Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles
If you haven’t had refrigerator dill pickles, your world is about to be changed. These easy refrigerator dill pickles are a quick refrigerator pickle recipe made with cucumbers, onions, garlic, and lots of seasonings for the ultimate homemade pickles. Plus, they are ready to eat in just 24 hours. If you are looking for a great crunchy pickle recipe, this refrigerator dill pickle recipe is for you!
When you have a kid that consumes the number of pickles my kid does, I have figured out how to make refrigerator dill pickles all year. This recipe for refrigerator dill pickles is super simple, is ready in 24 hours to start devouring and last up to 10 weeks in the fridge. When you have another kid obsessed with coleslaw you use these pickles to make creamy pickle coleslaw.
Crunchy Dill Pickle Ingredients
The ingredients for these quick pickles are the following:
Cucumbers – I am able to either grow pickling cucumbers or buy some thin cucumbers from Sam’s club or Aldi’s. I am sure traditional cucumbers would work too, but the slices would just be larger in diameter.
Garlics and onion – The base of these pickles are obviously cucumbers but then also garlic and onion are used in every jar.
Dill Weed – While fresh dill sprigs can be added to the jars, dill seed is what actually gives the pickles their strong dill taste.
Vinegar – Plain white vinegar is best in this recipe. In a pinch, you could substitute another kind of vinegar but it will alter the flavor.
Sugar – White sugar. Easy peasy.
Salt – I used sea salt but standard iodized table salt will work too.
Whole Black Peppercorns – I add whole black peppercorns to the jars too. This doesn’t make it overly spicy so don’t be worried.
Water
All the cucumbers, onions and garlic need sliced thinly. I have found the fastest way to slice all the cucumbers is using a mandoline slicer. It makes all the cucumber slices consistent and helps to quickly get the onions and garlic sliced.
What jars are best for making pickles?
I used to use 12-ounce jars and it just wasn’t enough for one sitting. So, I have taken it up a notch to 16-ounce pint jars. Also, get a wide mouth jar so you can get your hand down in there. This seems to be the perfect size for our pickle loving family.
Then layer the onions and garlic at the bottom of the jar. Pack with sliced cucumbers till half full and then add another layer of onion and garlic. Finish with packing with cucumbers. Pack the in there tight.
The herbs and seasonings in the pickles are equally as simple. We all tend to have dill weed in the cupboard but what is key to dill pickles is dill seed. Additionally peppercorns, salt and sugar.
That is it, folks. It is that simple.
The last part of the pickle brine is vinegar and water. I do a 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water ratio. I start by pouring the vinegar in the jar until it is about 1/3 full and then finish with the water. Seal with the jar seal and ring and put them in the fridge. The beautiful part, you only have to wait a day.
Go ahead, run out to the farmer’s market, and grab some cucumber. You will need about 3 small cucumbers per pint-sized jar. You might as well pick up more because one jar won’t be enough. If you also love other pickled items like peppers, be sure to check out how I make easy refrigerator pickled banana pepper rings.
Variations to Pickles
These jarred peppers can be made in multiple different ways. Here are some ways to change it up
Spears – Cut those pickles into spears instead of slices or chips for some great pickle spears.
Spicy – Add red pepper flakes to give the pickles a hint of spice. Adding green chilies could work too.
Mustard Seed PIckles – Adding whole mustard seed is a great way to give these pickles some great flavor too.
Tips for Best Refrigerator Pickling Results
Using sea salt or kosher salt and white vinegar will give you the best results.
This recipe could also be canned in a hot water bath. Just need to cook them in a hot water bath long enough to completely seal the lid.
Other vegetables could be used in this recipe such as green beans, zucchini, beets, or even okra.
Get the Supplies to Make Homemade Pickles
Go ahead and find everything you need to make these homemade pickles at my food preservation storefront.
FAQ
These pickles have kept for 10 weeks and still tasted perfect and held their cucumber crunch.
Waiting at least 24 hours is ideal for good dill flavor. Waiting a few days gives you the best flavors.
Let me just say from personal experience, yes. We found an old jar buried in the bag of the fridge from the previous summer and the pickles were not good.
Garden Recipes
Looking more great summer recipes with all the garden bounty? Here are some of our favorite food preservation recipes:
What to eat with Pickles?
Now that you have the pickles, which are a great snack, go make some burgers or brats or just some lunch meat sandwiches! They also make a great creamy dill pickle slaw.
Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles
Ingredients
Instructions
- Put a layer of sliced onions and garlic in the bottom of the jar.
- Pack half full with sliced cucumbers.
- Layer another thing layer of onion and garlic.
- Fill completely with cucumbers.
- Top with salt, sugar, peppercorns, and dill seed.
- Pour vinegar till jar is 1/3 full.
- Fill remainder with water.
- Refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
Nutrition
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Love this recipe but I am curious have you ever used this to pickle other things like okra?
I have done onions, banana peppers, and beets. Worked well.
These are the BEST refrigerator dill pickles. I have made a lot of different recipes for refrigerator pickles. This is my ultimate favorite ๐
Thank-You so much for sharing this recipe.
I am confused about these measurements. The salt, sugar, peppercorns, vinegar. Is that the measurement for each pint jar or to be shared among the three of them? Please clarify. Thanks so much.
The recipe measurements are for one jar as the recipe card specifies.
Would fresh dill sprigs work as well?
Fresh dill may work but won’t be quite as strong of a flavor.
Quick, easy, and the best. Superb
I made these last week and they were amazing! My teenagers ate them all up.
Have made theses a couple of times but find them a little salty. Should I be using table salt or pickling salt. Would this make a difference?
Yes Darlen, that would make a big difference. I have not tried this yet but I will!
I thought that the one tablespoon was a lot as well, I am going to just use 1 teaspoon instead. I am going to use table salt. But I don’t know if pickling salt would make it different… Pickling salt is more pure for sure, but i don’t know if it would make it different…
I love the pictures! The recipe seems great as well. I love that you added garlic! It adds such a great flavor to the pickles that is so hard to get anywhere else! Excited to try this at home, thank you for sharing!