Refrigerator pickles are a great way to use up a bevy of cucumbers. This old-fashioned recipe uses a spiralizer to reduce the prep work, and in just 30 minutes you’ll be munching on cool, crisp dill pickles.
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“I made these last year and we really enjoyed them. When I picked a bunch of cucumbers tonight, my husband requested I make them again this year.” -Kelly, FoodieCrush reader
These Easy Refrigerator Pickles Are Ready in Just 30 Minutes!
I’m a self-professed “picklehead,” and I crave the salty, punchy, acidic bite and crunch pickles bring. From pickled onions to pickled jalapeños to zesty bread and butter pickles, I love them all.
These old-fashioned refrigerator pickles taste like classic dill pickles and are so crisp and full of flavor. I love them because you can make them on a whim when your pickle craving strikes, and there’s no canning equipment involved.
You will need jars, and these Weck 1 quart jars are perfect for quick pickling like this. Because I have my handy dandy spiralizer always on hand, I don’t peel my cukes. I like the flavor of pickled onions, so most often I add them in, but they’re optional.
These quick fridge pickles are exactly what you should make when you’re craving pickles and don’t want to wait, and they beat store-bought pickles any day.
Enjoy!
What’s in This Recipe?
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Cucumbers — Buy pickling cucumbers, such as Kirby cucumbers.
- Red onion — For savory, tangy flavor and a nice bite. You may omit if desired.
- Fresh dill fronds — If you don’t have fresh, you can always use dried, but cut the amount down by ½ to 1 tablespoon, because dried herbs are more intense in flavor than fresh. You can always add more, but you can’t take it away!
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper — Always, for flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar — White vinegar would also work, but I like the fruitiness that ACV adds to the pickle brine.
- Optional pickle brine add-ins — I love the quick pickle brine recipe as is, but you can also add red pepper flakes, mustard seeds, garlic cloves, juniper berries, coriander seeds, whole black peppercorns.
How to Make Refrigerator Pickles
- Prep your cukes. I typically prep my cucumbers with a spiralizer to save time. After cutting off the ends, I slice them in half lengthwise and then spiralize the halves using the spiralizer’s “disc” setting.
Don’t own a spiralizer? Just cut the cucumbers into rounds or spears in that case!
- Prep your onion. Whether you spiralize or slice, you’re aiming for 2- to 3-inch pieces of red onion.
- Pack your jars. Pack in the cuke, onion, and dill as tightly as you can for maximum pickle enjoyment. Don’t forget to season with salt and pepper!
- Pour over the pickle brine. Many refrigerator dill pickle recipes have you simmer the pickling brine before pouring it over the cucumbers, but in my experience that cooks the cukes ever so slightly and remove some of their snap. I always combine the vinegar and sugar and pour straight over the cucumbers as is and my quick pickles are always crunchy and delicious!
FAQs
Choose firm, green cucumbers that don’t have a lot of blemishes or discoloration. For quick pickles or refrigerator pickles, choose a thin-skin cucumber that absorbs the vinegar solution easily. Regular garden cucumbers, Persian cucumbers, or seedless English cucumbers work well.
Refrigerator pickles are ready to eat sooner (compared to other pickles that have been canned), but they won’t last as long—typically 4-6 weeks, in the fridge.
Ways to Eat Them
- As a side for pulled pork sandwiches, BLTs, and Italian chicken wraps
- Atop baked burgers, garlic burgers, and mushroom burgers
- Mixed into tuna salad, egg salad, ham salad, and potato salad
- In dill pickle chicken salad
- On cheese boards
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Old-Fashioned Refrigerator Pickles Recipe
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
- Prep the cucumbers and red onion. Cut the ends off of the cucumbers and cut them in half lengthwise. Spiralize the halves using your spiralizer’s setting to make discs, and spiralize (or slice) the onion. Use kitchen scissors to cut the onions into 2-3-inch lengths.
- Pack the jars. Pack the cucumbers and the red onion into a quart jar with the chopped dill fronds. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Add the brine. Mix the water and vinegar together and pour into the jar.
- Chill to pickle. Cover tightly with a lid and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. The pickles will last for 1 week or more in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
More Pickle Recipes to Try
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Lorry
I don’t have a red onion, can i use yellow or white?
Hayley
Hi there! Yes, that’s totally fine. We hope you enjoy!
maria geary
So delish and easy, love having them in the frig to snack on!
Kelly
I made these last year and we really enjoyed them. When I picked a bunch of cucumbers tonight, my husband requested I make them again this year.
I’m glad you enjoyed Kelly!
Nicole
Great recipe! Were did you get these jars? They’re so pretty :)
Rosanne
I wonder if you can also do this with watermelon rind?
juesgosio
What a gorgeous, colorful,Already got print of this page…
Vonnie
Cucumber is my very choice . Specially Cucumber salad is very testy .
Audrey Fillion
Will they last longer in refrigerator if the water & vinegar were boiled & poured over cucumbers while the liquid is still very hot . I just want cucumbers , onions , salt , water & vinegar . No other spices . Will this work ? Maybe I should try regular vinegar & not use apple cider vinegar . Can you help . ?
Hi Audrey, I don’t think that will extend the freshness unless you can them in a water bath. The hot vinegar solution will also slightly cook the cucumbers so they could lose their snap. Give it a try without the spices and let me know how you like it.
John
I think the cucumbers should be cut crosswise, not lengthwise (which means to cut along the long length…)
Laura | Tutti Dolci
These look so good, Heidi! Love all that fresh dill!
Jennifer @ scoutcooks.com
I am so excited to try this! I love pickles and I have always wanted to learn the ins and outs of the canning process. But this is a nice way to easy on in to the process. So simple and rewarding! Thanks for sharing!
Curt
The recipe says to refrigerate the pickles “up to 4 hours”. What do we do with them then? Thanks
Sarah
They just mean you have to wait 4 hrs before eating them – after opening, store in the fridge.
Mike
Now if you bread them and deep-fry them, with a side of remoulade, THAT’S a snack.
Patti
Your version is much prettier than mine. I too have memories of watching your grandma making the cucumbers I always loved. I can still taste that vinegar crispy bite all these years later. You’ve inspired me, in many ways, to get to the store and make a batch. I like them best while they’re still crisp. I love you, and I love your blog!! You’re the best! ❤️
Ruth
I remember my mother used to can dill pickles every year and they where so good to crunch your teeth into every bite!
Greg
I love sour pickles. Unfortunately, most pickling recipes I find are for bread and butter pickles and I really don’t like those. Thank you Heidi for this recipe. I look forward to pickling a host of vegetables using it.