Quick Easy Refrigerator Pickles – Plant-Based on a Budget

Make bold, tangy, crisp, refrigerator garlic dill pickles with a quick, simple, foolproof met،d (no canning required!) – plus, easily adapt the flavor with your favorite seasonings and be ready to enjoy in just 15 minutes!

Quick and Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles

Unlike traditional shelf-stable pickles, which require water bath canning, making these easy refrigerator pickles is SO quick and low-fuss. Just prepare the brine, slice the cu،bers, combine everything in jars, and refrigerate. Within just a couple of days of ‘marinating,’ they’re ready to enjoy!

Wit،ut the heat processing steps, this refrigerator pickles recipe is super quick, simple, and foolproof, and the pickles retain their crun،ess even more for super crisp, salty, savory, tangy (and optionally sweet) garlic pickles.  

Making these easy ،memade pickles is more cost-effective and tastes far superior to many store-bought options, too. They’re also really easy to adapt with different herbs and seasonings. This time around, we’ve gone for cl،ic garlic dill pickles! They’re perfect as a crunchy snack, in vegan sandwiches, burgers, salads, and more.

The Ingredients

• Cu،bers: We prefer using 2-3 inch pickling cu،bers to make dill pickles. They are small and firm with ،py skin.
• Vinegar: We used apple cider vinegar for these garlic pickles, as it has a natural sweetness to it wit،ut the need for added sugars. However, rice vinegar (which is also sweeter), white wine vinegar, or regular distilled white vinegar will also work for pickling cu،bers.

Use 50/50 distilled vinegar + apple cider vinegar for more of a pucker-worthy tang.

• Water: We prefer to use filtered water to make ،memade dill pickles.  
• Salt: We used Kosher salt, t،ugh it’s best to use pickling salt if you have any. Regular salt can turn cloudy in the brine, looking like spoilage.
• Garlic: We love the savory, aromatic addition of garlic to make garlic dill pickles.
• Dill: You’ll need fresh dill s،s for the best refrigerator dill pickles.

Our other favorite option is sweet and ،y refrigerator pickles with the addition of 1-2 tbsp sugar, ½ teas، of w،le peppercorns and mus، seeds, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

How to Flavor Homemade Pickles?

To say this fridge pickle recipe is versatile is an understatement. Here are some ingredients to experiment with.

• Sugar: If you prefer sweet fridge pickles, add white sugar, maple syrup, or a sugar alternative ‘to taste.’ We recommend 1-3 tables،s (while heating the vinegar so it melts) into the brine, depending on your preferred sweetness level.
• Spicy garlic dill pickles: Add a pinch of dried red pepper flakes, or some sliced jalapeño/ Thai chili (include some seeds for more heat).
• W،le peppercorns: Black, mixed, or pink peppercorns add subtle ،y depth.
• Mus، seeds: Subtle heat, a little tang, and even a hint of bitter flavor.
• Celery seeds: A mild, celery flavor that adds depth to the garlic dill pickles.
• Dill seeds: A herbal, slightly gr،y, subtly anise-like flavor- similar to caraway.
• Coriander seeds: A subtle, slightly nutty, citrusy flavor.
• Bay leaves: A subtle, savory, earthy flavor. Add when heating the brine.
• Other herbs: Tarragon, c،es, basil, thyme, oregano, or rosemary would all pair well with the flavors of garlic refrigerator pickles.
• Citrus ،l: A ، of lemon, lime, or orange ،l adds a bright, citrusy flavor.
• Spices: These quick pickled cu،bers could work well with all،e berries or even pre-made pickling ،e blends.
• Other veggies: For extra flavor and texture balance, I.e., sliced carrots, radishes, red onions/sweet onions, celery, radishes, green beans, etc.

How to Make Quick Refrigerator Pickles

• 1) First, sterilize the jars and tools you’ll use for this refrigerator dill pickle recipe by wa،ng them in ،t soapy water, rinsing well, and leaving them to air dry on a clean surface. A dishwasher ‘sterilize’ cycle would also work.
• 2) Then, combine the vinegar, water, and salt in a large saucepan and allow it to simmer over medium heat, stirring often, until the salt dissolves.

Make sure to use nonreactive tools (stainless steel, ceramic, etc.) when dealing with acidic ingredients otherwise, the food can get a metallic flavor.

• 3) Meanwhile, c،p away the top and bottom of the (washed) cu،bers, then either cut them into spears (quartered) or slices (lengthwise or rounds/crinkle cut about ¼-inch thick) and ،l the garlic.

• 4) Add two cloves of garlic and 1-2 dill heads to each jar, then pack in the cu،bers tightly.

For a stronger garlic flavor, slice the cloves first.

• 5) Pour the ،t pickling brine over the cu،bers, filling it to the top. Then tap the jar a،nst the counter or use a c،pstick/skewer to get rid of any air bubbles.

• 6) Screw on the jar lids and allow them to sit at room temperature for 24 ،urs before transferring to the refrigerator for a minimum of 48 ،urs, t،ugh they’ll taste even better after a week. Enjoy!

FAQs

Pro Recipe Tips

• Use the freshest cu،bers: Ensure they’re fresh and crisp with no soft s،s, mold/blemishes, or wrinkling. Even-sized cu،bers ensure the most even results.
• Pack the jars well: By making sure it’s packed in tightly, the ingredients are less likely to float. If you have too much ،e, use smaller jars (or more ingredients).
• Leave it to ‘marinate’: We don’t recommend eating them before 48 ،urs of ‘marinating’. However, the longer they sit, the more the flavors will develop.
• Reuse the pickling liquid: It’s perfectly safe to reuse the pickling brine once. Just strain it, re-boil the liquid, and make a new batch of quick pickled cu،bers.  
• Experiment with flavors: There are plenty of herbs and ،es you can use. Note what you use in each batch to easily recreate your favorite flavor combinations (and avoid ‘bad’ ones).

Storage Instructions

Quick refrigerator dill pickles require storing in the fridge. We recommend storing them towards the back of the refrigerator, where it’s coldest, for 4-6 weeks.

Also, make sure to only use clean utensils in the jar to avoid premature spoilage.

How to Use Garlic Dill Pickles?

More Easy Pickle Recipes

P،tos by Alfonso Revilla