By Becky Hardin
Updated Sep 5, 2025
Briny and tangy homemade Refrigerator Pickles are easy to make and delicious to eat. Using a method that’s quicker than traditional canning, enjoy these pickles with just about anything!
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5-Star Review
“Delicious” -Shannon
Easy Refrigerator Pickles Recipe
I love a good pickle! Straight from the refrigerator, on burgers, with salads, and more. For me, pickles are always a good idea.
Instead of traditional canning, in this recipe I’ve used a quick-brine method, requiring just 24 hours in the refrigerator. How’s that for a time-saving trick? It’s never been easier to whip up a batch of homemade pickles! I’m so excited, knowing I can dig into a batch of tangy, crunchy pickles in no time at all.
Tips for Beginners
- Change up the flavor. For milder, sweeter pickles, add another teaspoon of granulated sugar in step 2; for spicier pickles, add extra hot pepper flakes in step 2.
- Pickling cucumbers . These are shorter than regular English cucumbers with thinner skins and a firmer texture. You can pickle regular cucumbers, but they contain more water, so they will have less crunch.
- Cucumber shape. Cut the cucumbers into spears, rounds, or even use a crinkle cutter to mix things up.
- Reuse the brine. Once you’ve made a batch, keep the brine in the jar. Add fresh dill weed (if desired) and more cucumbers. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours and enjoy.
- Pickle other vegetables. Replace the cucumbers with sliced carrots or cauliflower florets.
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 3 pickling cucumbers quartered
- ▢ 2-4 sprigs fresh dill weed
- ▢ 2 cloves garlic smashed
- ▢ ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ▢ ½ cup water
- ▢ ½ tbsp kosher salt
- ▢ 1 tsp granulated sugar
- ▢ 1 tsp pickling spices
- ▢ pinch crushed red pepper flakes optional
Video
Instructions
- Add the cucumber quarters, dill, and garlic cloves to a 1-quart mason jar. Set aside. 3 pickling cucumbers, 2-4 sprigs fresh dill weed, 2 cloves garlic
- Make the brine. In a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring the vinegar, water, salt, sugar, pickling spices, and red pepper flakes (if using) to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the sugar and salt are dissolved. ½ cup apple cider vinegar, ½ cup water, ½ tbsp kosher salt, 1 tsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp pickling spices, pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow the brine to cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Pour the brine over the contents of the jar, filling it until everything is covered.
- Close the lid and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Refrigerator Pickles Step by Step
Gather your ingredients.
Add the cucumber quarters, dill, and garlic cloves to a 1-quart mason jar. Set aside.
Make the brine : In a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring the vinegar, water, salt, sugar, pickling spices, and red pepper flakes (if using) to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow the brine to cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Pour the brine over the contents of the jar, filling it until everything is covered.
Close the lid and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.
How to Store
Store pickles in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. They’ll become less crunchy the longer they stay in the refrigerator, but they’ll still be tasty!
Serving Suggestions
These refrigerator pickles are a must-try! They add a flavorful crunch to turkey burgers and smash burgers , as well as club sandwiches and even a fried fish sandwich .
more condiment recipes
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Homemade Chimichurri Sauce
Refrigerator Pickles Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pickling cucumbers quartered
- 2-4 sprigs fresh dill weed
- 2 cloves garlic smashed
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup water
- ½ tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp pickling spices
- pinch crushed red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Add the cucumber quarters, dill, and garlic cloves to a 1-quart mason jar. Set aside. 3 pickling cucumbers, 2-4 sprigs fresh dill weed, 2 cloves garlic
- Make the brine. In a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring the vinegar, water, salt, sugar, pickling spices, and red pepper flakes (if using) to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the sugar and salt are dissolved. ½ cup apple cider vinegar, ½ cup water, ½ tbsp kosher salt, 1 tsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp pickling spices, pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow the brine to cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Pour the brine over the contents of the jar, filling it until everything is covered.
- Close the lid and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.
Video
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
