Seed Oil Free Refrigerator Pickles
Crisp, tangy, and loaded with fresh dill and scallion, these refrigerator pickles are the kind of thing you'll want to keep stocked in your fridge at all times. Most store-bought pickles sneak in canola or soybean oil ā sometimes in the brine itself, sometimes in added flavorings ā so making your own is genuinely the cleanest route. Here, the brine is built entirely from apple cider vinegar, water, maple syrup, and whole spices, which means zero industrial oils anywhere in the jar. The salting step is a small but smart move: drawing moisture out of the cucumbers first keeps the brine clear and the slices satisfyingly crunchy rather than soft and waterlogged. Mustard seeds and black peppercorns give the brine a gentle complexity, and a pinch of red pepper flakes adds just enough heat if you're into that. They're ready in as little as four hours but genuinely shine after a full day in the fridge, and they'll keep for two weeks ā though they rarely last that long.
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Learn more āIngredients
8 servings
- 2 medium english cucumbers (about 1 Ā½ lb total), thinly sliced
- 1 tsp kosher salt
For the brine
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- Ā½ tsp black peppercorns
- Ā½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
For the jars
- 4 sprigs fresh dill
- 4 scallion green tops, cut into 2-inch pieces
Instructions
- 1
Toss the cucumber slices with 1 tsp kosher salt in a colander set over the sink. Let them stand for 10 minutes, then rinse briefly under cold water and pat dry with a clean towel. This draws out excess moisture so the brine stays clear and the slices stay crisp.
- 2
Combine the apple cider vinegar, water, maple syrup, 1 tsp kosher salt, mustard seeds, black peppercorns, and red pepper flakes (if using) in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the salt and maple syrup are fully dissolved, about 2ā3 minutes. Remove from heat and let the brine cool for 5 minutes.
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