Spiralized Refrigerator Quick Dill Pickles

These quick and easy dill pickles cured in the refrigerator deliver amazing pucker power and are ready to eat in just a few hours time.

My mom always called these dilly cucumbers. For as long as I can remember, they’ve signaled the height of summer. I can vividly remember standing in the kitchen as a kid. It was usually after coming inside from re-enacting Sound of Music with the neighbor kids (I NEVER got to be Gretel), riding my bike and hitting jumps like the boys did or practicing hitting tennis balls against the brick carport wall.

Pokemon Go? Musical.ly? Not even. We were outside doing and going. All. Day. Long.

We didn’t have air conditioning at our house. Instead the swamp cooler in the hallway at the end of the kitchen tried as hard as it might to chug out cold air in the dry, always oppressive, Utah summer heat.

Like we’ve always said, “It’s a different kind of heat. Not humid. Just damn hot.”

It seemed like it never quite cooled off during the day. But there was always one reprieve. The refrigerator.

Each time the refrigerator door swung open, a blast of chilled air escaped and immediately showered you with cool kisses. Invariably, inside the fridge sitting on the middle shelf amongst tubes of liverwurst, a carton of cottage cheese and last night’s leftovers we were always warned not to eat, my mom would have a batch of refrigerator dilly pickles marinating, readying to add a cool bite to the day.

I think it’s the memories of dipping my fingers into the super tangy vinegar brine to fish out still-crunchy cucumber slices as I still hear my mom telling my to “Shut that refrigerator door before you cool off the whole house!” and me smirking with each drippy bite that keeps me making them all summer long.

Memories like this one stick with you.

There’s something distinctly different about quick refrigerator pickles compared to canned (or jarred) traditional pickles.

They’re incredibly easy to make on a whim. And fast to cure any puckery craving. There’s no waiting for them to cure on the shelf and no sweat to shed while making them.

My mom’s original version of these quick dilly cucumbers feature plain old slices of garden cucumbers. Sometimes she peeled them all the way, sometimes half way depending on if she was feeling fancy or not. Then she sliced them into rounds. I know exactly because I used to stand watching and waiting and sometimes even helping.

About the Recipe

I recently bought these Weck 1 quart jars and I love ’em for quick pickling like this.

Because I have my handy dandy Inspiralizer always on hand, I’ve taken the lazy mom’s way out. I don’t peel my cucs, and with a few churns of the spiralizer I have the whole cucumber sliced in no time flat.

Mom only sometimes put sliced red onion in her dillies. I like the flavor of pickled onions, so most often add them in. I can’t believe what quick work the spiralizer makes of onions. It’s more like creating an art project in two seconds.

If you don’t have fresh dill, you can always use dried. Because dried herbs are more intense in flavor than fresh, you may want to cut down on the amount by ½ to 1 tablespoon. You can always add more, but you can’t take it away.

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

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5 from 10 votes

Spiralized Refrigerator Quick Dill Pickles

These quick pickles cured in the refrigerator deliver amazing pucker power and are ready to eat in just a few hours time.

Servings 1 quart

Ingredients

• 1 ½ - 2 cucumbers
• ½ red onion skin removed and halved
• 2 tablespoon fresh dill fronds chopped
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cups water
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar

Instructions

• Cut the ends off of the cucumbers and cut in half lengthwise. Spiralize the halves using your spiralizer’s setting to make discs (on the Inspiralizer use blade A). Use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut the cucumbers into 4-5 inch pieces. Set your spiralizer to the setting for long thin strips (blad A on the Inspiralizer) and spiralize the half onion. Use kitchen scissors to cut the onions into 2-3 inch lengths.
• Pack the cucumbers and the red onion into a quart jar with the chopped dill fronds. Season with the kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix the water and vinegar together and pour into the jar. Cover tightly with a lid and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes up to 4 hours. Cucumbers will last for 1 week or more in the refrigerator.

Here’s Why We’re In a Rush to Get Pickled

Sometimes we just don’t have the patience to wait, so here are a few more deliciously quick pickled bites to try.

Spicy Quick Pickled Radishes

Spicy radishes just got a bit spicier.

Get the recipe | Cookie and Kate

Quick Pickled Strawberries

Use them on ice cream, in salads and on crackers with goat cheese. Oh yes, I will.

Get the recipe | Café Johnsonia

Quick Pickled Vegetables

And when you just can’t decide which veg deserves a pickle bath, do them all!

Get the recipe | Sweet Phi

Get 20 more favorie spiralized recipes here. 

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