quick pickled cucumbers with garlic and dill (refrigerator pickles)

These quick pickled cucumbers with dill and garlic are crisp, refreshing, and pleasantly tangy without being overly vinegary. Fresh dill, plenty of garlic, and optional dill flowers give these refrigerator pickles plenty of flavour with very little effort.

Jump to Recipe

homemade pickled cucumbers with dill flowers

Hey folks – I hope you all are doing well!

Labour Day has come and gone, and I know many people consider summer officially over at this point. Well, I am not giving up quite yet! You probably will not see many apples and pumpkins around here for a while.

Besides, we currently have something of a vegetable emergency in our greenhouse. It simply keeps producing more cucumbers, tomatoes, and other vegetables than we can possibly eat. LOL. So, naturally, I am going to keep sharing late-summer recipes while all this beautiful produce lasts.

And these quick pickled cucumbers are one of the easiest ways to deal with an abundance of fresh cucumbers. They require only a handful of ingredients, and you can enjoy them the same day.

What Makes These Quick Pickled Cucumbers Special?

There are countless ways to make homemade pickled cucumbers with garlic and dill. This version is particularly simple and fresh, with a few details that make it a little different.

Crisp, Garlicky, and Lightly Tangy

These quick pickled cucumbers with garlic have plenty of flavour, but the brine is deliberately mild.

Many refrigerator cucumber pickles use equal amounts of vinegar and water or even more vinegar. Here, I use just 1/4 cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar for 1/2 cup (120 ml) water.

As a result, the acidity does not overpower fresh garden cucumbers. Instead, you get a pleasantly tangy flavour with plenty of crunch.

A few other ingredients complete the flavour:

Garlic. I use two to three cloves because I definitely want to taste it.
Sugar. A small amount rounds out the acidity. However, these are savoury rather than sweet pickles.
Black peppercorns. They add a gentle peppery bite without making the brine spicy.
Fresh dill. It gives these dill pickled cucumbers their classic summery flavour.

Got Mature Dill in Your Garden? Use the Flowers Too!

Got mature dill in your garden that has already produced flowers? Perfect – we are going to use those too!

Fresh dill flowers are optional, so you certainly do not need them to make these quick pickled cucumbers with dill. However, if you grow your own dill, this is a lovely way to use the mature plants.

The flowers have the familiar flavour of dill, but I find their aroma a little different. It is delicate, fragrant, and almost anise-like.

Keep the flower heads whole and tuck a few among the cucumbers. Besides adding flavour, they look beautiful in the jar.

Ready Quickly, but Better After a Little Rest

As the name suggests, quick refrigerator pickles do not require days of waiting.

You can start tasting these cucumbers after about 30 minutes. At this point, they will still taste particularly fresh and cucumber-forward.

However, I prefer giving them a little longer.

After 30 minutes: Very crisp with a light pickle flavour.
After 1–2 hours: More balanced, with the garlic, dill, and vinegar becoming noticeable.
After several hours: The flavour becomes deeper and more evenly distributed.
The next day: You will have a more developed pickle flavour while the cucumbers should still have a satisfying texture.

Easy to Customize

This recipe for quick pickled cucumbers is also flexible. While I love the simple combination of garlic and dill, you can easily adjust these homemade pickled cucumbers to what is growing in your garden or sitting in your refrigerator.

Here are a few ideas:

Try other herbs. Add parsley, thyme, oregano, or even a little basil.
Add onion. Thinly sliced red or white onion works well. Small onions or shallots would also be delicious.
Increase the garlic. If three cloves do not sound like enough to you, I will not judge!
Add whole spices. Coriander seeds, mustard seeds, or extra black peppercorns are all good options.
Give them some heat. Add a small pinch of chili flakes or a few slices of fresh chili.
Make them slightly sweeter. Simply add a little more sugar to soften the acidity further.

Quick Pickles vs. Traditional Pickles: What’s the Difference?

Quick pickles and traditional pickles may look similar in the jar. However, the way they are prepared and stored can be quite different.

These quick pickled cucumbers are refrigerator pickles. Vinegar provides their acidity, so there is no fermentation or canning involved.

Here are the main differences:

Quick pickles are vegetables combined with a vinegar-based brine and refrigerated. They can often be eaten within hours.
Fermented pickles develop their characteristic acidity through lactic-acid fermentation. This process takes considerably longer.
Canned pickles undergo proper heat processing using a recipe formulated for safe shelf storage.
These refrigerator pickles are neither fermented nor canned. Therefore, they need to remain refrigerated.

Quick refrigerator pickles also tend to retain more of the fresh character of the vegetables. That is exactly what I wanted here.

Please note that this mild-brine recipe is specifically designed for refrigerator storage. It is not a canning recipe and should not be adapted for shelf-stable storage.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Quick Pickled Cucumbers with Dill and Garlic

You will need only several simple ingredients for these easy dill pickled cucumbers. If you grow cucumbers and dill, you may already have most of them.

Cucumbers. Use about 450–500 grams. Small, firm garden cucumbers are particularly good.
Apple cider vinegar. It provides acidity while adding a slightly softer flavour than plain white vinegar.
Water. The higher proportion of water keeps the brine pleasantly mild.
Sugar. You only need a little to balance the vinegar.
Salt. It seasons the cucumbers and is essential to the overall flavour.
Garlic. Two to three cloves give these quick pickled cucumbers with garlic plenty of savoury character.
Fresh dill. Be generous with it for a classic garlic dill pickle flavour.
Dill flowers. These are optional but highly recommended if your garden dill has started flowering.
Black peppercorns. They provide subtle warmth and spice.

How to Make Quick Pickled Cucumbers

Making these quick pickled cucumbers with dill and garlic could hardly be simpler.

First, thinly and evenly slice the cucumbers. Then combine the apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, and salt, stirring until the sugar and salt have dissolved.

Add the cucumbers, sliced garlic, peppercorns, fresh dill, and dill flowers, if using. Toss everything thoroughly so the brine coats the cucumbers.

Let the cucumbers stand for about 30 minutes, tossing them once or twice. Then transfer them to the refrigerator and let them chill until they reach your preferred level of pickling.

Do not worry if the brine does not initially cover every cucumber slice. The cucumbers will release some liquid as they sit. Tossing them occasionally also helps everything pickle evenly.

Want Them More Sour and Pickled?

This recipe intentionally makes mildly tangy refrigerator cucumber pickles. However, you can easily give them a sharper flavour.

Here are a few simple adjustments:

Add more vinegar. Add another 1–2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar for a more pronounced tang.
Reduce the water slightly. Replace some of the water with additional vinegar rather than simply increasing the total amount of liquid.
Marinate longer. Refrigerating the cucumbers for several hours or overnight will give them a more developed flavour.
Taste before adjusting. The acidity will become more noticeable as the cucumbers sit, so do not add too much vinegar immediately.

Keep in mind that the texture will also gradually soften as the cucumbers remain in the brine.

How to make refrigerator pickles (quick pickled cucumbers) *

Tips for the Best Quick Pickled Cucumbers

Although this recipe is straightforward, a few simple details will give you the best garlic dill pickles.

Choose firm cucumbers. Fresh cucumbers produce the crispiest result. Avoid cucumbers that are already soft or wrinkled.
Slice them evenly. Similar-size slices will absorb the brine at roughly the same rate.
Do not worry about submerging them immediately. This recipe deliberately uses a modest amount of brine.
Toss them occasionally. This helps distribute the vinegar, garlic, dill, and seasoning.
Give them some time. They are enjoyable after 30 minutes, but an hour or two develops considerably more flavour.
Keep dill flowers whole. There is no need to chop them. Simply tuck them among the cucumbers.
Taste and adjust. Cucumbers vary in size and water content, so you may want a little additional salt after they have rested.

How Long Do Quick Pickled Cucumbers Last?

These homemade pickled cucumbers need to stay refrigerated at all times. Store them in a clean jar or another tightly covered container.

For the best flavour and texture, I recommend enjoying them within the first several days. They should generally be used within about 5–7 days.

The cucumbers will continue changing as they sit. In particular, they will become more strongly flavoured and gradually softer. That does not necessarily mean they have spoiled; however, I think these quick refrigerator pickles are most enjoyable while they still have plenty of crunch.

And once again, this is important: these refrigerator pickles are not formulated for canning. Keep them refrigerated rather than storing them at room temperature.

How Do You Know If Quick Pickles Have Gone Bad?

Some changes are normal as dill pickled cucumbers sit in their brine. However, you should discard them if you notice clear signs of spoilage.

Watch for:

Visible mould. Discard the entire batch rather than removing only the affected area.
Unpleasant odour. They should smell tangy, garlicky, and aromatic rather than distinctly unpleasant.
Unusual sliminess. Softening is expected over time, but an obviously slimy texture is different.
Unexpected appearance. Significant unusual changes in colour or appearance can also indicate that the pickles should not be eaten.

And, of course, when in doubt, it is always better to discard them.

How to Serve Dill and Garlic Pickled Cucumbers

These quick pickled cucumbers with dill are wonderfully versatile. Their relatively mild acidity makes them particularly easy to pair with other foods.

Try them:

With sandwiches and burgers. Their acidity cuts nicely through richer fillings.
With grilled meats. Serve them alongside chicken, pork, sausages, or other grilled dishes.
With potatoes. Pickled cucumbers are excellent with fried, roasted, or boiled potatoes.
On a snack board. Pair them with cheeses, bread, and other savoury bites.
With Eastern and Central European-inspired meals. Their dill-and-garlic profile works particularly well with hearty dishes.
Straight from the refrigerator. Sometimes this really is the best serving suggestion!

Turn Them Into a Quick Cucumber Salad

You can also turn leftover garlic dill pickles into a simple summer salad.

Drain the cucumbers and combine them with feta and other fresh vegetables, such as tomatoes or sweet peppers. Add fresh herbs and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

You could even add toasted or day-old bread for a simple panzanella-inspired cucumber salad. Because the cucumbers already provide acidity, garlic, and seasoning, you may not need much additional dressing.

More Late-Summer Vegetable Recipes

Not ready for apples, pumpkins, and everything autumnal yet either? Here are some more late-summer vegetable recipes to make while gardens and farmers’ markets are still overflowing with produce.

I’d love for you to try these quick pickled cucumbers recipe. If you give it a go, please share your results in the comments, message me on Instagram, or post your photos with the hashtag #havocinthekitchen. I look forward to seeing your creations and hearing your thoughts.

Cheers!

quick pickled cucumbers with dill and garlic