# How do you make quick pickles? Canonical: https://zestasy.com/wiki/quick-pickles/ Section: Zestasy Wiki > Food · Updated: 2026-10-14 · Publisher: Zestasy *Zestasy Wiki: our reference answers. Checked for facts and sources; less curated than the magazine.* Pack sliced raw vegetables into a clean jar, pour over a hot brine of vinegar and water with salt and a little sugar, let it cool, then keep the jar in the fridge. They taste good within hours and better after a day. Quick pickles are not preserved for the cupboard: keep them refrigerated and eat them within about two weeks, following extension service guidance. Quick pickles are the fastest way to make a plate look and taste more interesting. A jar of pink onions in the fridge improves beans, grain bowls, sandwiches and cheese boards with no effort at all. They take minutes to make and use only the cupboard basics. ## What quick pickles are There are two big families of pickles. The [National Center for Home Food Preservation](https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/pickle/general-information-pickling/general-information-on-pickling/) at the University of Georgia explains that some pickles are fermented and cured over weeks, while fresh-pack or quick-process pickles are not fermented: vegetables are covered with vinegar and seasonings instead. Quick fridge pickles belong to that second family. The vinegar does the work, and the fridge keeps them. Note what this page is not: shelf-stable canning. The same NCHFP page stresses that the level of acidity is as important to a pickle's safety as to its taste, and that you should not alter the vinegar, food or water proportions in a recipe meant for canning. If you want jars for the cupboard, use a canning recipe published by a food-safety body and follow it exactly. Quick pickles live in the fridge. ## The brine, in outline The [University of California Master Food Preserver Program](https://ccfruitandnuts.ucanr.edu/sites/default/files/2025-07/MFP%20Quick%20Refrigerator%20Pickles.pdf) describes a simple sour brine of white or cider vinegar and an equal amount of water, with pickling salt and an optional little sugar, brought to the boil and poured over packed vegetables, then refrigerated. Its sweet version uses much more sugar. In short: - **Vinegar and water, in equal parts**, for a balanced, tangy brine. - **Salt**, preferably fine pickling salt, which dissolves clearly. - **Sugar**, a little to round the sharpness, more for a sweet pickle. Stick with the white or cider vinegar the UC sheet calls for; our page on [which vinegar to use](https://zestasy.com/wiki/which-vinegar-for-what/) describes how vinegars differ in character. Keep it simple until you know what you like. ## Vegetables that work Almost any firm, crunchy vegetable: - **Red onions**, thinly sliced: the classic, turning bright pink overnight. - **Cucumbers**, in spears or rounds. - **Radishes**, halved or sliced. - **Carrots**, in thin sticks or ribbons. - **Fennel**, shaved thinly. - **Cauliflower**, in small florets. - **Green beans**, trimmed. - **Courgettes**, in thin rounds. - **Peppers and chillies**, in strips or rings. The UC sheet also suggests asparagus, parsnips and pea pods. Cut everything evenly so it pickles evenly. Thinner pieces pickle faster. ## Flavourings A few additions per jar go a long way: garlic slices, bay leaves, black peppercorns, mustard or fennel seeds, dill, chilli flakes, a strip of lemon peel, a sprig of thyme. Italian-leaning jars might have oregano, bay and a little chilli; see our page on [giardiniera](https://zestasy.com/wiki/what-is-giardiniera/) for the Italian classic. ## Step by step - **Wash a jar and lid** in hot soapy water and rinse well. - **Pack the vegetables** snugly into the jar with your flavourings. - **Heat the brine** in a small pan until the salt and sugar dissolve and it comes to the boil. - **Pour it over** to cover the vegetables completely. Leave a little space at the top. - **Cool, close and refrigerate.** They are pleasant after a few hours, and the UC sheet suggests letting the flavour develop for a day or two before serving. ## How long they keep Keep them in the fridge at all times. The UC Master Food Preserver sheet says to use its quick pickles within two weeks. A [UC Cooperative Extension Mariposa County recipe sheet](https://ucanr.edu/sites/Mariposa/files/374802.pdf) adds that refrigerator pickles must be kept refrigerated, and that you should not eat them if the brine becomes cloudy, mould develops or they smell off. We go by the shorter window and make small batches often. ## Ways to use them - On toast with ricotta or beans. - In sandwiches and piadine. - Over grain salads, lentils and roasted vegetables. - With cheese and bread for an [aperitivo](https://zestasy.com/wiki/aperitivo-snacks/). - Chopped into dressings and salsa verde for extra sharpness. ## FAQ ### Can we reuse the brine? We don't. Each batch dilutes it with vegetable juices and it loses its strength. Make fresh brine; it costs very little. ### Why are our pickles soft? Usually because the vegetables were cut very thin, were not very fresh, or have been in the jar a while. Use firm, fresh vegetables and eat them within the window. ### Can we skip the sugar? Yes. The UC sheet lists it as optional in the sour brine. The pickles will taste sharper. ## Sources - [National Center for Home Food Preservation: General information on pickling](https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/pickle/general-information-pickling/general-information-on-pickling/) - [University of California Master Food Preserver Program: Quick refrigerator pickles (PDF)](https://ccfruitandnuts.ucanr.edu/sites/default/files/2025-07/MFP%20Quick%20Refrigerator%20Pickles.pdf) - [UC Cooperative Extension Mariposa County: Refrigerator dill pickles (PDF)](https://ucanr.edu/sites/Mariposa/files/374802.pdf) ## Related - [What is giardiniera?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/what-is-giardiniera/) - [How do you preserve vegetables in oil safely at home?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/vegetables-in-oil-safely/) - [Which vinegar should you use for what?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/which-vinegar-for-what/) - [What snacks do you serve for an Italian aperitivo at home?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/aperitivo-snacks/) - [How do you shop at a farmers' market without overbuying?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/farmers-market-shopping/) - [All Food answers in the Wiki](https://zestasy.com/wiki/#food)