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
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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 love this recipe and have been passing on the link to friends. I forgot to mark my containers with the date I made the pickles, but they still taste very good and are crunchy. Is there a way to tell when they are no longer good to use? Thanks!
Hi Rosie, Glad you like them! I’d just use taste and texture as your guide. 🙂
Made this for the first time and I don’t think I’ll ever be buying store-bought pickles again! Fantastic! I did one jar by the recipe, and one spicier (doubled the red pepper and tossed three chopped habanero in), and both ways are irresistible. I think I’m going to try some hotter peppers next time just for fun.
Hello!
I just popped my jars using this recipe into the fridge…can’t wait to try them based on other reviews. Do you know if this recipe would work with kohlrabi?
Thank you!
Hi Jennifer, I’ve never worked with kohlrabi, but I suppose if you cut it into pickle-size pieces that it should work. Hope you enjoy if you try it!
This is the first time I’ve made refrigerator pickles (our garden is producing SO MANY CUCUMBERS) and you’ve set the bar really high with this recipe. They are so delicious. I will absolutely be making these again. Thanks for another awesome recipe!
Can this be made using dill seeds if you don’t have access to dill sprigs?
Hi Melanie, I haven’t tried it, but think it should work. Hope you enjoy!
I have an abundance of cukes this year and this recipe was wonderful. The longer they are refrigerated the more garlicky they become. Will continue to use this super easy and healthy recipe. Yum…
These were great! I have made these once a week and they are perfect. They are always so crunchy. Honestly I have used my “ mini me” cukes and I also bought many of the small cukes at the grocery store when they had a sale. Any small cuke seems to work well.
First time making refrigerator pickles, they turned out delicious!
I added 1 tsp pickle spice.
It came out Great
I just opened the jar, and had my first taste of the pickles I made 2 days ago, they are so delicious and really crunchy. I don’t think I will buy store bought pickles ever again.
I can’t wait to share this receipt with my friends. Excellent!