Karen’s Zesty Quick Dill Refrigerator Pickles
Jun 08, 2017, Updated Aug 03, 2026
So fun to make – and delicious to eat. Pickles are stored in the refrigerator – no special equipment required. Chock full of flavor from the brine with mustard seeds, red pepper flakes and freshly cracked black pepper. Low in salt & sugar too! Gourmet quality you proudly make in your kitchen in less than 30 minutes.
These pickles have a great balance of flavors with carrots and sweet onions ~ garlic lends some nice heat!
Refrigerator pickles are easy to make!
And there’s no need for kettle steamers, special jars, and vacuum-tight lids.
Low in sodium and sugar – but packed with flavor! Sliced carrots and onions add layers of flavor ~ and garlic, red pepper flakes, brown mustard seeds (more pungent than yellow ones) and freshly ground black pepper adds just the right zest.. and heat!
My Mantra: Many things from your own kitchen are more flavorful, healthful, and nutrient dense than store-bought. Pickles are no exception.
Ingredients in a major supermarket brand:
cucumbers, water, distilled vinegar, salt, calcium chloride, alum, natural flavors, yellow #5, sodium benzoate (to preserve freshness), polysorbate 80. Contains Yellow #5.
Convinced? Preservatives, artificial colors and flavors (natural flavors are not natural, but chemicals) surround perfectly healthy cucumbers. YUCK!! Farmers’ market vendors, made from locally grown cucs with “real ingredients” is where to purchase pickles if you have a craving. But, I love making my own, playing around with ingredients to produce the perfect, crunch and tangy bite.
Persian Cucumbers:
Persian Cucumbers with their thin skins, are seedless and are available all year round – they make wonderful pickles!
When bumper crops of Kirby cucumbers are freshly picked, they will work wonderfully in this recipe too.
The finished cucumbers will become more pickled and flavorful as they age.
Make an extra batch to have on hand for topping all of your summer burger creations, fold into a homemade tartar sauce or add layers to your favorite sandwiches.
Perfect for gift giving! I absolutely love to bring homemade glass jars of pickles to friends and family.
Enjoy!
Karen
Karen’s Zesty Quick Dill Refrigerator Pickles
Ingredients
- 1 pound Persian Cucumbers*, about 5, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 cup sweet onions, thiny sliced
- 1/2 cup carrots, yellow and orange, thinly sliced
- 1 large fresh clove garlic, peeled, thinly sliced
- 2/3 cup rice vinegar, (can also use apple cider vinegar)
- 3 tablespoons natural cane sugar, or up to 4 T.
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, (I crush my own from whole chiles)
- 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds, more pungent than yellow ones
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh dill, cleaned, dried and coarsely chopped
Instructions
- NOTE: For the crunchiest pickles, select firm, dark-green cucumbers with no soft spots. *Can use Fresh Kirby Cucumbers when in season.
Salt Cucumbers to release excess moisture:
- Scrub the cucumbers and slice them thinly, about 1/8". Place them in a colander with the salt, rub in to coat the cucumbers. Set in the sink. Add paper towels to cover, then add a heavy object help to drain. (A full tea kettle works great.) After 20 minutes place the cucumbers in a clean tea towel (or paper towels.) Squeeze the cucumbers dry. (Can rinse and dry if need less salty.)The salt helps to pull the moisture out of the vegetables and makes them crisper.
- Add the cucumbers to a large bowl with the sliced onions, carrots and garlic.
Make Pickling Solution/Brine:
- In a non- aluminum 2 quart pot, bring vinegar, sugar, red pepper flakes, mustard seeds and black pepper to a boil. Boil until the sugar has dissolved, stirring, about 10 minutes. Pour over cucumbers in the bowl. Add dill.
- Ladle the cucumbers and brine into sterile glass canning jars (I use a canning funnel) and seal with tops. Set aside to cool. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
- Alternately, store cucumbers and their brine in a clean glass container, seal and store in the refrigerator.
- Note: A small batch ~ make 2 half pints or one pint. Feel free to double or triple the recipe!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
