Refrigerator Pickles are a simple pickle recipe made with vinegar, dill, and garlic. This no boil pickle recipe will become a family favorite in no time!
Refrigerator Pickles remind me of growing up in south Florida. I was raised in the land of the Jewish deli (oh, how I love a good Jewish deli) where they would always put a dish of of crunchy pickles on the table for munching before your entree arrived. Oh, I love those pickles. So I went ahead and made some.
I have no idea if the authentic deli pickles are made this way, I just make these the easiest way I know how. Also the most delicious. Most. Deeeelicious. I like to serve them with a tuna stuffed tomatoes or on top of pulled pork sandwiches!
Refrigerator Pickles
Refrigerator Pickles {NO BOIL}
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Ingredients for Refrigerator Pickles
- Cucumbers – use whatever kind of cucumber you like, but if you use the type with wax make sure to peel them first.
- Fresh garlic – I like to slice mine thin and then eat them with the pickles. Yummmm.
- Sweet yellow onion – Also super delicious pickled. Don’t worry, they don’t make your pickles oniony, they just add more flavor.
- Dill seed – Yes! Dill seed, not weed! Dill weed will work in a pinch, but dill seed is definitely better.
- Salt – kosher, please.
- White vinegar – nothing fancy!
- Filtered water – it’s really important to use filtered water, you don’t want your pickles tasting like chlorine.
How do you make refrigerator pickles?
⭐ First, add cucumber, onion, and garlic to a large bowl. Sprinkle with dill seed and salt, then mix well (alternately you could layer directly into your mason jar).
⭐ Next, pack mixture into mason jars. Pour some vinegar into jar. Fill remainder of the jar with water, screw on cap (tightly!) and give it a good shake.
⭐ Then, taste your brine (no, SERIOUSLY) – this is your opportunity to make adjustments!
⭐ Finally, refrigerate overnight, then enjoy!
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Preparation
How far in advance should you make refrigerator pickles?
We recommend refrigerating for at least 24 hours before enjoying. It will take about that long for the cucumbers to absorb the flavor of the brine.
What other flavors can you use in refrigerator pickles?
This recipe is super versatile! You can add all kinds of flavors (and even vegetables!) to the brine. Here are some ideas:
- Whole peppercorn
- Sliced ginger
- Hot peppers
- Red pepper flakes
- Basil
Storage and leftovers
How long can I keep refrigerator pickles in the fridge?
They will keep in the refrigerator for a few weeks but will start to lose their crunch after that. That said, we’ve never had them last more than a couple weeks because they’re so popular!
Do pickles need to be refrigerated after opening?
Yes, pickles should be refrigerated after opening. And in this case, because they are not sealed (as opposed to water bath canned pickles), you will want to keep them in the refrigerator before you open them too.
Can you freeze refrigerator pickles?
No, if put in the freezer they will get soft and mushy. One of the great things about pickles are their crunch, so you definitely don’t want to mess with that!
Refrigerator Pickles {NO BOIL}
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What to eat with refrigerator pickles (serving suggestions)
These go great on or alongside pretty much any sandwich ever, but if we’re talking specifics, definitely try them with our pulled pork recipe, chicken salad recipe, potato salad recipe, and egg salad recipe!
More Pickle Recipes
Other delicious snack ideas
Suggested Tools
- V-blade Mandoline Slicer – We love this mandoline slicer for making perfectly even pieces of cucumber for your pickles. Use the thick slicer for crunchier pickles and thinner for perfect sandwich pickles.
- Ball Quart Wide Mouth Canning Jars – These are the size jars we typically use. Our pickled onions are refrigerator pickled onions, not water bathed, so it’s just for pretty storage purposes.
- Wide Mouth Plastic Storage Lids – Since these aren’t water bath canned, I prefer to use these plastic storage lids. They’re one piece and screw on really easily.
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How to make refrigerator pickles
Refrigerator Pickles
Ingredients
- Cucumbers sliced (Use whatever kind you prefer, I like to do a variety but if you get the kind with a coat of wax, be sure to peel it!) - I use enough to nearly fill a quart jar
- Fresh garlic thinly sliced - I use 2-3 large cloves per quart jar
- Sweet yellow onion thinly sliced - I use 1 small onion per quart jar
- Dill seed yes, seed NOT weed - I use about a tablespoon per quart jar
- Salt - I use 1 -2 tablespoon per quart jar
- White vinegar
- Filtered water
Instructions
- Add cucumber, onion, and garlic to a large bowl. Sprinkle with dill seed and salt, then mix well (alternately you could layer directly into your mason jar).
- Pack mixture into mason jars. Pour vinegar into jar until it is about 1/4 - 1/3rd full. Fill remainder of the jar with water, screw on cap (tightly!) and give it a good shake. Taste your brine (no, SERIOUSLY) - this is your opportunity to make adjustments!
- Refrigerate overnight, then enjoy! (These will keep for about 2 weeks in the refrigerator, but I seriously doubt they will last that long.)
Video
Nutrition
If you love cucumbers + dill, you’ll definitely want to try our Creamy Cucumber Salad recipe next!
Refrigerator Pickles {NO BOIL}
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Laura says
Can I use whole pickles?
April says
yes! you’ll want to leave them in the brine a little longer before eating so the brine has time to soak through the skin 🙂
Vickie says
Can you fix these in a water bath to last longer?
April says
I’m not sure, as I’ve never tried water canning. That’s a great question for our Facebook group though! If you’re not already there, you can join here –> https://www.facebook.com/groups/mamalovesfood/ 🙂
colette says
These are wonderful, and I even used fake salt. I like a little less onion and a little more garlic and my daughter is the opposite so we each get to have what we want. Love the taste. This is my second time and no they do not last.
April Woods says
so glad you enjoyed our refrigerator pickles! they go fast in our house too!
Michele Clark says
Love this recipe and so does everyone I service these to
Judy Dwiggins says
Delicious! My favorite dill pickle recipe. Easy too!
Joe Barron says
I make dill pickle chicken wings and they require dill pickle juice. I have to use a lot of jars of dill pickles to get the juice but don’t use all the pickles. Can dill pickle brine be made without using cucumbers and will the juice taste similar?
April Woods says
that’s an interesting question! first i would start out by saying these pickles don’t have the same flavor as the bright green ones you buy at the market, so if that’s the flavor you’re going for, then you’ll be disappointed. as for whether you can use cucumber-less brine, my guess would be yes (with the caveat that i haven’t tried this!) – i don’t feel like the brine takes on much flavor in the way of cucumber. the cucumber does expel some liquid though, so perhaps it would need to be diluted a bit more?
Sharon Carlton says
Hi April can I use minced garlic?? I don’t have fresh but I have a lot of cucumbers coming in and I wanna try this recipe. Thanks in advance
April Woods says
Sure! I find the minced garlic to be a little less potent, but it should still work 🙂
Michelle says
At first part of post it says these pickles Las 3-4 months in the refrigerator, but in recipe it says 2 weeks. Should I go with the 2 week time frame? I also would like to know if this method will work for spears?
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Anxious to try!
April Woods says
Thanks for pointing that out – poor verbiage on my part. They will be safe to eat for a few months, but are best (quality/flavor) the first couple weeks. And yes, this method will definitely work for spears! 🙂
Jennifer Godinez says
Filtered water. We buy our water because we have high sulfur. Will that work alright
April Woods says
yes, that should be fine 🙂
Michelle Davis says
How much kosher salt?
April Woods says
1 -2 tablespoon per quart jar
lori says
Will they still be crunchy if peeled
April Woods says
they should be 🙂
Annie L. Villeneuve says
LOOOVE! No longer can pickles. I just use this recipe!!! Thank YOU
Elsa marcus says
Love love all the reipes!!!
Sharon says
My husband likes bread and butter pickles. How would I change to recipe to make them?
Eleanor Nurre says
Fantastic refrigerator pickle recipe. So simple!! The pickles are crunchy and very flavorful. Thank you for sharing.