Easy Refrigerator Kosher Dill Pickles

I used to think making pickles meant hours of canning and boiling water baths. That’s how my grandmother did it every summer, turning her kitchen into a sauna. When I wanted pickles, I just bought them at the store.

That’s because I didn’t know about refrigerator pickles—they skip all the complicated canning steps and just need a simple brine. Store-bought pickles, on the other hand, are loaded with preservatives and never taste quite right. For busy home cooks, refrigerator pickles are a game-changer.

What Kind of Cucumbers Should I Use?

For the best homemade pickles, you’ll want to use pickling cucumbers if you can find them – they’re shorter, bumpier, and have thicker skins that hold up well during the pickling process. If you can’t find pickling cucumbers, regular cucumbers from the grocery store will work just fine, though they might end up a bit softer. Look for cucumbers that are firm and crisp without any soft spots or wrinkled skin. The fresher your cucumbers, the crunchier your pickles will be, so try to use them within a day or two of buying them for the best results.

Options for Substitutions

While pickle-making might seem precise, there’s actually room for some tweaks in this recipe:

• White vinegar: You can substitute with apple cider vinegar for a slightly sweeter flavor, but make sure it’s also 5% acidity. Avoid using rice vinegar or other lower-acidity vinegars as they won’t preserve the pickles safely.
• Kosher salt: Sea salt or pickling salt work great too. Just avoid table salt with iodine, as it can make your brine cloudy and affect the taste.
• Dill seeds: Fresh dill heads are actually traditional and give great flavor – use 2-3 heads instead of the seeds. Dried dill weed can work in a pinch, but use only 1 tablespoon since it’s more concentrated.
• Spices: Feel free to adjust the heat by reducing red pepper flakes or adding whole peppercorns. You can also add coriander seeds or pickling spice blend for different flavor profiles.
• Cucumbers: Kirby cucumbers are ideal for pickling, but regular cucumbers work fine – just remove the seeds if they’re large. Avoid waxed cucumbers from the grocery store if possible.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making refrigerator pickles is using cucumbers that aren’t fresh and firm, as soft or overripe cucumbers will result in mushy pickles that lack that satisfying crunch.

Make sure your boiled water has completely cooled before mixing with the vinegar – hot brine will actually cook your cucumbers and turn them soft instead of keeping them crisp.

Another common error is not using the right salt-to-water ratio or substituting table salt for kosher salt, which can make your pickles either too salty or not preserved properly.

For the best texture, slice your cucumbers uniformly and pack them tightly in the jar, leaving about an inch of headspace, and remember that these pickles need at least 24 hours in the refrigerator before they develop their full flavor.

What to Serve With Kosher Dill Pickles?

These tangy homemade pickles are perfect alongside classic deli sandwiches like pastrami on rye or a loaded corned beef sandwich. They also make a great addition to any charcuterie board, paired with sharp cheeses, crackers, and cured meats. I love serving them with burgers and hot dogs at summer cookouts – the crisp, garlicky crunch is the perfect contrast to rich, grilled foods. You can also chop them up to add to potato salad, tuna salad, or egg salad for an extra pop of flavor and texture.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: Your homemade dill pickles need to stay in the fridge at all times since they’re not processed for shelf storage. They’ll be ready to eat after just 24 hours, but honestly, they taste even better after a few days when all those flavors really meld together. Keep them in their brine and they’ll stay crisp and delicious for up to 2 months.

Keep Submerged: Always make sure your pickles stay completely covered by the brine to prevent any spoilage. If the liquid level gets low, you can top it off with a simple mix of equal parts water and vinegar with a pinch of salt. This keeps them fresh and maintains that perfect tangy flavor.

Serve: These pickles are best served straight from the fridge when they’re nice and cold. Use clean utensils every time you grab some to keep the brine fresh longer. The longer they sit, the more pickled they become, so you can enjoy them at different stages depending on your taste preference.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	0 minutes
Total Time	7 days
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 50-100
• Protein: 1-2 g
• Fat: 0-1 g
• Carbohydrates: 10-15 g

Ingredients

For the brine:

• 1 1/2 cups cooled boiled water
• 1 cup white vinegar (5% acidity)
• 1 tbsp kosher salt

For each jar:

• 2 tbsp dill seeds
• 1/4 tsp celery seed
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 minced garlic cloves

For the pickles:

• 3 to 6 cucumbers (ends trimmed, sliced or whole)

Step 1: Prepare Jars with Spices and Cucumbers

• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp dill seeds
• 1/4 tsp celery seed
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 3 to 6 cucumbers (ends trimmed, sliced or whole)

Place the kosher salt, dill seeds, celery seed, mustard seeds, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, and minced garlic cloves into each jar.

Add the cucumbers, either sliced, whole (with ends trimmed), or as spears, packing them in tightly but leaving about 1/2 inch of space at the top.

This ensures there’s enough room for the liquid and helps the cucumbers pickle evenly.

Step 2: Add Pickling Liquid and Distribute Spices

• 1 1/2 cups cooled boiled water
• 1 cup white vinegar (5% acidity)

Combine the cooled boiled water and white vinegar to make the pickling liquid.

Pour this mixture into the jars, covering the cucumbers completely.

Secure the lid and ring onto each jar and shake firmly for a few seconds to help distribute the salt and spices evenly throughout the cucumbers.

I always make sure the cucumbers are fully submerged so the pickling process works properly.

Step 3: Refrigerate and Cure the Pickles

Place the jars in the refrigerator and let the cucumbers pickle for at least 7 days.

Every day, give the jar a quick shake to redistribute the spices and ensure all the cucumbers get seasoned.

These pickles will keep for about 6 months in the fridge.

For an extra crunch, I find it’s best not to open the jar until the full week is up.