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Gherkin

Small cucumber pickled in vinegar or brine.

Gherkin — illustrative ingredient image

About Gherkin

A gherkin is a small cucumber preserved in vinegar or brine and eaten as a pickle. It commonly accompanies sandwiches, cold plates, savoury snacks, burgers, and cooked dishes that benefit from a sharp, acidic contrast. The term can refer to different small cucumber types and pickling styles in different markets.

Its flavour is usually sour and salty, with the cucumber’s fresh vegetal character altered by the preserving liquid. Texture may be crisp and snappy or softer, depending on the cucumber, brine, vinegar, heat treatment, and storage. Sweetened versions have a more rounded, less sharply acidic taste and may be called sweet pickles.

Gherkins are sold whole, sliced, or cut into pieces, packed in vinegar, brine, or a seasoned pickling liquid. They may be jarred, canned, or served from a deli container. Pickling changes their colour, moisture, flavour, and firmness; slicing increases the exposed surface and allows the liquid to penetrate more quickly.

Ingredient type
compound ingredient

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Where gherkin appears

0 linked foods

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Food connections are still being added.

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Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for gherkin

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Gherkin

English

Gherkins

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Gherkin nutrition & diet

Gherkin nutritional value

Reference: Gherkin, pickled, drained, commercial

Per 100 g of the edible portion of the stated reference food.

Calories
105.4kcal
Protein
0.4g
Carbs
24.4g
Fat
0.3g

Reference example for the named food and preparation, per 100 g edible portion. This is not a universal value for every recipe or brand; packaged products should be compared with their own label. © Food Standards Australia New Zealand. AFCD Release 3, food F004206. Available carbohydrate excludes sugar alcohols; energy converted from kJ to kcal (÷4.184). Australian data may not be appropriate for use in other countries. There are limitations associated with food composition databases. Food composition data used in the database or databases may represent an average of the nutrient content of a particular sample of foods and ingredients, determined at a particular time. The nutrient composition of foods and ingredients can vary substantially between batches and brands because of a number of factors, including changes in season, processing practices and ingredient source, and methods of calculation. Data licensed under the FSANZ Data User Licence Agreement, based on CC BY-SA 3.0 AU: https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science-data/monitoringnutrients/afcd/datauserlicenceagreement.

Portions & preparation

Match the small cucumber in its actual pickled form, distinguishing vinegar-preserved, brined, sweetened, whole, sliced, and relish-style products. Drainage, packing liquid, and serving size affect interpretation. Review the complete label or recipe for sugar, spices, preservatives, colorants, and any coating or accompanying sauce.

Compare the right form: Match a reference to pickled gherkin cucumber as sold or served, specifying whole, sliced, sweetened, vinegar-packed, or brined form.

Diet considerations

Gherkins are plant-origin cucumbers, but the pickle preparation may include sugar, honey, dairy-based sauces, or unclear flavoring ingredients. Coated or relish-style products can contain cereal-derived thickeners. Plain pickled gherkins generally differ from breaded or salad preparations, while the serving portion influences the carbohydrate pattern of sweetened versions.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Not established
  • Vegetarian
    Not established
  • Pescatarian
    Not established
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Not established
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Vegetarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Pescatarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Not established
The ingredient form and processing have not been assessed against this dietary pattern.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: Australian Food Composition Database, Release 3, 2025 — Gherkin, pickled, drained, commercial ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .