15 Minute Small Batch Refrigerator Pickles

If you've got a few cucumbers hanging out in the garden and you just want to avoid the canning process, make these quick and easy Small Batch Refrigerator Pickles! In just 15 minutes you'll have 3 jars of crispy delicious pickles that will last in the fridge for 2 months!

Sometimes you just don't want to spend all day canning 30 jars of pickles! My family probably doesn't eat that many in a year anyway, and with these refrigerator pickles, you don't have to worry about all the canning safety rules or special equipment.

These small batch pickles are super simple, just slice up about 3 cucumbers, add them to jars and pour the hot brine over them! They are low sugar and low salt pickles and are simply seasoned with just fresh garlic and black peppercorns. If you've got cucumbers, give this Cucumber Melon Salad a try too!

Small batch fridge pickles to me feel closer to eating fresh cucumbers than a store-bought jar of pickles. They are a little bit sweet, a little bit garlicky, crisp and tangy from the vinegar. The perfect burger topper, and I even call them a serving of vegetables and a healthy dinner side dish at the same time!

Looking for more ways to preserve your garden veggies, see How to Blanch and Freeze Garden Green Beans, how to Freeze your Herbs and Garden Greens, or make Garden Pesto for the Freezer. Check out these other preserving recipes!

• Freezer Marinara Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes
• Easy No-Peel Applesauce for the Freezer
• Cherry Tomato Pico de Gallo for the Freezer

Ingredients

These fridge pickles are super basic, just 6 ingredients you probably already have on hand! This old fashioned refrigerator pickle recipe is just a simple template that can be added to! Make it your own by throwing in some sliced red onion, peppers, or fresh dill!

• Vinegar and Water - Use the basic distilled vinegar, the cheap stuff! Vinegar and water are the base of the pickling brine and is enough to pickle about 3 to 4 pint jars.

• Salt and Sugar - This recipe uses a relatively low amount of salt and sugar. Because we are not canning here, the fridge is doing most of the preserving, so less sugar and salt are needed. This makes these pickles healthier too!

• Garlic - Fresh garlic cloves add a lot of flavor to these pickles, balancing the sweetness from the sugar. Smash the garlic with the side of your knife lightly with your fist on a cutting board. This will easily remove the skin and release all that garlicky flavor into your jars.

• Black Peppercorns - Pull a few whole peppercorns out of your grinder and add them to each jar. If you don't have whole peppercorns, a few pinches of black pepper will work.

• Cucumbers - Cucumbers come in different shapes and sizes, but I used about 3 cucumbers for this recipe. You can slice them any way you like them, thin or thick rounds or even in pickle spears. Try tossing an extra cucumber in this Panzanella Bread Salad too!

See recipe card for quantities.

Additions and Variations

These are a very basic refrigerator pickle that can be left kid-friendly and simple or easily jazzed up a bit! Again, since we are not canning, you don't need to worry about all the rules and following the recipe exactly.

• Add Veggies - You could add a few sliced onions or even add a whole mix of veggies to pickle with the cucumbers like red bell pepper, cauliflower, green beans or carrots.

• Dill - Add a few sprigs of dill to each jar for that classic dill pickle taste.

• Spicy - Add a pinch of chili pepper flakes or a few slices of fresh jalapeño pepper to each jar if you want spicier pickles.

Instructions

Step 1 - Make the Brine - Add the water, vinegar, salt and sugar to a saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar. Let it cool for 5 minutes.

Step 2 - Prepare the Jars - To 3 pint sized jars, add 5 black peppercorns and 1 smashed garlic clove to each jar. To smash garlic, lay your knife on its side over the garlic clove on a cutting board and lightly pound it with your fist. This will easily remove the skin and the smashed garlic will release its taste into the jars.

Slice the cucumbers and add them to the jars.

Shake the jars in a twisting motion to get the cucumber slices to nestle down in so you can add more to the top. Fill them as full as you can.

Step 3 - Add the Brine - When the brine has cooled slightly, use a jar funnel if you have one to ladle the brine into each jar.

Fill them almost full, completely submerging the sliced cucumbers.

Step 4 - Add the Lids and Refrigerate - The pickles are ready to eat or store in the fridge for up to 2 months.

Tip: Make sure to let your brine cool for 5 minutes before adding it to the jars. You want it still hot so it pickles the cucumbers, just no boiling hot. This could crack your jars!

What to Serve with Homemade Refrigerator Pickles

Refrigerator pickles love the summer grill out! They are wonderful with bbq pulled pork and go great with Charred Corn on the Cob. When you see that jar sitting in the fridge, we end up eating them with everything!

• The perfect topper for Cast Iron Skillet Burgers

• Serve them alongside Garden BLT's, Honey Mustard Dry Rub Ribs, or Grilled Italian Sausages with Giardiniera

• Serve them in a bowl as a side dish along with Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad or Tomato Feta White Bean Salad

• Pile them on a turkey sandwich

• Add them to a healthy Snack Plate for the Kids!

Recipe FAQs

Food Safety

The great thing about refrigerator pickles is you don't need to worry about all the safety rules that come with canning! Just follow these basics:

• Use clean jars, they don't need to be canning jars.
• Wash your cucumbers.
• Make sure to cool the brine for 5 minutes before adding it to the jars. You want it hot, but not boiling hot, this could crack your jars.
• Store pickles in the fridge for up to 2 months. Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.

If you made this recipe, I'd love to hear how you liked it! Be sure to leave a star rating by clicking the stars in the recipe card, or leave a comment below!

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