When I posted the recipe for Salad Olivieh, one of the regular readers Eric asked if there was a difference between regular dill pickles and Persian pickles. This is the best time for me to post about what we Persian refer to as Khiar Shoor, which translated means salty cucumber. I personally love Khiar Shoor and I can honestly say that I am not a fan of the regular pickled cucumbers found in stores or delis in the US. The type and size of cucumbers used are different. But also the flavor is nothing like Khiar Shoor to me.

Image source: wikipedia

More than anything, I don’t like the hint of sweetness that some have. I know, I am a bit snooty about my pickled cucumber type.


The three samples above are my favorites. The glass jar on the right is by Sadaf and the cucumbers are small. The cucumbers are pickled in vinegar and are spicy.  They are simply named Khiar Shoor Irani, which means Iranian Pickled Cucumber. The two jars on the right on the other hand are respectively by Golchin and Mid East. They have bigger cucumbers and are pickled in brine with garlic and spices.  However, they are not spicy like those in the glass jar.

Image source: Sadaf

Sadaf carries also pickled cucumbers in vinegar and dill as well as…

Image source: Sadaf

…cucumbers in brine with dill. These are good too.  I am not a fan of the vinegar pickled type, but the one in brine with dill is good!

Here is a photo of the pickled cucumbers outside of their jars. The small ones are often found on a Persian lunch or dinner table along with Torshi, Persian vegetable pickles.  The bigger ones are usually used for Salad Olivieh as well as in sandwiches.

The larger cucumbers are generally cut in three different ways; either in rounds, at an angle, or length wise.

Interestingly, while us Persians refer to this specific type of pickled cucumbers as Iranian or Persian, they are actually not grown in Iran. They are all products of Israel and frankly, they are the best tasting ones in my humble opinion!

How do you like your pickled cucumbers?