Quick and Easy Refrigerator Pickles
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Refrigerator pickles are quick and easy to make—no sterilizing jars or special equipment required. Perfect with burgers, sandwiches, or straight from the jar.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
The kids and I discovered a jar of these homemade refrigerator pickles in my parents’ fridge one day, and since then, no deli or store-bought pickles have ever come close. They were made by one of my mom’s oldest and dearest friends, Joanne Biltekoff, who is like an aunt to me.
The best thing about Joanne’s pickles is that they’re quick and easy—no canning supplies or sterilized jars needed. Simply slice Kirby cucumbers into spears, cover them with brine, tuck them into the fridge, and they’re ready to eat the next day.
“For the first time, I grew pickling cucumbers and found your recipe to make pickles. I can’t believe how wonderful they are!”
What You’ll Need To Make Refrigerator Pickles
The most important part of the recipe is to start with Kirby or pickling cucumbers. They’re short, squat and sometimes full of warts, but they make deliciously crisp pickles. Don’t be tempted to substitute another kind of cucumber or you’ll end up with soggy pickles.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the brine. Combine the vinegar, salt and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat and stir until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved. Whisk in the cold water, then chill.
Pro tip: When cooking high-acid foods, be sure to use a cooking vessel made of a nonreactive material such as stainless steel, glass, ceramic or Teflon. Pots made from metals like aluminum, copper or cast iron will react with the acid and give your food a metallic taste.
Step 2: Fill the jars. Next, stuff the cucumbers into two 1-quart jars. Add the coriander and mustard seeds, garlic, red pepper flakes, dill sprigs to the jars, dividing evenly.
Step 3: Add the brine. Cover the cucumbers with the chilled brine. If needed, you can add a bit of cold water to the jars until the brine covers the cucumbers.
Step 4: Refrigerate. Cover the jars and let sit in the refrigerator for about 24 hours, then serve. The pickles will keep in the fridge for up to one month. Enjoy!
Pro tip: These pickles disappear quickly. If you’d like to make more, you don’t have to start from scratch. You can use the pickle brine more than once—it should last for another batch or two of pickles!
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Quick & Easy Refrigerator Pickles
No canning, no fuss—just crisp, tangy pickles you’ll want to eat with everything!
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups distilled white vinegar (5% acidity)
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 cups cold water
- 1¾ to 2 pounds Kirby cucumbers (about 6), cut into halves or spears
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 6 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 16 dill sprigs
Instructions
- Combine the vinegar, salt and sugar in a small non-reactive saucepan (such as stainless steel, glass, ceramic or teflon) over high heat. Whisk until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Transfer the liquid into a bowl and whisk in the cold water. Refrigerate brine until ready to use.
- Stuff the cucumbers into two clean 1-quart jars. Add the coriander seeds, garlic cloves, mustard seeds, red pepper flakes, dill sprigs, and chilled brine into jars, dividing evenly. If necessary, add a bit of cold water to the jars until the brine covers the cucumbers. Cover and refrigerate about 24 hours, then serve. The pickles will keep in the refrigerator for up to one month.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Was having trouble finding my favorite pickles in the store when I saw this recipe. They are so easy and incredibly good and fresh tasting. Made the recipe as written but I add more dill if I have it. After giving a jar to my son and his family he’s now making them too.
Just made my second batch (because the first was soo delicious) and somehow ended up with way less of the brine (I measured correctly, so I am thinking I must have boiled off a ton?). Wondering if I should top off with just water or if I should add more vinegar and/or make a new batch of brine? (I did pint jars and they are only about 1/4 way filled with brine). Thank you!
Hi Kristi, Are you sure you added the cold water to the brine? If so and you think it boiled off, I would top off with water as it will be quite concentrated.
Why can’t I print this recipe?
Mindy
Hi Mindy, Sorry you’re having a problem printing! When you’re viewing the full recipe (near the bottom of the page), look in the upper righthand corner of that box – you’ll see an icon there that looks like a printer. Select that and it (and it will open a dialog box that gives you printing options) If you’ve tried that and it’s not working for you, you may want to try opening the blog using a different browser. Usually those odd glitches can be solved by using a different browser. Hope that helps and please let me know if you have any additional problems.
We absolutely love this recipe and despite a really really overactive cucumber plant this year we can’t keep fresh pickles in the house.
I am very excited to try this recipe as I have been looking for several years to find one that my whole family enjoys. The rave reviews are very encouraging. One question, can I use Himalayan sea salt in place of Kosher?
Sure but depending on the size of the crystals, you may need more or less.
I don’t eat pickles but made them for my husband who loves them. Thanks Jenn as it now seems that I’ll be making these forever … he loved them!
Absolutely delicious! Made my first batch in June, and am now making four quarts a week for us and daughter’s family. Adding jalapenos to my daughter’s batch as they love the heat. They are quickly consumed. Thanks, Jenn, for another great recipe!
I do love this recipe, but have a couple questions. They are “ready” in 24 hours, but do the flavours become better the longer they sit? Or is 24 hours the optimal time and not much changes after that? Also, can they be kept longer than a month? Do they go bad or go soft? Thanks!!
Hi Mary, Glad you like them! Not much changes after 24 hours. And I really think a month is the maximum that you should store them. Hope that helps!
I made several batches of these last fall, I still have x1 quart in the fridge and they are just as good as the day I made them. Crunchy and delicious. I was curious, so I purposely left them in the fridge that long.
These are SO good! Made them exactly as written except double the garlic cause well, we love garlic. I do find them very sour, not unbearable, but I would enjoy them more if a little less so. What if I decrease the vinegar to 1 cup and added the difference in water?
Sure, Emily, what you’re suggesting is fine. 🙂
Delicious! So easy to make! They taste like a bowl of pickles that is served in a Cleveland OH deli!
Thank you!
I have been looking for a good recipe for pickles for years. This is by far the best. I found my forever pickle recipe. Thank you.