Go Back
–+ servings
Print
A fork taking out a refrigerator pickle from a jar.

Refrigerator Pickles

A quick and easy way to make homemade pickles in your choice of dill, sweet, or spicy in just a few hours in your refrigerator.

Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword dill pickles, easy pickles, pickled vegetables, refrigerator pickles
Prep Time 10 minutes
Resting time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Servings 16
Calories 32 kcal
Author Monica Davis | The Hidden Veggies

Ingredients

For all variety of dill pickles: (every variety except for sweet pickles)

  • 8 cups cucumbers sliced or cut into spears.
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp salt
  • 2 cup white vinegar (or apple cider if you choose)
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill or 2 tbsp dried dill
  • 1 tsp white pepper or black pepper

For basic dill pickles:

  • 5 cloves garlic sliced

For green pepper and onion

  • 1 cup onion thinly sliced (1 large onion)
  • 1 cup green bell pepper sliced (1 large bell pepper)

For spicy pickles:

  • 1 tbsp red pepper flakes or a few dashes of cayenne pepper (add more or less to adjust the spiciness).

For pickled veggies: (reduce the cucumber to 6 cups)

  • 1 cup cauliflower cut into florets
  • 1/2 cup carrots sliced
  • 5 cloves garlic sliced
  • 1 cup onion sliced

For bread and butter (sweet pickles):

  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup sweet onion
  • 1 tsp mustard seed
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup vinegar
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  1. Wash your cucumbers well.
  2. Score the sides of them with a fork making long lines on the cucumbers. (Optional, but allows the brine to penetrate better).

  3. Slice the cucumber (and other veggies if you choose).

  4. Place the sliced cucumbers, dill, garlic and/or any other veggies you choose in a large bowl.
  5. Sprinkle the sugar and salt over the veggies.  Give them a stir and allow them to sit for about an hour. (This will cause them to release their liquid).
  6. Pour the vinegar over the watery cucumbers and give it a stir.
  7. Place them in the fridge for about 4 hours before eating.
  8. Store in airtight containers or jars in the fridge for up to 2 months.

Recipe Notes

  • It may seem like a lot of salt and sugar in this recipe, but remember, you are not consuming all of that.  It is just to make the brine which you will not be eating.
  • Make sure to put in a very clean airtight container and keep in the refrigerator to increase the length of freshness.
  • Make sure to keep in the refrigerator, these are not shelf-stable pickles. 
Nutrition Facts
Refrigerator Pickles
Amount Per Serving (0.25 g)
Calories 32 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 875mg38%
Potassium 100mg3%
Carbohydrates 6g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 105IU2%
Vitamin C 3mg4%
Calcium 14mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.