Turkey Free Classic Dill Pickles
Crunchy, garlicky, and packed with fresh dill flavor, these homemade pickles are the kind of thing you'll want to keep stocked in your fridge at all times. The brine comes together in minutes on the stovetop — just vinegar, water, salt, and a touch of sugar — and gets poured hot over tightly packed cucumber spears loaded with garlic, peppercorns, mustard seeds, and fragrant dill. Trimming the blossom end of each cucumber is a small but smart move that keeps the pickles firm and snappy rather than soft and disappointing. If you opt for a grape leaf or horseradish leaf in the jar, you're adding an extra layer of crunch that makes these taste genuinely artisan. The whole process is straightforward and completely plant-based, so there's no need to scan labels or worry about hidden animal-derived ingredients sneaking into your condiment jar. After just 48 hours in the fridge, you've got bright, tangy pickles that blow any store-bought version out of the water — perfect alongside sandwiches, grain bowls, or honestly just eaten straight from the jar.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 2 lbs kirby or persian cucumbers (about 8–10 small cucumbers)
- 1 ½ cups distilled white vinegar
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 4 sprigs fresh dill
- 1 tsp dill seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 2 grape leaves or 2 horseradish leaves (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Trim about 1/8 inch off the blossom end (the end opposite the stem) of each cucumber — this removes enzymes that can soften the pickles. Cut the cucumbers into spears by halving lengthwise, then halving again, or slice into 1/4-inch rounds.
- 2
Divide the garlic, fresh dill sprigs, dill seeds, black peppercorns, mustard seeds, and red pepper flakes (if using) evenly between two clean wide-mouth quart mason jars. If using grape or horseradish leaves, place one in each jar against the inside wall.
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