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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I’ve been making these fabulous garlic pickles since I first saw the recipe on your site. And I’ve wanted to write to you ever since to tell you how much my family and friends love them! I did tweak the recipe a little – more garlic, less sugar and dill – and it brings me back to my childhood deli pickles in Brooklyn. Thank you!
This was so easy! I had bought one of those “pickling” packets and if seemed a little complicated. Found your recipe and it was so easy to follow! I hope to have pickles in a couple weeks!!!
Hey Jenny,
Can I replace the white vinegar with Apple Cider Vinegar or White Wine Vinegar?
Also, are there replacements to the mustard seed you can suggest?
Trying to use what I have. Thanks!
Hi Patty, Apple cider vinegar should work here. And you can just leave the mustard seed out – enjoy!
i didn’t have mustard seed, but I had ground mustard powder. I added it to the vinegar,sugar , salt solution, worked just fine for me!!
These are amazing..my family LOVED them!
My husband and I made your pickles exactly according to the recipe, and they are delicious! Our question is: can we make them safely without salt? My husband is on a low sodium diet, so we really need to make refrigerator pickles with NO added salt. Many thanks! Martha
Hi Martha, Glad you like them. technically they will work without the salt, but will definitely taste different. Please LMK how they turn out!
Hi Jenn, we made the refrigerator pickles with no salt, and they still taste delicious! The differences we noticed are: 1) it has taken the pickles much longer to turn into dill pickles… about 4-5 days rather than 24 hours; and 2) the intensity of the flavour is just a bit less… so next time we make them, we may add a few more red pepper flakes~ Again, thanks so much for this recipe!
Good to know and so glad to hear they were still tasty — thanks for reporting back! 🙂
‘NoSalt Original Sodium-Free Salt Alternative’ is available on Amazon and is a great way to keep the saltiness you need in recipes without all the added sodium! Hope this helps 🙂
Is the recipe for one or two quarts?
Two. Enjoy!
I started making these last year. Now I get orders from my family members to make them. I made pint jars as Christmas gifts this year!!
Hi Jenn! I just tried this recipe with cucumbers… AMAZING. I was thinking about attempting it with other veggies like carrots and green beans, do you think this would work?
Glad you liked them! I haven’t tried it with other veggies but I think it would work. Please LMK How they turn out if you try it!
I am having a hard time finding dill weed can I use dried dill weed instead
Sure, David — you’ll need 2 teaspoons. Enjoy!
These are amazingly easy to make, crunchy and delicious – better than any store-bought pickle that I’ve had. I took a chance making them with powdered coriander, because I couldn’t find whole, and was worried that it might not work out well, but they came out great. The powdered spice simply settles at the bottom of the jar. Not as pretty, but that doesn’t really matter. Thanks Jenn!