My Easy 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.
The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included in the blog post.
I love making my own easy homemade pickles, and everyone loves them 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 require minimal preparation, but you will need 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.
A Glance at the Ingredients
Ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions are on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Vinegar – I use equal quantities of hot water and white vinegar to make the pickling brine.
- Sugar – granulated sugar is added to the pickling brine 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, such as Kirby pickles, thinly sliced on a mandoline.
- Onion - half a sweet onion is added along with the cucumber.
Recommended Tool
My favorite mandolin. Hold the handle in one hand, and slice with the other.
How to make Refrigerator Pickles
Step 1: Put hot water, white vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a heat-proof jar. Close the jar and shake until the sugar and salt dissolve. I use a 32-ounce mason jar.
Step 2: Add thinly sliced cucumbers and sweet onion to the jar, pushing the cucumbers and onions down into the brine.
Ensure that the brine covers all the vegetables.
Step 3: Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours before serving.
Remove pickles and onions from the brine with a fork or slotted spoon to serve.
Tanya's Top Tips
These tips will help you make the best refrigerator pickles you've ever tried.
- I suggest using a mandolin to slice the cucumber and onion thinly. However, take care when using a mandolin to avoid cutting yourself and your fingers.
- If you don’t have a mandolin, a sharp kitchen knife will work well, too.
- Always ensure that the pickling liquid covers the cucumber and onion to prevent them from spoiling.
- Always store refrigerator pickles in the refrigerator.
- These pickles are on the sweeter side, just like how I like them. For a tart pickle, cut the sugar to about ¼ cup.
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 an extra flavor boost, add spices like peppercorns, coriander, red pepper flakes, fennel, or mustard seeds to the pickling vinegar.
- Add a few sprigs of fresh herbs, such as 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 brine. Keep the container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 weeks for optimal freshness and flavor.
FAQs
You must store refrigerator pickles in vinegar and in the refrigerator to prevent them from spoiling. Regular pickles are pasteurized, allowing them to be stored on shelves for extended periods without refrigeration until opened.
You can use any vinegar for refrigerator pickling; it all depends on the flavors you prefer. I’ve used white vinegar as I like its intense, sharp taste. However, you can also use red wine, white wine, apple cider, or sherry vinegar.
They're also known as icebox pickles.
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!
Homemade Refrigerator Pickles Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Instructions
- Add hot water, white vinegar, granulated sugar, kosher salt, and black pepper into a heat-proof jar and cover and shake to combine until the sugar and salt are dissolved. I use a 32-ounce mason jar.
- Add the cucumbers and sweet onion to the jar, pushing the cucumbers and onions down into the liquid. Make sure all the vegetables are covered with liquid.
- Cover and store in the fridge for at least 8 hours before serving.
- To serve, remove pickles and onions with a fork or slotted spoon from the brine.
Nutrition
Notes
- These pickles will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks.
- For this recipe, I suggest using a heat-safe jar.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!This post was originally published on April 17, 2023. It has been updated with additional helpful information.
Verna Laubenthal says
I love this recipe. i made it two days ago using a 2 quart jar plus a 1 qt jar. i gave the one court jar away to a friend, so I am going to make it again today in a quart jar.
Thank you, thank you.Thank you so much for the recipe
Tanya says
Thanks so much, Verna! I'm so happy you liked the recipe. Great idea to share with a friend.
shelley n😏 says
so first thing i should mention is i can’t stand sweet pickles, bread n butter pickles, etc. yech. dill pickles, the sourer the better!
so even tho you mention cutting the sugar to 1/4 cup, i wondered if i could just cut it out altogether?
also. i’m not a vinegar person, either, so those alternate flavor vinegars you mentioned? which one would you personally recommend??
Tanya says
Hi Shelley N, yes, you can cut out the sugar! Since you love sour pickles, you can definitely skip the sugar entirely - it'll just make them even more tart, which sounds perfect for your taste. For the vinegar, if you're not a fan of the sharp bite, I'd personally go with rice vinegar. It's much milder and smoother than white vinegar but still gives you that tangy pickle flavor.
Zina says
Easy, quick, and delicious. Thanks for the recipe!. I used persion cucumbers and white onions and i will definately be making this again.
Tanya says
Thanks Zina! So happy you like the pickles.
PS says
What do you do with leftover vinegar/brine?
Tanya says
Great question PS. I usually discard the remaining brine but it could be used as a brine for chicken.
shelley n😏 says
…or perhaps reuse it with the next batch?? just add it to the new batch to give an extra bit of zing…?
Deb says
Why is the black pepper not added anywhere ? Listed as an ingred but not included in instructions😩
Tanya says
Our apologies Deb, the recipe has been updated. Black pepper should be added when kosher salt is.
mary caprigno says
This recipe is great. Awesome pickles. Can you do a dill pickle recipe soon. Thank you Mary
Tanya says
Thank you, Mary! I think I might, dill is one of my favorite herbs.