Quick and Easy Refrigerator Pickles
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Refrigerator pickles are quick and easy to make — no sterilizing jars or special equipment required.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
The kids and I discovered a jar of these homemade refrigerator pickles in my parents’ refrigerator 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 sterilizing jars or special canning equipment required. All you do is slice Kirby cucumbers into spears, cover them with brine, tuck them into the fridge, and they’re ready to eat the next day.
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
Begin by making 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.
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.
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.
Cover the cucumbers with the chilled brine.
Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for about 24 hours, then serve. The pickles will keep in the fridge for up to one month.
These pickles will disappear quickly and you’ll likely get requests for 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
Refrigerator pickles are quick and easy to make — no sterilizing jars or special equipment required.
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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Very tasty and easy. We found them to be a tad sweet for a dill pickle so I’ll cut back a little on the sugar next time. Otherwise, I’ll be using this as my go-to recipe!
These were amazing! So tasty! Quick question – if we’ve already eaten all of the pickles in one jar (that were made a couple days ago) and still have cucumbers left, can we put the new one in the jar and add extra cold water?
Yep – and glad you liked them!
If I made 6pounds of Kori’s would I just triple all of the ingredients? Thank you!
Hi Rose, I’m assuming you meant Kirby’s? If so, yes, that’s correct. Enjoy!
Have tried other recipes and they were so disappointing. These are amazing!
I made a double batch of these and my family loved them. I sent home a jar with each of my kids. This recipe is easy, delicious, and definitely a keeper!
My family and I LOVE these pickles!! This is my third year making them and they are the best! Thanks for such an easy great recipe!!
(Sorry this is long) Okay – I don’t often use recipes except for technique and cooking times but this was rated so highly when I was looking to make my first refrigerator pickles that I had to try it – and I read a ton of the reviews good and bad (very few). I am fussy with pickles and never had enough to can before for many reasons but the biggest is: We have black walnut trees – they kill everything, we now garden in raised barrels etc etc, blah blah blah. We always got some to eat and for salads but FINALLY – A SUMMER OF CUCUMBERS!! I’m beyond excited.
I do “can” with hot water bath canning and pressure cooker canning but wanted something quick and easy for my first pickles because I kept squirreling them away hoping to make pickles and some were getting a bit old but perfectly fine. I decided to try refrigerator pickles and this was the first recipe I found and I totally understand why it comes out at the top of a search.
I followed this to a “T” and could tell right away the brine was just perfect – not too salty. The sugar is necessary and these pickles are NOT sweet in the slightest.
I quickly ran out of fresh dill and replaced with the recommended amount of dry (2tsp as stated in comments) and it came out just as great.
I was a bit dumb and sliced all of my cucumbers before knowing exactly what I had spice/herb wise so I was able to make 4 quarts following the recipe exactly and then at least 4 more quarts using dried dill instead of fresh.
I’ve made a total of at least 12 quarts (got more fresh dill) and all are wonderful using both fresh and dried ingredients. I know I should have used a canning recipe since I had so many but these were so good I just refrigerated them all and figure I can give some away. I made them 8/1 and we’ve gone through almost three quarts because we keep snacking on them, putting them on burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches etc.
These are pretty much the best pickles I’ve ever had let alone made. I think you can add any spices you like but leave the brine alone, that is the key. I added jalapenos and other peppers and they’re great. I used Armenian, bush, straight eight and pickling cucumbers – they were all great and crispy. I sliced most thin for sandwiches or in spears.
I’d be interested to know if anyone every came up with a good canning version of this. I might try to figure it out later this month since cucumbers are still piling in. Yay!
Hi, LOVE this recipe! But the Eastern Black Swallowtail caterpillars have eaten most of my dill. Would dry dill seed work?
Oh, that stinks! You can use dried dill – you’ll need 2 teaspoons. Enjoy!
I really love this Quick pickle recipe! TOTALLY THE BEST!!! Wondering if they would turn as good if I canned them? Have you ever tried?
So glad you like them! I didn’t develop the pickles with canning in mind, so I’m not sure they would be safe – Sorry!
Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!
I got a huge crop of cucumbers.
I only had Himalayan pink salt and should have measured a little less of it.
Because a tad salty
But that was my error. the recipe itself is amazing and everyone scarfed them down regardless!
I’ll definitely make again!
Could Persian cucumbers be used as an alternative to Kirby?
Hi Lynn, Persian cucumbers will work but they may not be quite as crisp and crunchy as Kirbys. Please LMK how they turn out if you try them!