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A glass jar filled with sliced pickles, fresh dill, and brine, with a fork resting inside the jar.
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4.79 from 33 ratings

Refrigerator Pickles (No Cooking or Canning Required)

These refrigerator pickles are crisp, tangy and made with just 5 ingredients. No cooking or canning equipment required!
Prep Time5 minutes
Rest1 hour
Course: Dips, Sauces, and Salsas
Cuisine: American
Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Halal, Hindu, Kosher, Low Calorie, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Low Salt, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: english cucumber pickles, homemade pickles, pickles, quick pickles, refrigerator pickles
Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Low Carb, Raw, Vegan, Vegetarian
Time: 60 minutes or more
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Sarah Bond

Ingredients

Core Ingredients

  • 2 pickling cucumbers can sub 1 English cucumber, see notes
  • 1 cup water 236 mL
  • 1 tsp non iodized salt
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar can sub white vinegar, 236 mL

Optional Flavorings (can use all or a few)

  • 10 sprigs fresh dill about 2 tsp when chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic crushed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
  • Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

  • Prep: Cut 2 pickling cucumbers into spears or rounds. Add your chosen optional flavors to a lidded non-reactive container (like a glass jar or ceramic vessel, then pack in cucumber.
    A whole cucumber and cucumber spears on a wooden cutting board with a paring knife.
  • Brine: Heat 1 cup water in either a kettle, the microwave, or on the stove until steaming hot. Stir in 1 tsp non iodized salt until dissolved. Stir in 1 cup apple cider vinegar.
    Two glass measuring cups on a brown surface; one contains clear liquid with a metal spoon, the other holds a golden-yellow liquid.
  • Combine: Pour vinegar mixture over cucumbers so that they are covered (you may not need all of the liquid). Let cool to room temperature, then seal shut and transfer to the refrigerator.
    Let pickle for at least 1 hour before digging in, optimally 24 hours.
    A glass bowl filled with chopped cucumbers in a liquid, viewed from above, placed on a wooden surface.

Notes

Which cucumber should you use? Pickling cucumbers are best because they stay firm and crunchy in the brine. English cucumbers will also work, though they will become softer the longer they remain in the brine.
Do not use iodized salt, which can cause your pickled products to turn dark.
Store in a sealed glass jar or non-reactive container in the fridge for up to two weeks. Glass is the best vessel since it doesn't absorb flavors or react with the vinegar. Plastic containers work but can take on the smell of the brine over time.
Not tested for long-term canning storage. Be sure to follow best USDA canning practices if canning for long-term storage.
Can I reuse the brine? Yes, once. Add a fresh batch of cucumbers to the spent brine and refrigerate again. The flavor will be slightly more muted but it still works. After the second batch, make fresh brine. The vinegar loses acidity over time and the flavor dilutes with each use. If the brine looks cloudy or smells off at any point, don't reuse it.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup chopped pickle | Calories: 17kcal | Carbohydrates: 3.7g | Protein: 0.9g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 1251mg | Potassium: 132mg | Fiber: 1.6g | Sugar: 1.9g | Vitamin A: 265IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 60mg
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