Sesame Free Whole30 Dill Pickles
Crunchy, garlicky, and packed with fresh dill, these refrigerator pickles are the kind of snack you'll find yourself reaching for straight out of the jar. The brine is built on apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and water — clean, simple ingredients that keep things compliant without sacrificing any of that classic pickle punch. A handful of aromatics like smashed garlic, black peppercorns, and mustard seeds do the heavy lifting on flavor, and the optional red pepper flakes add a gentle kick if you're into that. Trimming the blossom end of each cucumber is a small but smart step that keeps the texture satisfyingly crisp rather than soft and mushy. If you want even firmer pickles, the grape leaves are a clever natural trick worth trying. Store-bought pickles can be a minefield of unexpected additives, so making your own means you know exactly what's going in the jar. After just 48 hours in the fridge, you've got a bright, tangy, deeply flavorful pickle that works as a snack, a burger topper, or an easy side for just about anything on your plate.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 2 lbs pickling cucumbers (about 8 small)
- 1 ½ cups apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 tbsp fine sea salt
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 8 sprigs fresh dill
- 4 large grape leaves or ½ tsp food-grade tannin powder (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Trim 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 if you prefer chips.
- 2
Combine the apple cider vinegar, water, and sea salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the salt is fully dissolved, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and let the brine cool for 5 minutes.
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