These quick Japanese Soy Sauce Pickles (Shoyuzuke) are super easy to make at home and ready in just 3 hours. Crunchy and refreshing, they‘re so delicious with steamed rice and miso soup. Let‘s make 4 easy variations! 

4 Mason jars, each filled with a different soy sauce pickles.

The Japanese pickles, or Tsukemono, are a staple in our daily meal. When you serve steamed rice and miso soup, you will always see a small plate of pickles accompanying them. Many families make their own pickles at home as it’s easy to make and a great way to enjoy more vegetables!

Today, I’ll show you 4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles. That’s right, four kinds! I just couldn’t pick one, so you get to try them all.

4 Mason jars, each filled with a different soy sauce pickles.

Why You Should Make These Soy Sauce Pickles

  • So ridiculously easy
  • Only use pantry ingredients
  • Fun to eat with plain steamed rice
  • Always good to have a healthy add-on dish to bring more appetite and diversify the nutrients
  • Versatile with ingredients and flavors

What You Will Need to Make Soy Sauce Pickles

1. Four Main Ingredients for Pickling

Kikkoman Gluten Free Tamari Soy Sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and salt.
  • Soy sauce – I use Kikkoman® Gluten-Free Tamari Soy Sauce to make it gluten-free.
  • Rice vinegar – It’s mild and works great for Japanese recipes. If you use other types, reduce the amount since they are more acidic.
  • Sugar – I use organic cane sugar.
  • Salt – It’s used to remove moisture from the vegetables.

2. Add-on Flavors

Sesame oil, ginger, garlic, red chili peppers, and katsuobushi.

3. Vegetables for Pickling

Komatsuna, celeries, daikon radish, and Japanese cucumbers.

4. Mason Jars and Glass Weights

Mason Jars and Pickle Weights
4 kinds of soy sauce pickles are served in a white bowl, along with steamed rice and miso soup.

How to Serve Soy Sauce Pickles

Typically, pickles are served in a bigger bowl or plate and shared communally at the center of the table. You can also serve each pickle on individual small plates. It’s all personal choice, depending on the dinner setting or how you’d like to present the meal.

Tiny plates - Mamezara

The Japanese tableware includes Mamezara (豆皿), which is a tiny plate, about 3 inches in length. They come in various sizes, colors, and shapes, which work great for pickles.

Enjoy making your own Soy Sauce Pickles at home. Your steamed rice will never be boring if you keep these delicious pickles around!

4 Mason jars, each filled with a different soy sauce pickles.

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4 Mason jars, each filled with a different soy sauce pickles.

4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles

4.61 from 23 votes
These quick Japanese Soy Sauce Pickles (Shoyuzuke) are super easy to make at home and ready in just 3 hours. Crunchy and refreshing, they‘re so delicious with steamed rice and miso soup. Let‘s make 4 easy variations! 
Prep Time: 42 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Pickling Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4 Mason jars (of different pickles)

Ingredients
 
 

For the Soy Sauce Pickling Solution (per batch)

For the Daikon Soy Sauce Pickles

For the Cucumber Soy Sauce Pickles

For the Celery Soy Sauce Pickles

  • 6 oz celery (5 stalks)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ½ tsp toasted sesame oil (I used Kikkoman® Sesame Oil)

For the Komatsuna Soy Sauce Pickles

Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

Instructions
 

  • Gather all the ingredients.
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles Ingredients

To Make the Soy Sauce Mixture

  • This soy sauce pickling solution recipe is for one batch of pickles. If you are going to make all 4 kinds, you have to make 4 times this recipe. If you are making just 2 kinds, make double. In a small saucepan, combine 4 Tbsp soy sauce and 2 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned).
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles 1
  • Add 2 Tbsp sugar, and bring it to near boiling point over medium heat. Mix (or swirl) the sauce a few times to melt the sugar until dissolved. Set aside to let cool completely.
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles 2

To Make Daikon Soy Sauce Pickles

  • Peel and cut 1 lb daikon radish into quarters lengthwise, and cut them into ¼-inch (6-mm) slices.
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles 3
  • Place the daikon slices in a sieve (I use a flat sieve). Sprinkle 2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt over the daikon and spread it evenly. Set aside for 30 minutes to draw out the liquid from the daikon.
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles 4
  • Meanwhile, remove and discard the seeds from 1 dried red chili pepper and cut it into thin slices.
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles 5
  • Once the moisture is removed from the daikon, quickly rinse under water to get rid of the salt. Then, transfer the daikon to a clean towel or paper towel.
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles 6
  • Dry the daikon with the towel and transfer it to a mason jar.
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles 7
  • Add the chopped red chili pepper and cooled soy sauce mixture.
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles 8
  • Put two glass weights on top of the daikon and close the lid. Mix the daikon and soy sauce mixture by swirling the jar.
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles 9

To Make Cucumber Soy Sauce Pickles

  • Slice 1 lb Japanese or Persian cucumbers into ¼-inch (6-mm) slices and sprinkle with 2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Set aside for 15 minutes.
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles 10
  • Meanwhile, remove and discard the seeds from 1 dried red chili pepper and cut it into thin slices.
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles 5
  • Peel 1 knob ginger, slice it into thin slabs, and then cut into julienned pieces.
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles 11
  • After 15 minutes, quickly rinse the cucumber slices under water to remove the salt. Transfer to a clean towel.
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles 12
  • Dry the cucumber with the towel and remove the moisture.
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles 13
  • Transfer the cucumber slices to a mason jar and add the cooled soy sauce mixture.
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles 14
  • Add the chopped chili pepper and julienned ginger.
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles 15
  • Put 2 glass weights on top and close the lid. Mix the cucumber and soy sauce mixture by swirling the jar.
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles 16

To Make Celery Soy Sauce Pickles

  • Cut 6 oz celery into ½-inch (1.3-cm) pieces and transfer them to a mason jar.
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles 17
  • Peel 2 cloves garlic. Add the soy sauce mixture to the mason jar.
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles 18
  • Add ½ tsp toasted sesame oil and the garlic cloves.
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles 19
  • Put one glass weight on top and close the lid. Mix the celery and soy sauce mixture by swirling the jar.
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles 20

To Make Komatsuna Soy Sauce Pickles

  • Cut 6 oz komatsuna into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces and transfer to a mason jar.
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles 21
  • Add the cooled soy sauce mixture and 1 Tbsp katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes).
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles 22
  • Mix the katsuobushi and komatsuna together with chopsticks. Put one glass weight on top and close the lid. Mix the komatsuna and soy sauce mixture by swirling the jar.
    4 Easy Soy Sauce Pickles 23

To Store and Enjoy Soy Sauce Pickles

  • Store the pickles in the refrigerator. They are ready to consume after 3 hours (depending on the vegetable and thickness of the cut). Strain the liquid off when you feel the pickles are about to get salty, but it‘s all up to your preference. Consume within 3–7 days (denser vegetables like daikon tend to keep longer without getting too salty, while cucumbers or leafy veggies get saltier quickly). For the daikon pickles, store them in a jar or container with a tightly sealing lid to minimize the odor; I recommend consuming them sooner as the odor gets stronger over time.
    4 Mason jars, each filled with a different soy sauce pickles.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 Mason jar · Calories: 142 kcal · Carbohydrates: 28 g · Protein: 7 g · Fat: 1 g · Saturated Fat: 1 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Sodium: 1993 mg · Potassium: 759 mg · Fiber: 4 g · Sugar: 18 g · Vitamin A: 376 IU · Vitamin C: 47 mg · Calcium: 142 mg · Iron: 2 mg
Author: Namiko Hirasawa Chen
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: chili cucumber, daikon, pickle
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4.61 from 23 votes (17 ratings without comment)
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I tried this with daikon, cucumber, and celery, and I just want to say: they’re all amazing, but the cucumbers are absolutely ADDICTIVE. (Side-note that I ended up replacing the chilis with 1/2 tsp of gochugaru, so the flavor may be a bit different, but the pickles still ended up absolutely delicious.)

Hello, Dandelion. Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe and sharing your feedback with us!
We’re delighted you enjoyed this dish as much as we did. Using Gochugaru also sounds like a wonderful idea.🙂

I was wondering where you got the basket to place the veggies on as you salt them. Thank you!

I was wondering if any of these recipes would work with garlic. I miss being able to get the pickled garlic I found at the Japanese markets on the west coast.5 stars

Hi Cynthia! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipe!
Sure, you can use this Soy Sauce Pickling Solution to pickled garlic but feel free to adjust the sugar amount for the garlic pickles or use this recipe: https://www.justonecookbook.com/shiso-garlic-soy-sauce/
We hope you enjoy this.😉

This recipe has made our family into voracious celery eaters! The salty crunch of these pickles are just unbeatable.5 stars

Hi runawayeater! We are so happy to hear your family enjoyed the pickles!
Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and for your kind feedback!

The taste was great even with half the amount of sugar. This is the first time I actually enjoy the taste of celery.Thank you very much for sharing those recipes!5 stars

Hi Anna! Aww. We are so happy to hear you enjoyed the pickled celery!
Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and sharing your experience with us.

Hi. Can other greens be substituted for the komatsuna? I have some fairly mature looking mizuna and am wondering if it could be pickled this way or if it would not have a good texture. I’ve made the cucumber version a few times and they are so delicious!

Hi Ann! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe!
Mizuna has more soft green leave than Komatsuna, and sometimes it gets too soft after pickling. The substituted item we can recommend is Napa cabbage, Daikon leaves, and spinach, etc. We hope this helps!

Hi, can i add spring onion/ or leeks leaves to cucumber? Thanks!

Hi Bella, Spring onion/leeks leaves will be very soft after pickling, but if you would like, you may add them too.
Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe!

Hi Nami! I’ve been wondering if you need to strain the liquid off after pickling and store without the liquid or is it better to leave the liquid in the jar?

Thank you for the information!

Hi Amanda,
Thank you very much for trying this recipe!
You may store it with liquid, but the pickles will get saltier each day. So it’s up to your preference to straining the liquid or not.
We hope this helps!

Hi Nami! Is it essential to salt the vegatbles beforehand to remove water? Is it to change the texture of the vegetables or to prevent the pickling solution from being diluted too much from the water in the vegetables? Greetings from Germany, Tim

Hi Tim!
Yes! Your thoughts are correct. And other reasons for salting the vegetables to remove the water are:
The sauce is easier to soak in, it will last longer, the color of vegetables will be beautifully finished, and you can pickle more vegetables because the volume will be less.
Hope this helps!