How to Quick Pickle (Almost) Anything ~ these fast and easy quickles, or refrigerator pickles, will perk up your meals with burst of color and a tangy bite.
quick pickles wake up your food!
Today I’m exploring the vibrant world of quick and easy refrigerator pickles ~ these crisp homemade ‘quickles’ are more complex in flavor than commercial pickles. You don’t need any special equipment or complicated recipes!
Whether you’re grilling up a storm, tailgating with friends, or just looking for something to perk up your everyday meals, this quick pickling technique is going to come in so handy. Pickles add a fun splash of vivid color and tangy bite to your burgers and brats, and they’ll wake up your salads and cheese plates all year long. Pickles also make convenient healthy, low calorie snacks.
quick pickled recipes to try
- Quick Pickled Fennel
- Quick Pickled Rainbow Carrots
- Quick Pickled Jalapeños ~ easy recipe!
- Quick Pickled Vidalia Onions
- Quick and Easy Pickled Red Onions
- Quick and Spicy Refrigerator Pickles
- Quick Rainbow Giardiniera (small batch)
- Pickled Blackberries and Grapefruit Salad
- Old Fashioned Spiced Peaches
what is a quick pickle?
- Quick pickling is the process of immersing food in a spiced vinegar and water solution for immediate or short term consumption.
- Quick pickles are sometimes called refrigerator pickles, because they’re stored in the refrigerator and eaten within weeks, as opposed to canned or fermented pickles which are shelf stable.
- Quick pickled foods have a brighter, fresher, flavor and crunchier consistency compared to canned pickles because they haven’t been cooked.
- Whereas you need special equipment and specific recipes for safely canned pickles, you can feel free to experiment to your heart’s content with these freewheeling quickles.
What foods can be quick pickled?
- A better question might be what can’t be quick pickled!
- Just about any fruit or vegetable, (even meat, fish, and eggs) can be pickled.
- The majority of easy refrigerator pickles are done with vegetables like cucumbers, beans, carrots, onions, peppers, etc.
- Some non traditional choices might be radishes, avocado, garlic, watermelon, cabbage, cauliflower, corn, berries, beets, ginger, jalapeños, whatever your garden or farmers market has on offer.
- I’ve recently discovered the wonders of pickled fruit. My first experiment was with pickled blackberries, and the flavor is surprisingly wonderful. The sweetness of the fruit balances the bite of the vinegar. Try quick pickling strawberries, or cantaloupe!
how to make a basic quick pickle
- Start with firm, fresh vegetables that aren’t bruised or spoiled in any spots. Peel any tough skins or rinds (like watermelon) but leave softer skins intact. Avoid wax coated supermarket cucumbers because the pickling solution can’t penetrate the waxy surface, look for small pickling, English, or Persian cukes instead.
- Cut your vegetables into spears, sticks, slices, or chunks, depending on what type of pickle you want to make. Cutting your fruits or veggies helps the pickling brine penetrate, but you can also pickle foods whole, like whole hot peppers, or baby cucumbers. For a quick relish, finely chop everything.
- Fit the veggies tightly into a jar or airtight container of your choice. It’s recommended that you sterilize your container, so glass works best.
- Make a solution of vinegar and water (white or many other types of vinegar will work but only vinegar with an acetic acid content of at least 5% is appropriate for pickling. Most supermarket vinegars are fine, but do not use homemade vinegar, which doesn’t have a reliable acidity level..
- Use a ratio of at least equal parts vinegar to water, or 2 to 1 vinegar to water, depending on how strong you want the vinegar flavor to be.
- Add pickling spices, I usually add a tablespoon or 2 per cup of liquid.
- Salt is added, about a 1/2 teaspoon per cup, and a touch of sugar is optional. Note: don’t use iodized salt, which has additives that can interfere with pickling, use sea salt or kosher salt.
- Heat the liquid to a boil, then pour over your veggies to cover.
- Your pickles can be eaten in as little as an hour, but they’ll definitely improve overnight.
what other ingredients can I add to my pickling brine?
Many many other herbs and spices can be added to a pickling liquid. The basic prepackaged pickling spice you can buy in the spice aisle of your supermarket is just a starting point. Loosen up and give yourself permission to play…
- I recommend keeping a bottle of the pre-made pickling slice blend on hand so that you can be truly spontaneous when the urge to pickle strikes. Look for it right with the other spices in the spice aisle.
- Another option is to go minimal with your flavors; for instance if you love cardamom, just add a palmful of lightly crushed pods to your brine. If you love black pepper, or coriander, do the same.
- While most pickling spices are dried, you can certainly use fresh garlic or ginger. Fresh herbs work great.
- For spicy pickles use dried chili flakes. For a sweeter pickle, add sugar to taste.
- Add fresh herbs like tarragon, thyme, or dill, like I used in the dilly beans, below.
can I make an alcoholic pickle?
Alcohol and pickles are a natural pair…
- Can you make an alcoholic pickle? You sure can…check out my Gin & Tonic Refrigerator Pickles!
- You can make all sorts of cocktails with pickling juice, as well.
- You can’t make a great Bloody Mary without pickles.
- I love this pickle infused vodka.
- Some say pickle juice can cure a hangover!
how to make homemade pickling spice
This is flexible, so don’t stress about exact amounts. Store it in an airtight container in the cupboard for up to a year.
- 2 tablespoons mustard seed.
- 1 tablespoon whole allspice.
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds.
- 2 whole cloves.
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger.
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.
- 1 bay leaf, crumbled.
- 1 cinnamon stick (2 inches)
how long do refrigerator pickles last?
- Most food safety experts agree that refrigerator pickles should be consumed within a month, provided you’ve prepared them correctly and kept them refrigerated. They get better and better!
- Make sure your pickles are immersed in brine. Top off if necessary with more vinegar, not water.
- Note: If you are in a high-risk group for food-borne illness, treat refrigerator pickles as fresh food and consume them within 3 days.
where do I get my cute jars?
- Almost all the jars you see pictured here are from a German company called Weck. They make glass canning jars in all sorts of shapes and sizes to accommodate any sort of pickle you can dream up. I use them for storage when I’m not making quick pickles or jams and jellies.
- I like to purchase their plastic snap on lids for easy storing.
are quick pickles healthy?
- Vegetables used in pickling, such as cucumbers, carrots, onions, and peppers, are low in calories and high in fiber and other nutrients, including vitamins and minerals.
- Vinegar, a key ingredient in pickling, is also low in calories and has been shown to have various health benefits, such as promoting digestion and improving blood sugar control.
- To keep the pickles healthy, it’s important to use a vinegar or lemon juice solution that is low in sugar and salt.
how to use quick pickled vegetables
Every cuisine on the planet uses pickled foods in some capacity or other.
- As a simple side dish for just about any meal.
- Toppings for sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, grilled sausages and brats.
- On tacos, of course!
- In green salads, or chicken, tuna, or egg salads. (Dill Pickle Potato Salad Recipe)
- Experiment with adding them to soups and curries (Dill Pickle and Brat Soup)
- Pickled fruits and veggies are ideal on a cheese or charcuterie platter because the crunch and acidity really helps to balance out the richness of the cheeses, nuts, and meats.
- Eat them as grab and go snacks.
- Don’t forget to save your leftover brine to use for another batch of pickles, or in salad dressings. Strain before using.
How To Make a Quick Pickle
Basic quick pickling instructions and info so you can pickle up a storm this summer!
Servings: 1 quart
Ingredients
- vegetables of your choice such as carrots or green beans, trimmed and cut to fill a quart sized wide mouth mason jar
- 2 cups white vinegar, or other mild vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 3 Tbsp pickling spice
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Fit the vegetables into a clean (preferably sterile) quart sized mason jar as snugly as possible, leaving at least 1/2 inch at the top. I like to use wide mouthed jars for easy removal.
- Heat the vinegar, water, salt, and spices to a boil in a saucepan, then pour into the jar to completely immerse the vegetables. Add the spices into the jar along with the liquid.
- Let sit until cooled to room temperature, then cap and refrigerate.
- Your pickles will be ready to eat in an hour, and will just keep getting better in the fridge for up to a month.
- This makes 1 quart.
Notes
See post for tips and notes about quick pickling.
Nutrition
Calories: 75 kcal
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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There was a brief mention of using lemon juice rather than vinegar for the pickling solution. Would you use the same amount as in the recipe for the vinegar pickling solution?
I would combine vinegar and lemon juice rather than use it on its own. With quick picking you’re free to mix and match and experiment without worrying about safe canning ratios.
Hi Sue!
Sorry, I forgot to ask about the cinnamon stick in the pickling spice blend! You indicate a 2″ stick, but should it be crushed or broken up? I’m just not sure how it gets incorporated into the flavour profile if the blend is being used right away.
I apologize if I am missing something!
Thank you!
Hey Alex, thanks for the kind words 🙂 The cinnamon stick can be used whole, it’s meant to impart a subtle flavor. Cinnamon can be overwhelming when it’s ground.
Thank you once again, Sue!
I appreciate the very prompt confirmation on the cinnamon stick, and YOU are so welcome and deserving of the accolades!
Sounds so good! Can I use this same recipe to make pickled eggs? Maybe adding beet juice? Husband’s favorite bar food. Thanks!
yes, you can, and I need to do that too 🙂 Be sure your brine covers the eggs completely, and eggs would generally take a bit longer than veggies, so plan to let them marinate (in the fridge!) for a week or so before sampling.
I love this post, it’s simple yet concise and very enticing. I’m part of a non profit organization called Slow Food Whidbey Island and we are putting on a simple pickling demo on April 30 and, with your permission, I would like to use your post as a hand out. You would be given full credit and I will also include your Facebook page. This post would convince anyone to try easy pickling and would be a perfect addition to our demo.
Sure Leslie, thanks for asking!
Hi Sue – question… Have you ever used commercial brine from jar’d dill pickles , brought it up to boiling and then poured over prepped quick pickle veg or fruit? I always hate to toss it out, especially the Klaussen brine.
I haven’t, but for quick pickles, that should work ok. It might not be as flavorful as a brine you make yourself, but it will work.
We love anything pickled! Is it ok to use saved glass mayonaise jars with their plastic lids or do I have to use the lids & rings that fit the Ball canning jars? Thanks so much can’t wait to get started.
As long as they’re clean, that’s fine. You are not canning these pickles, they’re meant for short term storage in the fridge.
I see a lot of pickles in my future, thank you so much!!!
We love adding pickled vegetables to salads, sandwiches and especially grain bowls. These all look wonderful! Pinned
Hi Sue– I love your recipes and this one caught my eye that I received in my email subscription. I have saved a few jars from store-purchased pickles I have bought. I washed them in my dishwasher. Is washing in dishwasher enough to sterilize the jar or do I need to put them (with the lids) in a large pot of boiling water and for how long?
Sincerely,
Priscilla
I think the dishwasher is fine, but I mention the sterilization because that’s the conservative recommendation, if you want to be extra safe. I think since quick pickles are refrigerated and eaten fairly quickly that you don’t need to worry about that. But if you want to, you would boil the jars for 10 minutes.
Thank you!
We’re growing sweet snacking bell peppers and jalapenos so I’m going to try this recipe. ?