I perfected Homemade Refrigerator Pickles that require no canning equipment and yielded a batch unlike anything I’ve made before.
I love food that surprises you, and these zesty Garlic Dill pickles do exactly that. They sing with crushed garlic cloves and the sharp, herbal snap of fresh dill sprigs, but there is more going on than just flavor, you’ll wanna taste it to believe it.
I call this my Homemade Refrigerator Pickles trick because it yields crunch and tang that remind me of the good deli stuff, yet somehow different, louder, fresher. If you’re after something straightforward, honest and bold, yeah this is Pickles Homemade Easy, but also weirdly addictive so don’t say I didnt warn you.
Ingredients
- Cucumbers: Crunchy, low calorie, good fiber and lots of water, keeps ya full
- Garlic: Pungent, adds savory bite, contains antioxidants and may support heart health, lots flavor
- Dill: Bright herb, low cal, offers vitamin K, fresh grassy aroma and herbal tang
- Vinegar: Gives sour tang, preserves the cukes, no probiotics but adds sharp brightness
- Mustard seeds: Toasty crunch, warm pungent flavor, theyre tiny bombs of aroma
- Sugar: Optional sweetness, rounds vinegar, small carb boost, dont go overboard
- Grape leaves: Adds tannins that help keep crunch, subtle bitter note, old pickling trick
Ingredient Quantities
- 2 pounds small pickling cucumbers, scrubbed ends trimmed
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled n lightly smashed
- 6 large fresh dill sprigs, plus a few dill heads if ya got em
- 1 1/2 cups distilled white vinegar (5 percent acidity)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt or pickling salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, optional
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- 2 bay leaves, optional
- 2 grape leaves, optional for extra crunch
How to Make this
1. Wash and trim the cucumbers: scrub them well and trim the blossom ends off (that’s where they can make a cucumber go soft later), leave them whole or cut in spears if you want faster pickling.
2. Smash the garlic cloves lightly with the flat of a knife so they release flavor, set aside. Strip a few dill fronds from the stems and keep the big sprigs whole.
3. Sterilize or heat-wash your jars and lids, then pack each jar with 1 or 2 smashed garlic cloves, 1 large dill sprig plus a few extra fronds or dill heads if ya got em, a grape leaf or two for crunch if using, and a bay leaf if using.
4. Pack cucumbers into jars tightly but not squashed, leaving about 1/2 inch headspace at the top. Tuck additional garlic and any remaining dill down between the cukes so every jar’s flavored.
5. Make the brine in a saucepan: combine 1 1/2 cups white vinegar, 1 1/2 cups water, 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher or pickling salt, 1 tablespoon sugar (optional), 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional). Bring just to a boil and stir till the salt (and sugar) dissolve, then take off the heat.
6. Pour the hot brine over the packed cucumbers, cover them fully, tap jars gently to remove air bubbles and top off with a little extra brine if needed to keep cukes submerged; leave that 1/2 inch headspace.
7. Wipe rims clean, put lids on snug, let jars cool to room temp on the counter (15 to 30 minutes), then put them in the refrigerator.
8. Flavor time: let the pickles chill at least 24 to 48 hours before you try em, they get way better by 3 days. The grape leaves help keep them extra crisp.
9. Store in the fridge and eat within about 2 months for best texture and flavor. Use clean utensils each time so they stay good longer. Enjoy.
Equipment Needed
1. Mason jars with lids and bands (pint or half-pint), sterilized
2. Large saucepan for the brine
3. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
4. Sharp chef’s knife
5. Cutting board
6. Wide-mouth funnel or heatproof ladle to pour the brine
7. Jar lifter or long tongs plus a kitchen towel
8. Chopstick or small spatula to release air bubbles
FAQ
Refrigerator Pickles (zesty Garlic Dill! ) Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Pickling cucumbers: no small picklers? use Kirby or Persian cucumbers 1:1, or thinly sliced English cucumbers (remove seeds first), or swap in crunchy veg like green beans, cauliflower florets, or baby carrots.
- Distilled white vinegar: swap 1:1 with apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar (aim for 5% acidity). Rice vinegar is milder so use the same amt and add 1 tsp sugar if you want more tang.
- Fresh dill sprigs: no fresh dill? use 1 teaspoon dill seed or 1 teaspoon dried dill for this batch (fresh to dried about 3:1), or try fennel fronds or tarragon for a similar anise-y note.
- Grape leaves (for extra crunch): no grape leaves? tuck a single black tea bag into each jar for tannins to keep pickles crisp, or use 1-2 horseradish or oak leaves if ya got em. If worried about tea flavor, remove the bag after a few days.
Pro Tips
1) Keep em crisp: cut off the blossom end and pack the cukes snug but not smashed, and toss a few grape leaves or horseradish leaves in if you got em — they help keep things crunchy longer. If your cukes feel warm, chill them in ice water first, it really helps the snap.
2) Brine math and taste: boil the brine so the salt and sugar dissolve, but let a little cool before you taste, then tweak the sugar or salt if it seems off. Use pickling or kosher salt and if you want consistent results weigh the salt instead of eyeballing it, youll thank yourself later.
3) Layer the flavor: smash the garlic, tuck some cloves and dill heads in different spots so every jar gets flavor, and dump the seeds and peppercorns straight into the jars not just the top, that way the flavor distributes better over time.
4) Don’t confuse these with shelf stable pickles: these are quick fridge pickles so keep them refrigerated, use clean utensils every time you pull some out, and wait at least 48 to 72 days before judging them — they get way better after a few days and stay best for about 2 months.
Refrigerator Pickles (zesty Garlic Dill! ) Recipe
I perfected Homemade Refrigerator Pickles that require no canning equipment and yielded a batch unlike anything I've made before.
8
servings
45
kcal
Equipment: 1. Mason jars with lids and bands (pint or half-pint), sterilized
2. Large saucepan for the brine
3. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
4. Sharp chef’s knife
5. Cutting board
6. Wide-mouth funnel or heatproof ladle to pour the brine
7. Jar lifter or long tongs plus a kitchen towel
8. Chopstick or small spatula to release air bubbles
Ingredients
-
2 pounds small pickling cucumbers, scrubbed ends trimmed
-
6 garlic cloves, peeled n lightly smashed
-
6 large fresh dill sprigs, plus a few dill heads if ya got em
-
1 1/2 cups distilled white vinegar (5 percent acidity)
-
1 1/2 cups water
-
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt or pickling salt
-
1 tablespoon granulated sugar, optional
-
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
-
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
-
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
-
2 bay leaves, optional
-
2 grape leaves, optional for extra crunch
Directions
- Wash and trim the cucumbers: scrub them well and trim the blossom ends off (that's where they can make a cucumber go soft later), leave them whole or cut in spears if you want faster pickling.
- Smash the garlic cloves lightly with the flat of a knife so they release flavor, set aside. Strip a few dill fronds from the stems and keep the big sprigs whole.
- Sterilize or heat-wash your jars and lids, then pack each jar with 1 or 2 smashed garlic cloves, 1 large dill sprig plus a few extra fronds or dill heads if ya got em, a grape leaf or two for crunch if using, and a bay leaf if using.
- Pack cucumbers into jars tightly but not squashed, leaving about 1/2 inch headspace at the top. Tuck additional garlic and any remaining dill down between the cukes so every jar's flavored.
- Make the brine in a saucepan: combine 1 1/2 cups white vinegar, 1 1/2 cups water, 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher or pickling salt, 1 tablespoon sugar (optional), 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional). Bring just to a boil and stir till the salt (and sugar) dissolve, then take off the heat.
- Pour the hot brine over the packed cucumbers, cover them fully, tap jars gently to remove air bubbles and top off with a little extra brine if needed to keep cukes submerged; leave that 1/2 inch headspace.
- Wipe rims clean, put lids on snug, let jars cool to room temp on the counter (15 to 30 minutes), then put them in the refrigerator.
- Flavor time: let the pickles chill at least 24 to 48 hours before you try em, they get way better by 3 days. The grape leaves help keep them extra crisp.
- Store in the fridge and eat within about 2 months for best texture and flavor. Use clean utensils each time so they stay good longer. Enjoy.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 204g
- Total number of serves: 8
- Calories: 45kcal
- Fat: 0.6g
- Saturated Fat: 0.06g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated: 0.2g
- Monounsaturated: 0.3g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 1230mg
- Potassium: 300mg
- Carbohydrates: 8.5g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 7.5g
- Protein: 1.4g
- Vitamin A: 50IU
- Vitamin C: 6mg
- Calcium: 36mg
- Iron: 1mg
