When you have a surplus of cucumbers, look no further than this easy recipe for Refrigerator Pickles. You can make them with just 10 minutes of prep and 6 hours to brine. You don't even need to turn on the stove!
If I'd known how ridiculously easy it was to make crispy, salty, dilly, tangy pickles, our refrigerator would never have been without them - especially in summer months. No cooking required. Zero. You don't even have to boil water.
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Ingredients You Need to Make Refrigerator Pickles
Fresh Kirby Cucumbers: or other pickling cucumber or English cucumber
White Vinegar: or apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
Kosher Salt: I used Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt - if using Morton brand, use half the amount called for in this recipe (Morton's Kosher salt is finer and saltier.)
Fresh Dill: dried dill is not a good substitute here
What are Refrigerator Pickles?
Refrigerator Pickles are made without the typical steps of canning, made instead with raw Kirby cucumber slices, brine and lots of fresh dill - very little effort and they're ready to eat within hours. The upside of this is that they easy to make and incredibly crispy and delicious. The downside is that they are not shelf stable, i.e., but will last several weeks in the refrigerator. (Good luck on them lasting that long!)
Why Kirby cucumbers?
Kirby cucumbers are those odd shaped cucumbers, covered in sharp little bumps. They aren't the most attractive of cucumbers, but they do stay crunchy in brine.
Kirby cucumbers and fresh dill sprigs look to me like pickles. But pickles require a whole canning process, right? A variety of spices, sterilized canning jars, boiled brine, and achieving a proper seal. So what's a lazy girl to do?
So I looked around at some of my favorite food blogs and came across this recipe from Deb of Smitten Kitchen. Ironic as Deb is the antithesis of lazy. Could it really be this simple? Yes.
FAQ
Store refrigerator pickles in the refrigerator (they're not shelf stable) and plan to enjoy them within one month.
These will be ready to enjoy in just 6 hours, but will be even more delicious (and stronger) the longer they stand in the refrigerator.
Use any clean (ideally sterilized) canning jar with a tight fitting lid.
Refrigerator pickles are quick and easy to make, but they don't go through the typical canning process and are not shelf stable. Where traditionally canned pickles can be stored at room temperature, refrigerator pickles must be stored in the refrigerator.
No. Just remember that they must be store in the refrigerator.
Why these aren't for everyone. (BIG flavor.)
I'll warn you that these homemade pickles are intensely flavorful. If you're on the fence about liking vinegary, piquant dill pickles, these aren't for you. But should you be in the piquant pickle loving camp, you'll find these addictive.
Recipe Options
- For a milder vinegar flavor, use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar instead of standard white vinegar.
- To add a bit of spice, stir a teaspoon of whole black peppercorns, raw jalapeño slices, or ¼ teaspoon or more of red pepper flakes. You can also add celery seed, mustard seed, and/or whole garlic cloves for added depth of flavor. For a touch of sweetness, stir in a teaspoon or more of granulated sugar or honey.
More Pickling Recipes to Try
- Pickled Asparagus (there's a secret to protecting the spear tips. Can you guess what it is?)
- Pickled Beets (honey sweetened)
- Pickled Red Onions
- Pickled Banana Peppers
- Giardiniera (Italian pickled vegetables like cauliflower, bell pepper, carrots, and celery - perfect for snacking!)
[Updated: a couple of commenters found the original recipe for these too salty. Upon review of the recipe, I agreed! I've adjusted it accordingly.]
How to Make Refrigerator Pickles:
Step 1: Fill clean jar with thinly sliced cucumbers (ideally Kirby).
Step 2: Stir brine ingredients together (kosher salt, vinegar and chopped fresh dill) and pour over cucumber slices.
Step 3: Close jar lid and shake to distribute brine. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours then enjoy!
Recipe Video
Easy Refrigerator Pickles
Ingredients
- 2 cups thinly sliced Kirby cucumber
- ½ cup white vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Instructions
- Add cucumber slices to a clean 1-pint jar.
- Add vinegar, salt and dill. Close the lid and shake to distribute ingredients. (Liquid will not cover cucumber slices. Don't worry. The salt will draw liquid from the cucumbers in a couple of hours.)
- Place the jar in the refrigerator and remember to shake it once or twice in the next few hours.
- In about 6 hours, you'll have delicious, crispy pickles.
Can I add garlic to this recipe
Hi Stacie! Yes, absolutely.
1st time trying this and it is a great recipe, the cucumbers stay crunchy . I canned some jars with hot brine snd they just aren’t that good ( cooked cucumbers) makes them to soft . This recipe I absolutely love and it will now be my go to . Thanks so much for sharing . One question though after opening how long will they last in fridge. ??
I'm so glad you're enjoying these, Loretta! They'll keep in the refrigerator for about a month.
I absolutely love pickles! We eat 'em like they're going out of style here. I've made quick pickles with boiling water before, but I need to try this refrigerator version now. Sounds delicious!!
Love, love refrigerator pickles. For years when I had a garden the over abundance of cucumbers always led to big mason jars of pickles. This is a wonderful recipe, and it was inspiration that making a batch would be a great idea.
Thanks.
Velva
aww...I love this comment! So glad you're enjoying the recipe, Velva. Thank you for coming back to let me know.