Refrigerator Pickled Vegetables are easy to make with your favorite fresh veggies. Crunchy with a hint of garlic and dill, they don't require canning and last up to 2 months! Enjoy them as a condiment or side with sandwiches, burgers, salads, and dips.
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Refrigerator Pickled Vegetables are simple to make. Choose your veggies and seasonings and place them in jars, add brine, and refrigerate for a few days until they're tangy and flavorful.
They're crispy and don't require canning skills or special equipment other than some clean jars with tight-fitting lids.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- You can make it with any of your favorite fresh vegetables.
- It's quick and easy to prep in under half an hour.
- The pickles last refrigerated for up to 2 months.
Ingredients
- Fresh vegetables such as Persian cucumbers, carrots, and/or cauliflower
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh dill
- White vinegar
- Salt
Variations
- Try other vegetables like cherry tomatoes, zucchini, green beans, and radishes
- Add sliced white or red onions to the other vegetables
- In place of distilled white vinegar, which is made from corn, you can also use apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
- For spicy pickled vegetables add sliced jalapeño, habanero, or serrano peppers, or add some crushed red pepper flakes
- Add additional spices like black peppercorns, mustard seeds, or coriander seeds
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
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Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables by cutting them into the shapes and sizes you want to use. Cucumbers and peeled carrots can be cut into spears or coins. Cauliflower should be separated into florets.
- Place a clove of garlic and a sprig of dill into the bottom of a clean wide-mouth pint jar.
- Add the vegetables on top, packing tightly, and leaving about a half inch at the top of the jar.
- Make the brine by boiling vinegar, water, and salt. Pour the brine over the vegetables, leaving a little space at the top of the jar. Gently tap the jars on your counter to release any air bubbles.
- Place the tops on the jars. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 24 hours before eating. For maximum flavor, wait 3 days before enjoying the pickled vegetables.
Amy's tips
- While you can use whatever style of wide-mouth jars you prefer, make sure your jars are clean and dry before starting.
- Add a label to your jar with the date you made the pickles and/or a "consume by" date 2 months later. If you're anything like me, you'll polish off the jars well before the expiration date, but it's better to proactive in case they end up in the back of your refrigerator and you forget about them.
- Since these pickled vegetables aren't canned, they must be stored in the refrigerator. They will keep for up to 2 months.
Serving suggestions
Refrigerator Pickled Vegetables taste great with a variety of foods. One of my favorite ways to enjoy them as part of a Mediterranean platter with homemade hummus made with sesame seeds.
And you can serve them next to veggie burgers or sandwiches. They even taste great with Greek lentil soup.
And when entertaining, I always love offering a variety of pickled vegetables, olive, and nuts along with beverages like pineapple mojitos or berry vodka cocktails.
Storing
Refrigerator Pickled Vegetables must be stored in the refrigerator. They will last up to 2 months. Do not freeze.
Recipe FAQs
Regular pickles are canned to be shelf stable. Refrigerator pickles, also known as quick pickles are not shelf stable and must be refrigerated.
While they're ready to eat after 24 hours, I recommend waiting 72 hours for maximum flavor.
The ratio of vinegar to water is 1:1, along with a little salt. For example, 1 cup vinegar plus 1 cup water plus 1 tablespoon salt.
More vegan condiment recipes
And for even more recipes, join the Vegan Mediterranean Diet Recipes Facebook group for support, inspiration & fun!
📋 Recipe
Refrigerator Pickled Vegetables
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Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh vegetables, such as cucumbers (I used Persian), carrots, and/or cauliflower
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 sprigs fresh dill
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 Tablespoon salt
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables by cutting them into the desired shapes and sizes. Cucumbers can be sliced into spears or coins. Carrots should be peeled and can be cut into spears or coins. Separate cauliflower into bite-size florets.
- Add a clove of garlic and a sprig of dill to the bottom of each clean pint jar. Then fill the jar with vegetables, either one type or a combination, packing tightly without damaging the vegetables. Allow about half an inch at the top of each jar.
- To make the brine, bring the vinegar, water, and salt to a boil in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat,. Stir to dissolve the salt.
- Pour the brine over the vegetables, allowing about half an inch of room at the top of the jars. You may have extra brine leftover.
- Gently tap the jars on a counter top to remove any air bubbles.
- Place the lids on the jars.
- Allow the jars to cool to room temperature.
- Refrigerate the jars for 3 days for maximum flavor, or if you can't wait that long, a minimum of 24 hours. The pickled vegetables can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
Notes
- While you can use whatever style of wide-mouth jars you prefer, make sure your jars are clean and dry before starting.
- Add a label to your jar with the date you made the pickles and/or a "consume by" date 2 months later. If you're anything like me, you'll polish off the jars well before the expiration date, but it's better to proactive in case they end up in the back of your refrigerator and you forget about them.
- In this recipe I used a classic flavor combination of garlic and dill. However, feel free to experiment with your favorite fresh herbs or add spicy peppers for heat. For example, habanero peppers taste great with cold crisp cucumbers.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
David R says
Refrigerated pickles are the BEST!
There are so many options to try and see how they work, and the fact they keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks (sometimes a bit longer) means you've always got some vege on hand.
Best of all, you may get a picky eater to at least try some different vegetables (eg: I'm not a huge fan of carrots, but I adore them when pickled, ever since having them on Vietnamese Bahn Mi salad rolls)
Nancy Davis says
I look forward to trying this! Did you use kosher salt or just a regular grain salt?
Amy Katz says
Great question, Nancy. I used regular sea salt. I hope you enjoy it!
Melly says
Loved it! Thank you
Amy Katz says
Thank you, Melly!
Toya says
Will zucchini work for this?
Amy Katz says
I haven't tried zucchini, but I think it would work.
pam tester says
I have made these mixing all the veggies together I love the way the flavor mixes together. I will be making again and again.
Amy Katz says
Thank you so much, Pam!
Maria says
Does the liquids solution have to be heated or can just not heat it?
Amy Katz says
The salt will dissolve a lot better if you heat the liquids.
dolly lyo says
I made these pickled vegetables 48 hours ago. Admittedly this is 24 hours short of your instructions and I even amended those. However, I was so curious that I had to have a sample tonight.
I used cauliflower only, and put everything in the jar as instructed. I even blanched the cauliflower and gave it an ice bath, then botted it dry with a dish towel. The only discernible taste at all is the vinegar--no garlic or dill at all. I'm sure hoping that one more day will make all the difference.
To say that I am sorely disappointed would be quite an understatement.
Amy Katz says
Hi Dolly, if you're only tasting vinegar, I recommend adding more garlic and dill right now before you let them chill another 24 hours. I'm not sure why you blanched the cauliflower. You might want to try it raw next time. I hope it works out with the extra garlic and dill.
Melissa Skogman says
I would like to make pickled beets. How would that work? Do I need to cook them first? So excited to try this recipe!
Amy Katz says
Hi Melissa! You can either cook them or keep them raw. If you want to cook them so they are a little softer, I recommend steaming them and then slicing them into quarter-inch slices. For raw, slice them thinner. Beets are great with some red onion and dill. Let me know how they turn out!
JoEllen Mckinley says
Made 4 jays of cucumbers yesterday and anxious to try them!! 2 of the jars sealed on the counter. Do I still store them in the fridge?
Amy Katz says
Hi JoEllen, Yes, they need to be refrigerated. I hope you enjoy them!