Homemade Pickles — No Canning and No Cooking Needed!

Refrigerator Pickles

Crispy, crunchy, and delicious to munch(-y), these Refrigerator Pickles are a fun summer tradition—and an essential addition to burgers, hot dogs, and sandwiches. Plus, unlike canned pickles, these refrigerator pickles are a cinch to make!

Why You’ll Love This Refrigerator Pickles Recipe

• No Risk! On a scale of 1 to 10, how neurotic are you? If you’re an 11 on this scale, you may know that canning your own food carries a risk of botulism. Refrigerator pickles aren’t canned, which eliminates all the stress from the pickling process.
• No Cooking! No-cook pickles, friends! You don’t even have to cook the brine, which makes these pickles perfect for summer when the last thing you want to do is stand over the stovetop in front of a big saucepan of boiling water.
• The Easiest Way to Make Pickles. I love the idea of canning my own food, but have you seen all the equipment you need for it? No thank you. Making refrigerator pickles is practically effortless and you don’t need to fill your kitchen with fancy canning jars and racks and tongs. 
• Crispy, Crunchy Pickles—No Compromises. I know what you’re thinking: these pickles must be inferior to traditional canned pickles. Not true! This is one of those glorious shortcuts that yields results just as tasty as the original. The only downside here is that they don’t last as long, but let’s be real: you’re going to eat ‘em all up before that would even be an issue.
• An Essential for Summer. Add your pickles to Turkey Burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, or make them into crispy Air Fryer Pickles for serving alongside Air Fryer Hamburgers. Pickles are a must for so many of our summertime favorites. (Oh, and Pickled Onions are also a must on those burgers and hot dogs!)

How to Make Refrigerator Pickles

The Ingredients

• Kirby Cucumbers. Those are the small/medium-ish ones with the bumpy skins. Sometimes you’ll see them labeled “pickling cucumbers.” Mini or Persian cucumbers work too. You want a small cucumber because they yield crisp, crunchy pickles.

• Fresh Dill. Because dill pickles are the best pickles!
• Mustard Seeds. Psst—you can actually eat the pickled mustard seeds too and they’re delicious! Add them to dressings or crush them with a mortar and pestle for serving with Baked Pork Tenderloin.
• Coriander Seeds. Coriander has a citrusy flavor, so it adds a bright note to these refrigerator pickles.
• Garlic. I highly recommend adding the garlic, but you do you.
• Water. You don’t need to add all that much because the salt in the brine will draw the moisture out of the cucumbers.
• White Vinegar. Nothing fancy here. Simple is best for these easy pickles!
• Kosher Salt. Because most people don’t have pickling salt on hand, I’ve developed this recipe with the more common kosher salt.

The Directions

1. Slice. Cut the cucumbers into thin rounds. This is easy on a mandoline.

2. Layer. Pack the cucumbers to the pint jar(s), then layer in the dill, seeds, and garlic.

3. Brine. Whisk together the water, vinegar, and salt, then pour this mixture into the jar(s).

4. Refrigerate. Close the jar, give it a good shake, then refrigerate, shaking occasionally. Refrigerator pickles are ready to eat after 2 hours, but best after a full day. ENJOY!

Recipe Variations

• Change Up the Vinegar. You can use apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar to make pickles, too. Rice vinegar makes for a delicious Asian-inspired pickle, especially if you add some slices of ginger..
• Try Different Herbs and Spices. This refrigerator pickle recipe gives you that classic pickle flavor, but there’s no reason you can’t experiment with what you have on hand. You can also buy a packet of pickling spices to make it easier.
• Give Them a Kick. Like your pickles spicy? Add black peppercorns, crushed red pepper flakes, or sliced jalapeño peppers. (The pickled jalapeños are also fantastic on burgers and tacos!)
• Make Pickle Spears. Just like store-bought pickles, refrigerator pickles come in all shapes and sizes. Quarter the cucumbers lengthwise to make pickle spears.

Storage Tips

• To Store. Store refrigerator pickles in the jar for up to a week; be sure to use a clean fork or other utensil to remove them from the jar.
• To Freeze. Refrigerator pickles should not be frozen. 

What to Serve with Refrigerator Pickles

• Sandwiches. BBQ sandwiches like Instant Pot Pulled Pork and Slow Cooker Pulled Pork are extra tasty with the addition of refrigerator dill pickles.
• Burgers. Pickle chips add tangy flavor to Vegan Burgers, Salmon Burgers, and Quinoa Burgers.
• Pasta Salads. Diced pickles are a crunchy addition to Chicken Pasta Salad.
• Creamy Salads. Both the dill and the pickles are so good added to my Healthy Potato Salad. (Pro-Tip: You can boil the potatoes in a mixture of half water, half pickle brine for even more pickle flavor in your potato salad!)

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

• Jars. You can reuse jars from pickles, pasta sauce, etc., if you clean them well. (Don’t forget to wash the lid too!) Or buy jars specifically for your refrigerator pickles if you plan on making them often. I use these jars, but IKEA has some great options too.
• Cutting Board. This one has a non-porous surface to keep it from harboring funky flavors. 
• Mandoline Slicer. Makes even slices a breeze.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Don’t Use Garden Cucumbers. Those everyday sorts of cucumbers are delicious for snacking (and pairing with Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip), but they’re just not good for pickling. Kirby cucumbers (which are sometimes labeled as pickling cucumbers) are best, but English cucumbers and mini or Persian cucumbers work too.
• Avoid Table Salt. It’s iodized, which will give your pickles an unpleasant flavor. Kosher or pickling salt is best. If you do need to use table salt, reduce the amount by half.
• Know When to Discard. Technically speaking, you’re supposed to store refrigerator pickles no more than a week, but I’ve kept them for 2 to 3 weeks, and other sources say they’ll keep for a month. That said: if the pickles smell off, taste bad, or begin to ferment, throw them away.
• Date It. If you’re the type to put something in a Tupperware container and then have complete amnesia about what it is and how long it’s been in the fridge the next day, it’s a good idea to put a date on the pickle jar so you can keep track of how old they are.

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Refrigerator Pickles

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No cooking, no canning, and no fermentation! Refrigerator pickles are easy as can be, and just as crisp and tasty as the traditional version.

Course condiment

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Chilling Time 1 day day

Total Time 1 day day 10 minutes minutes

Calories 166kcal

Author Erin Clarke / Well Plated

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds Kirby cucumbers* about 6 small/medium, or mini or Persian cucumbers
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh dill
• 2 teaspoons mustard seeds optional
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds optional
• 1 to 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced (optional)
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt**

Instructions

• Cut the cucumbers into very thin coins—about 1/8-inch (I like to use a mandolin). In a very large jar (1 liter or larger), layer the cucumbers with the dill, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and garlic (3 or 4 layers is great; it doesn’t need to be precise). Or, divide the ingredients between two smaller (3/4-liter) jars (this is my preference, but take your pick based on what you have available in your kitchen).
  
• In a large bowl, briskly whisk together the water, white vinegar, and salt for several seconds to dissolve the salt. Carefully pour it over the cucumbers (if there’s extra salt in the bottom of the bowl that didn’t dissolve, add it too). This won’t look like much liquid yet—the salt will draw water out of the cucumbers as they sit.
  
• Seal the jar firmly and shake it about to work the liquid throughout the slices. Place in your fridge (set it at eye level so you think of it every time you open the door) and refrigerate for 1 day for full results, shaking the jar periodically. After 2 hours they’ll be lightly pickled and ready to enjoy. Munch for up to 1 week***.
  

Notes

• *Kirby cucumbers are sometimes called “pickling cucumbers” and are short with bumpy skin. You can also use English (hot house) cucumbers, which have a thin skin that does not need to be removed (if using English, cut them into coins). Mini cucumbers (also thin skinned) work well for pickling too.
• **Avoid iodized (table salt) for this recipe as it has a harsh flavor. If you must use it, reduce to half the amount.
• ***TO STORE: While standard food safety guidelines dictate that refrigerator pickles shouldn’t be stored for more than 1 week, we live on the edge and enjoy ours for 2 to 3 weeks. Be sure to use a clean utensil to remove them from the jar each time to avoid bacteria, which can make them spoil more quickly.

Nutrition

Calories: 166kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Potassium: 1092mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 778IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 165mg | Iron: 3mg

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