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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What are Refrigerator Pickles?
Refrigerator pickles are made without they typical steps of canning, made instead with raw cucumber slices and brine - 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! 😉 )
In our CSA share this week, we had several Kirby pickling cucumbers and a beautiful bunch of fresh dill. 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.
Something you should know.
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 instead of standard white vinegar.
- To add a bit of spice, stir a teaspoon of whole black peppercorns, raw jalapeno 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.
More Pickling Recipes to Try
And if you happen to love the magnificent Mama Lil's Bread & Butter Pickles & Peppers: sweet, spicy, salty. You can make something similar with a simple riff on this refrigerator pickle recipe - Spicy Bread and Butter Pickles. And definitely don't miss my other quick pickles: Pickled Asparagus or these Pickled Beets, Pickled Red Onions, and Pickled Banana Peppers, all honey sweetened and so delicious. Giardiniera is another must-try - Italian pickled vegetables like cauliflower, bell pepper, carrots, and celery,
[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!
Refrigerator Pickles Recipe Video
Easy Dill Lovers 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.
I'm ALL about a piquant pickle! I love making canned pickles in the summer; I didn't know it was so easy just to do it in the fridge! What have I been doing with my life? Have a great week, Marissa!
Thank you, Kelsie! I know what you mean....I couldn't believe how easy these were the first time I made them and now I make them every summer.
I LOVE homemade pickles Marissa! And the more flavorful and zesty, the better! Can't wait to try your recipe!
Thank you, Mary Ann! I'm glad I'm not alone in loving super zesty pickles!
I love my pickles to have a real punch of flavor! In fact, I strongly prefer dill over sweet pickles, so I know these would be popular here. And, yes, they are indeed easy! We didn't grow any cukes in our garden this year, but our neighbor just gave us some...and I might have to turn those bad boys into pickles here soon! 🙂
Perfect, David! I hope you give these a shot - if you love pickles with punch, these will be right up your alley!
I loves me some vinegary pickles and the fact that this are SO easy to make, I need to get on that, like, asap!! I make homemade foodie gift baskets for family as part of their Christmas gift and this would be just wonderful to include. Pinned! Have a lovely week! XOXO
Thanks, Dawn! I love the idea of these as gifts, just make sure they stay refrigerated and note that they're good for one month.
These are my kind of pickles!! Great video too. It's long overdue, but I'm finally getting into video making this week, Wish me luck!
Oh wow, Sonali! I'm sure your videos will be great. Thanks so much, my friend!
Gahhhh! We LOVE pickles over here at the SuBourbon Country Cottage, Marissa! Like, we ALWAYS have a jar in our refrigerator for snacking. Dill pickles are my favorite and it's been AGES since I made my own, so clearly I need to get on making these, ESPECIALLY since they are easy-peasy! I've got no excuse not to right?! I'm going to add a bunch of garlic to mine (because I like to have vampire repellent breath), but I'm going to make a batch of these as is for Boy. Can't wait! PINNED! Cheers, sweets! I hope you are having a weekend as wonderful as you! XO
Heck yeah! Love the addition of garlic...I'll have to try that next time. xo
Refrigerator dills are one of my favorite summertime treats - it's been way too long since I've made them! They are just so easy and delicious, I'm feeling inspired. Beautiful shots, my friend!
Thank you so much, Faith! xo
I am definitely making pickles next year!! I contemplated growing cucumbers but didn't end up doing it. I love how easy this looks - everyone in my family loves pickles!
Thank you, Katherine! I hope you give them a go...so good, I promise!
Hi Marissa! I have been making refrigerator pickles for years, so easy and so good! I always add a clove of smashed garlic to each jar (just because, well garlic) and if my dill had headed out I would add one to the top of each jar.. One year our squash crops went wild so I turned small yellow summer and patty pan squash into pickles and they were as good, if not better!
Hi Dorothy! I love addition of a smashed garlic clove because, as you said, garlic! Also love the idea of pickling summer squash. Definitely a must try.
How long will these keep in the refrigerator for?
Hi Kristy - Ours usually don't last very long.. 😉 I've seen several sources say they're safe up to one month.
I had a TON of dill that I needed to use and this was a great and easy way! Thanks for the recipe!
What a happy problem! 😉 I'm so glad you like the recipe. I can't get enough of them this time of year.
Just out of curiosity, how long will these stay fresh? I love this simple recipe and I planted some pickling cucumbers this year and plan on using this recipe.
Hi Amy! That's great...let me know how they turn out. 🙂 On refrigerator life, I'm no expert but from what I've seen at a few websites that I trust, you should eat them within a month.
Can you use a whole pickle instead of slices? I eat a whole pickle almost every day. It's easier if it's whole because i work on a boat and have dirty hands.
Hi Chloe, I don't see why not. It may take a bit longer for the brine to flavor it, but should work. Let me know how it goes. 🙂
They were so delicious! I made 2 jars and now about to make more because I ate them too fast. I couldn’t find pickling salt so I used kosher salt & also fresh dill….THANK YOU for sharing 🙂
Hi Marissa! I'm delighted to have come across this recipe as I am looking at many cucumbers in the making - (their yellow flowers are teasing me!). It's going to be hard to keep these around. xx
Hi Danielle! Oh yes, those little yellow flowers are such a tease! 😉 I've been making these this summer with some crushed red pepper, garlic and Thai peppers - spicy goodness...
Can you use dry dill? Just made Bread and Butter Pickles and have sliced cucumbers left.
Hi Bill,
Sure you can use dried dill. Use 2 teaspoons instead of 2 tablespoons and it should turn out just fine.
People ask 'sweet or salty' and I say 'vinegary'... so pickled everything for me! These are sensational! Need to make them asap
I love dill so these pickles are really on my must make list! 😀
never thought of making my own pickle before.. love how easy this is. definitely will be trying it out in my kitchen!
I just sent this recipe to my mother who has tons of cucumbers growing in her garden, I know she will love it!
That's great! I hope she enjoys them.