These crisp and zesty Easy Homemade Pickles are super easy to make, require no special canning equipment and they're ready for the fridge in just 10 minutes. Once you see how delicious they are, you'll never waste money on store-bought again!

Jump to:

• ❤️ Why You’ll Love this Homemade Pickles Recipe
• What You’ll Need to Make Keto Pickles
• How to Make Refrigerator Pickles
• Are Pickles Keto? How Many Carbs in Pickles?
• How Long Do Refrigerator Pickles Keep?
• Uses for Pickle Juice
• Can I Use Any Cucumber to Make Pickles?
• How Long Does It Take a Cucumber to Turn into a Pickle?
• More Easy Keto Side Dish Recipes

❤️ Why You’ll Love this Homemade Pickles Recipe

• Great way to put those extra cucumbers in your garden to use
• Bold and zesty flavors
• Easy to make in less than 10 minutes
• Family friendly and the kids will love ‘em!

What's not to love about an overnight pickle recipe? They have all the wonderful zesty flavors of old-fashioned canned pickles with a whole lot less hassle. They are super crisp and refreshing and the perfect way to use up an abundance of summer's cucumber harvest.

For this easy recipe, the brine has a wonderful tangy, savory and robust combination of herbs and spices that give these pickles the most incredible flavor. They make the perfect companion to sandwiches, burgers, salads or just when you want a fresh delicious afternoon snack.

One of the most awesome things about this recipe, it is 100% customizable. If you like a little extra spice in your pickles, you can add more red pepper. Or for a milder, kid-friendly version, you can add more sweetener and omit the pepper all together.

What You’ll Need to Make Keto Pickles

• Kirby pickling cucumbers
• Water
• Distilled white vinegar
• Apple cider vinegar
• Fresh dill
• Garlic
• Red onion
• Kosher salt
• Monk fruit/allulose
• Mustard seeds
• Red pepper flakes
• Whole peppercorns

*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

🥣 Recommended Tools

• Mandolin slicer
• Mason jars
• Saucepan

How to Make Refrigerator Pickles

Wash, dry and cut your pickles either into spears, thin slices or even do some of each like I did. 

You can use a mandolin slicer to get consistent slices which will be perfect to use for burgers or sandwiches.

Place all the pickles in the jars of your choice.  I was able to fit mine into (2) 32 ounce mason jars.

Add half the garlic, red onions and dill into each jar.

Heat a saucepan to medium and add in the water, white and apple cider vinegars, mustard seeds, salt, sweetener, red pepper flakes and whole peppercorns. 

Allow to come to a simmer, stirring until the salt and sweetener has dissolved, then remove from the heat.

Tip: Unless your saucepan has a pour spout, it's easier to pour it from the saucepan into a heatproof measuring cup. Then you can pour it into the jars more easily.

Pour the brine into both jars, making sure the cucumbers are completely covered.

Cover each jar tightly and allow them to cool slightly at room temperature.

Chill in the fridge overnight before serving. Pickles should keep for about 2 weeks.

Tip: While I wouldn't reuse the brine to make more pickles, you can use it to brine chicken before frying or baking it. It will give it a little more flavor and make it more tender!

Are Pickles Keto? How Many Carbs in Pickles?

It's safe to say that pickles are like an unsung hero of all Keto snacks. They're loaded with tons of flavor, and they're a super low carb food.

How Long Do Refrigerator Pickles Keep?

One of the only drawbacks to making refrigerator pickles verses old-fashioned canned pickles is they do have a shorter shelf-life. Once you've made a batch of these Keto pickles, they will need to be stored in the fridge to stay fresh.

The good news is, they'll keep for up to a couple of weeks, but because they're so good, it's doubtful they'll last that long anyway.

Uses for Pickle Juice

• Brine: Using pickle juice to brine pork and chicken not only adds flavor, but it also doubles as a tenderizer.

• Grilled Vegetables: If you really love the way vinegar taste like I do, this brine is so good drizzled over warm grilled or sheet pan veggies.

• Vinaigrette: If you want a really flavorful dressing for your salads, use pickle juice in place of vinegar. Just add some olive oil and then sweeten it up a little with this sugar-free honey or apricot jam and you'll have a homemade vinaigrette in minutes.

• Veggie Salads: Add a little pickle juice to your next batch of this Cauliflower "Potato" Salad, Broccoli Salad. It will give the vegetable a nice fresh tangy flavor.

• Deviled Eggs: Boost the flavors of your deviled eggs with a little brine added to the yoke filling, like I did in my Dill Pickle Deviled Eggs recipe.

• Drink it: The salt and vinegar in this brine can really help to balance out electrolytes. You only need a few sips, so don't drink a whole lot at one time. It's a great pick-me-up after a hard workout.

Can I Use Any Cucumber to Make Pickles?

While you can use other types of pickles, Kirby canning cucumbers work best. Their skins aren't waxy, and they hold up really well to brining.

One cute alternative to Kirby is mini-English cucumbers! But the big fat waxy ones you see in the grocery store do not make great pickles so, you'll want to skip those.

Tip: If growing your own cucumbers to make pickles, harvest them early morning because the sugar content is highest then, which makes them taste sweeter.

How Long Does It Take a Cucumber to Turn into a Pickle?

It can take up to 6 weeks for traditional canned cucumbers to become pickled. But this quick refrigerator version makes really great pickles overnight. Of course, if you can, allow them to sit in the back of the fridge for about a week for them to have the most flavor.

More Easy Keto Side Dish Recipes

• Shredded Brussels Sprouts
• Creamed Spinach
• Grilled Broccolini
• Green Beans Almondine
• Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower