Take the last of your summer cucumbers and make some easy refrigerator pickles. A quick way to take extra cucumbers from boring to totally snack worthy!
I guess this is my "good-bye to summer" post. One of my longtime recipe bucket list items was to make homemade pickles and this summer I did just that. I was always a pickle lover growing up. From deli-style slices to crunchy sweet gherkins. As I got older, my lacking-taste for overly salty things halted that love. As you know I don't cook with added salt, I just don't like the stuff. I even rinse my olives and make sure I get no-salt added canned tomatoes or beans.
However, I really wanted to eat pickles again. So in small amounts, my poor salt-sensitive taste buds can handle some pickle goodness. I also was determined to eat sauerkraut for all it's amazing probiotic fermented love. Slowly getting used to some salt, but I still don't "add" salt to anything. Thus, when I made these pickles I didn't use salt (or sugar) and they tasted perfectly fine! The apple cider vinegar is all you need to get that "pickle" vibe going. Plus add some dill and spices and your in business. (And some shredded carrots for fun!)
Easy Refrigerator Pickles
Easy Refrigerator Pickles
Take the last of your summer cucumbers and make some easy refrigerator pickles. A quick way to take extra cucumbers from boring to totally snack worthy! Gluten-free, healthy, vegan, paleo, and allergy-friendly; even salt and sugar free!
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Snack
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 Medium Cucumber
- ¼ Cup Shredded Carrots
- ½ Cup Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
- ½ Cup Water
- ¼ Tsp Minced Garlic
- ¼ Tsp Onion Powder
- ¼ Tsp Ground Mustard
- ½ Tsp Dried Dill
- A few drops of Liquid Stevia to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Slice your cucumber in to rounds.
- Place the cucumber rounds and carrots into a 16-20 oz glass jar.
- Next, add the vinegar, water, and spices.
- Close the jar and give everything a really good shake.
- Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before enjoying!
Not to taxing of a recipe, eh? This was one of those easy/classic recipes that I have no idea what took me so long to try myself! I did feel pretty accomplished after this success and at least completed one of my summer tasks 😉 Now I still need to get up the courage to try my own sauerkraut and sourdough. Those seem a bit more complicated and "risky"....but in due time! As for some fall/winter bucket list tasks, I want to try some slow cooker apple sauce and some sweet pumpkin butter! We'll see, but fingers crossed those will happen! (Update: If all went as planned, I made/am making that applesauce today!)
So tell me:
+ Have you ever made your own pickles?
+ Are you a big salt fan or not so much? I'm not, my mom on the other had is a salt fiend, so is my brother. My dad and I are more salt-adverse. We would always be the ones wanting the bags of unsalted pretzels while my mom and brother pour extra salt on already salted fries and the like 😛
*Recipe linking up for the week! Allergy Free Wednesdays, #RecipeOfTheWeek,#StrangeButGood, Real Food Friday, Gluten-Free Fridays, Tasty Tuesdays, Savoring Saturdays, Healthy Vegan Fridays, Tasty Tuesdays, Meatless Mondays, Lena’s Tasty Tuesdays, Waste Not Want Not!*
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akansasfarmmom
I just love pickles especially refrigerator pickles. I will have to pin this recipe for next summer when we have home grown cucumbers again.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks!
Jennifer Stewart
Sad for me to say but I love salt! I try to cut it out but the salty brine is my favorite thing about them!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
O no! Haha! (I've been known to even rinse them off! Hahahaha!)
Hannah @ Eat, Drink and Save Money
Great idea!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks!
Raia
I love the addition of shredded carrots. 🙂 My family is full of pickle-fiends, so I might be trying these out.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, long live the pickle!
Deborah Davis
My family will love this treat! I'll have to make this soon!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I hope!
Stephanie
Can't wait to try this!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
You should!
Carole West @ Garden Up Green
Sounds fantastic and easy. I'm not much of a caner so this is perfect. For some reason I'm radish slices would be good mixed in. Like the idea of adding carrots.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Radish would be perfect! I actually almost threw those in too...but I didn't have room! Haha!
Shellie Bowdoin
These look so fresh and yummy...especially with that dill weed floating around!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
Sandy Sandmeyer
These pickles look so easy. I had no clue.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Almost too easy!
Kristen @ The Endless Meal
I make pickled carrots quite often. I julienne them into matchsticks and use quite a bit of sugar so they're sweeter. I'm going to have to try your recipe next time. It sounds fantastic!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Ah yes! I really an liking the pickled carrots!
Marla
What a great way to use leftover cucumbers. These would taste great with hamburgers or on sandwiches.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Sure!
Megan
I love this - and I love that it is not loaded with sugar!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Never! Thanks dear!
Amber
I've pickled so many different veggies and never realized actual pickles were so easy! I need to try this!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha! Well that's funny!
Vickie @Vickie's Kitchen and Gardenv
Oh this looks like a pickle that even I could make! Sounds delicious and easy!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yes you can!
Quinn Caudill
Thanks for sharing!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks!
Whitney @ That Square Plate
I bet these are delicious! I'm always looking for different kinds of ways to make pickles. Yours look perfect!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you Whitney!
Bethany
I recently made some refrigerator pickles for the first time. I just did garlic, salt, peppercorns and vinegar with them. These look great!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
All you need! Simple, fresh, and easy!
Kathryn Grace
These pickles are very like the pickles my mom always made, except she always used fresh dill, which she usually grew right outside the kitchen door, along with the parsley and sage. She would eat dill straight from the stalk. Just reading your recipe set my taste buds tingling. And the photos! Tantalizing.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Well feel free to use fresh dill 😉 Haha, yum!
Audrey
I have become a fan of pickling this summer. Who knew it was so easy? I love the carrot pieces in here.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I know! Way easier (at least this method!) than I thought!
Sara
Yum! Those look so good! I am obsessed with pickles and I have tried making my own and totally failed 🙁
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Try this way!
Miss Polkadot
Pass me the salt shaker ;)! I try to use less and more spices instead but would never cut it out completely.
Homemade pickles have always intimidated me but yours look easy enough. Plus, while - like I said - the salt doesn't bother me I am slightly turned off by the fact of sugar in every storebought brand. I'd rather reserve that for when I eat chocolate, thanks.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, I'd be okay with never having salt ever again 😉
They intimidated me too! But then, just like making my own jam and ketchup...once you do it, you realize how silly that way and how easy it is to do! (And delicious!)
Bahahaha! I feel you 😉 They sneak the sugar in to everything!
Honest mum
Love how easy these are to do, thanks.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Super easy!
Betsy @ Happily Ever After, Etc.
As a cucumber maniac I never knew there was such a thing as a left-over cucumber! I adore them and eat them up as quickly as they come into my house! As a little girl my mom would always have to pay for the salad bar for me at restaurants if she couldn't sneak me cucumbers... I just had to have them! My hubby would love this pickle recipe though... if I can spare some cucumbers I might make him a few!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Hahahahahaha, that about the salad bar is too funny!
You may need to buy some extra 😉 But I'm assuming you like pickles too then 😛
Hannah
I love fridge pickles! And yes, I'm definitely a salt fan. So much so that the testers for my book pretty much all said that my first draft recipes were a little too salty. Whoops!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Hahahaha! I can always do without the salt 😉
Linda @ Veganosity
I don't love salt, but I like it, and my body craves it after an intense workout. I've never pickled my own food, if it's as easy as this I should! Thanks for the great recipe.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Try it Linda!! I never crave salt, (maybe because my body legit never sweats!), but I know to add it in on those intense days!
Kathy
Great idea!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
Sina @ Vegan Heaven
This looks so delicious, Rebecca! I've never had homemade pickles, I really need to give these a try! 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Do it Sina!
Michelle
Yum - I love cucmber pickle
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
You mean, pickles 😉
Shelly
Gooks delicious! I recently planted some fall cucumbers, will try this once they are ready.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Awesome!
Shirley Wood
It's so nice that you can make one jar of pickles with your recipe! I haven't made pickles in a few years but we do love them on our sandwiches.
I'm not a salt fiend but I am related to a few!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Some people just can't get enough!
Jane Duckworth
Oh thank you - this is exactly the kind of recipe I've been looking for! My greenhouse has produced more cucumbers this year than ever & I've been searching for a tasty way to preserve them - now I have!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, perfect!!!
Marlynn @ UrbanBlissLife
Oddly enough I've never tried pickling anything, and I live in Portland where people pickle everything! 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Well this is a super easy start!
Kristy @ Southern In Law
Oooh I definitely need to save this recipe to use when we start harvesting our cucumbers as we always have SO many!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
YES!! Put them to good use!
Healing Tomato
This is the greatest idea for pickling! What a wonderful way to use items in your fridge.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Totally!
Lisa Sharp
My husband LOVES pickles and these sound so easy. I'll have to give them a try, well after cucumbers aren't being recalled in my state. 🙁
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I heard that!! AH!!!
Seersucker Sass
Oh my goodness, I cannot wait to give them a try! These look delicious. Hopefully there will be some cucumbers at the farmers market this week so that I can try this out 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!!! I'm sure there will be cucumbers 😉
Farrah
My friend adores pickles, so she has a whole ton of jars of pickles that she's making in the fridge! I'm not usually the biggest fan of them, but mayhaps my taste has changed! :O I may need to give it another chance again!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yes!! Always give them another go!
Renee @ Bendiful Blog
My grandmother made the best refrigerator pickles, they always make me miss her.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
O I bet they were wonderful!!
Audrey @ Unconventional Baker
Extra salt on everything please! 🙂 And yes to homemade pickles -- love making them. And pickled onions too -- those are my fave.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Hahaha, you sound like my mom 😉
I need to try some pickled onions next 😉
Haley
I love pickles of all kind. I will be trying these soon. Thanks for sharing!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks Haley!
Sarah
We love refrigerator pickles! We add carrots sometime, peppers, whole cloves of garlic but I never thought to shred carrots in it! There are so many options when it comes to pickling, I love it!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
You can pickles EVERYTHING in all shapes and sizes 😉
Shashi at RunninSrilankan
I have yet to try making pickles - I am thinking these refrigerator pickles need to happen sooon in my home!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Takes less then 5 minutes!!
The Vegan 8
Wow, this looks soooo good! I literally started salivating! I love pickles and tangy vinegar stuff, so yum!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Hahaha, thanks Brandi! And it's just so easy!
Faye Wilkerson
I love the addition of the carrots. I make pickled baby carrots.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
They are so fun!
Sam @ PancakeWarriors
Girl I could eat this entire jar of pickles in one sitting. I love the addition of dill!! What an awesome, simple recipe!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, small batches 😉 I wish I'd had a larger jar!
Nicole
Pickles are supposed to be great for digestive issues. These look easy to make, so I might have to give them a try!
-Nicole
Meet Me in Midtown
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Heck yea!
Heather
I love pickles and salt. We used to make tons of pickles when I was a kid, we had a huge garden. I loved making pickles I don't eat many any more. I eat a lot of salt, but when I run it all comes out, I look like a salt lick, lol Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Bahahahahaha!
Harriet Emily
Wow wow wow, I've never tried making pickles at home before - what an amazing idea Rebecca! These look great, and so healthy too! Love it 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
You would love it dear!!
Mary Ellen @ VNutrition
I need to start making my own pickles! I've said I would countless times but I just keep buying kimchi or sauerkraut or other pickled veggies instead of doing it myself. Your recipe looks great, I'm going to have to give it a try soon!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
That's what I normally do (and still do), but when you find yourself with those extra veg....DO IT!
Laura
I love refrigerator pickles and think they are a brilliant way to use up the end of the harvest! These look wonderful. Question: can you use minced, raw onion instead?
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I'd totally use minced garlic, but I'm not use about the onion. That's up to your tolerance, but I don't see why not! Maybe thin onion strings would be fan too!
Jessica Haynes
i've totally been thinking about trying to make my own pickles recently, I pinned this for later so I can give it a whirl!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
DO it! You will be glad you did!
Faith VanderMolen
Mmmmm. I've always loved pickles! I've made them once before, but that was a while ago. Hopefully I'll get to make some more soon! Love how you added the shredded carrots!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
They were to long forgotten for me too!
Michele @ paleorunningmomma
Fabulous! I'm a pickle lover so I need to try this.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
For sure!
Christie
Pickling cucumbers is a fabulous way to preserve them. I love the added carrot. Gorgeous and tasty.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
It is! Thanks Christie!
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit
I almost actually bought pickles yesterday because I haven't had them in forever! I don't mind a little salt, but the ones you buy are still too salty for me...I think it's a sign I need to make them myself 🙂 I also have been wanting to eat more sauerkraut for all the probiotics and that good stuff, but I just can't do it it's SO SOUR! Did I mention along with savory I'm not so good with sour? This really is a lot easier than I expected! And a heck of a lot faster too!! Good luck with making those apples saucy today 😉
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Do it!!! Are you a sweet pickle lover? I feel like....you are 😉
Sour!? NO, salty? Yes! I get Bubbies Old Fashioned Sauerkraut and couldn't recommend it enough! It doesn't hurt my tummy either and it is THE BEST tasting one I've had. I always have this one in the fridge!
I'm also going to take a shot and say you don't like Granny Smith apples, do you 😉 xoxo
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit
Surprisingly no I'm not a sweet pickle person! I just like regular old dill pickles 🙂 I'll look for that sauerkraut, never tried that brand. And granny smith apples are only good in caramel apple form...smeared with sweet caramel then they are perfect <3
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
You know what's really depressing....I don't think I've ever had an authentic caramel apple! :O
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit
Disney world. I think that was the only time I did.
Ellen @ My Uncommon Everyday
I love fresh pickles! Pickling is such an easy way to add so much flavor to veggies and totally brighten up a dish. These look fabulous - definitely on my to-make list!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Right! So easy and so fresh!
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner
I love pickles! I tried making my own earlier in the summer and they were so good and I was surprised by how easy they were!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Right!? Way too easy! Haha!
Aggie | Aggie's Kitchen
I've always wanted to make refrigerator pickles, I can't believe I still haven't! Yours look beautiful and I'm sure taste deliicious. Love the shredded carrots and apple cider vinegar.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
It took me way to long! So easy not to, though!
Thanks Aggie!
Rachel @ Athletic Avocado
These pickles look awesome! Homemade pickles are the best!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I'm a new fan!
Joanie @ Zagleft
This recipe is definitely a keeper. I love that you didn't add any salt or sugar. I'll be making these pickles soon, what a great way to use up the last of my cucumbers!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yea! They totally didn't need either the sugar or salt! I was surprised!
Tina muir
Oh thats so cool! I love dill pickles, and I love the combination of putting the carrots in there, gives it some crunch! Good idea lady 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks!