Homemade Refrigerator Pickles (Quick & Easy)

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My Quick & Easy Refrigerator Pickles are a great way to elevate any savory dish. My No Cook Refrigerator Pickles are the perfect pickles to try if you haven’t made homemade pickles before. The preparation time is minimal; there’s no need to heat anything in a pot.

 

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Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.

I love making my own easy homemade pickles, and everyone loves it when I prep them for our cookouts. I like making a batch when we have pulled pork or shredded BBQ chicken. They add the perfect acidity to many dishes.

These pickles involve minimum prep, but you will need time to chill them in the fridge for the best results.

I make these pickles with onion and cucumber. This method can also be used to make different types of pickles. I recommend you give my Quick Pickled Onions recipe a try, too.

Ingredients

Here’s what you will need to make the best homemade refrigerator pickles:

• Vinegar – I use equal quantities of hot water and white vinegar to make the pickling liquid.
• Sugar – granulated sugar is added to the pickling liquor for the perfect balance of sweet and sour.
• Kosher Salt – I add salt to balance the sweet and sour flavors in this pickle.
• Black Pepper – I also like to add fresh cracked black pepper to season the pickle.
• Cucumbers – I use three medium-sized pickling cucumbers, like Kirby pickles, thinly sliced on a mandolin.
• Onion – half a sweet onion is added along with the cucumber.

How to make Refrigerator Pickles

Put hot water, white vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a jar. Close the jar and shake until the sugar and salt dissolve. I use a 32-ounce mason jar.

Add thinly sliced cucumbers and sweet onion to the jar, pushing the cucumbers and onions down into the liquid.

Ensure that the liquid covers all the vegetables.

Cover and store in the fridge for at least 8 hours before serving.

Remove pickles and onions from the brine with a fork or slotted spoon to serve.

Flavor variations

• You can replace white vinegar with white wine, apple cider, or sherry vinegar.
• Swap sweet onions for white or red onions or shallots.
• For extra flavor, add spices like peppercorns, coriander, red pepper flakes, fennel, or mustard seeds to the pickling vinegar.
• Add a few sprigs of fresh herbs like dill, tarragon, or parsley.
• If you like pickles, use the same process to pickle other vegetables. Try thinly sliced onions, red chili peppers or jalapenos, carrots, radishes, or zucchini.

Serving suggestions

These easy pickles go with just about any savory dish. I like to eat them alongside my Southern favorites, like Fried Chicken. I also love them over seasoned fish, like my Whole Oven-Roasted Fish.

They’ll add a great zing to your hot dogs, burgers, salads, and sandwiches too. Try these recipes: Oven-Baked Hot Dogs, Air Fryer Turkey Burgers, Korean Sloppy Joes, and Garlic Butter Cheese Steak Sandwiches.

How long will Refrigerator Pickles last?

Store the pickles in an airtight jar or container, fully submerged in the pickling liquid. Keep the container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 weeks for optimal freshness and flavor.

Tools You’ll Want to Use

This handheld mandolin is a dream when it comes to thinly slicing vegetables. It also doesn’t take up much storage space.

FAQs

If you have tried these Refrigerator Pickles, or any other recipe on my blog, then please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!

This post was originally published on April 17, 2023. It has been updated with additional helpful information.

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