notes, while honey and mustard add a sweet-spicy twist, complemented by aromatic shallots and fresh dill. If you’re looking for a crispy, gut-healthy, and uniquely flavored pickle, this is the recipe to try.
Why You’ll Love These Fermented Honey Mustard Pickles
These pickles stand out for their bold flavor profile and natural fermentation process, which infuses every bite with sweet, savory, sharp, and herbal notes. The simple brine does the heavy lifting, transforming basic cucumbers, shallots, and dill into a crunchy, addictive treat. Whether you’re new to fermentation or a seasoned pickling pro, this recipe is crowd-pleasing, versatile, and easy to master.
Building the Perfect Flavor Base
The foundation of these pickles lies in their balanced brine. The sweetness of honey rounds out the pungent kick of mustard seeds, shallots add a mellow onion-like complexity, and dill brightens the whole batch. Letting them ferment at room temperature unlocks both flavor complexity and beneficial probiotics, making these pickles a great addition to healthy meal plans and snack boards alike.
How to Assemble Fermented Honey Mustard Pickles with Shallots and Dill
Slice your cucumbers (spears or rounds both work) and prep the shallots and dill. Layer them in a clean glass jar with mustard seeds, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Mix your water, honey, and salt to create a lightly sweet, salty brine. Pour it over the veggies to fully submerge them, top with a fermentation weight, and let nature take care of the rest over several days. Regularly taste until your ideal tanginess is achieved.
Serving Suggestions for Fermented Honey Mustard Pickles
These pickles elevate burgers, charcuterie boards, salads, and even simple sandwiches. The shallots become sweet and tangy, while the dill infuses the brine and cucumbers with herbal freshness. Try them alongside grilled meats, mixed into potato salads, or chopped into egg salad for a surprising flavor boost.
Nutritional Information and Serving Size
This recipe yields about 4 cups of finished pickles (roughly 8 servings). Each serving is low in calories, contains a touch of natural sugar from the honey, and is loaded with gut-friendly probiotics. The sodium level can be adjusted based on salt preference. On average, each serving contains about 20–30 calories.
Fermented Honey Mustard Pickles with Shallots and Dill (Recap)
These pickles pack a punch of sweet, tangy, and herbal flavors—all naturally enhanced through fermentation. Enjoy the crisp texture, unique flavor, and health benefits with minimal hands-on time and maximum kitchen reward.
Ingredients
💡Meal Planning Tip: Save this recipe to automatically generate an organized shopping list with all ingredients sorted by store section—perfect for efficient grocery trips and meal planning.
Instructions
- Wash and slice cucumbers and prepare shallots, garlic, and dill. Set aside all aromatics and spices.
- Pack the cucumbers, shallots, dill, and garlic tightly into a clean 1-quart jar. Add mustard seeds, black peppercorns, and bay leaf (plus any optional flavor additions).
- In a bowl, combine filtered water, salt, and honey. Stir until the salt and honey are fully dissolved.
- Pour the brine over the vegetables in the jar, ensuring everything is fully submerged. Use a fermentation weight or a small clean jar to keep veggies submerged.
- Cover the jar loosely with a lid or a cloth secured with a rubber band to allow gases to escape. Set in a cool, dark spot (around 68-72°F) for 4–7 days. Check daily: skim off any foam and make sure everything stays submerged.
- Begin tasting after 4 days. When the pickles are as tangy as you like, seal the jar and move them to the fridge, where they’ll continue to slowly ferment and keep for several months.
Weekly Meal Planning
These pickles make an ideal add-on for weekly meal prep—perfect for healthy lunches, after-school snacks, or side dishes. Save and schedule this recipe to batch plan your week, consolidate shopping lists, and easily keep your ingredients organized!
Planning Benefits:
- Automatically calculates ingredient totals across all your saved recipes
- Consolidates shopping lists by store section
- Prevents duplicate purchases and forgotten pantry items
- Transforms your weekly meal strategy into a streamlined, stress-free task
Pro tip: When batch planning meal prep, use the schedule feature to see what ingredients overlap across recipes. For instance, if multiple dishes use dill or shallots, your list will reflect the exact amount needed—helping you cut costs and eliminate waste.
Cook and Prep Times
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Fermentation Time: 4–7 days
Total Time: 4-7 days and 15 minutes (mostly unattended)
