They are delightful! They’re crisp and flavorful and make a wonderful addition to any entree. I really enjoy making homemade pickles. They are so wonderfully crispy and flavorful, and it’s fun to change things up and use different vegetables, vinegars, and seasonings. I almost always have a jar of these refrigerator pickles in the fridge. I especially enjoy them with various cold leftover meats for my lunch.
Ingredients
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make these quick pickles. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need: Vegetables: I like to use green beans, cauliflower florets, and mini peppers. But you can use any vegetables you like. Cucumbers are an obvious choice, and carrots or radishes are good too. Vinegar: I like to use white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar. Garlic cloves: I use a couple of whole peeled garlic cloves to add flavor to the brining solution. Sweetener: This is optional, but it helps balance out the acidity of the vinegar. You can use any granulated sweetener or the equivalent in stevia. The nutrition info below assumes that a non-nutritive sweetener was used. Salt and spices: I use kosher salt, whole peppercorns, whole coriander, and a dry bay leaf.
Instructions
Traditional pickling is an elaborate process, but making these refrigeraor pickles is easy. Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps: Your first step is to prep the vegetables and then pack them tightly into a glass jar, leaving ½-inch of space at the top. Next, prepare the brine: Combine water, vinegar, garlic, sweetener, salt and spices in a small saucepan. Stir to dissolve the sweetener and the salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Allow the mixture to slightly cool, then pour it over the vegetables. Cover the jar tightly, allow it to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it for at least six hours and preferably overnight.
Expert tip
As quick as this recipe is, you still want to allow the pickles to rest for several hours in the fridge. You definitely don’t want to eat them right away or even within a couple of hours from making them. Let the tasty brine do its magic! Ideally, you’ll allow the veggies to sit in the brine overnight before enjoying them.
Frequently asked questions
Variations
The recipe listed below is just a rough guideline. It’s really fun to change things up! For example, you can change up the vinegar you use. I like to use champagne vinegar. White wine vinegar is also good. However, as mentioned above, I don’t recommend using distilled white vinegar. It’s too acidic. You can also make these pickles spicy by adding a couple of hot chili peppers to the pickling jar. Just make sure no one actually tries to eat them!
Serving suggestions
I most often serve these pickles with hamburgers or with grilled chicken breasts. I also like to make myself a lunch plate with cold cuts, cheese, hard-boiled eggs (or deviled eggs), and quick pickles. It’s one of my favorite lunches.
Storing leftovers
You can keep these pickles in the fridge, in an airtight glass jar or container, for about a week. Being homemade, they don’t contain preservatives, so they won’t last as long as store-bought pickles.
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