Easy Dill Pickle Recipe from Fresh Cucumbers (2024)

This dill pickle recipe is so easy - I can't wait to teach you how to make it!

One of my favorite parts of tending a garden during the summer is a seemingly endless supply of fresh cucumbers!

I grow regular salad cucumbers and a smaller, pickling variety because I love making fresh cucumber pickles for my family.

This pickled cucumber recipe is super easy. Because these are lacto-fermented dill pickles, you don't need any fancy canning equipment to make them.

Another positive of this cold brine method of making dill pickles with fresh cucumbers is that your pickles stay nice and crisp. Nobody likes limp pickles!

Different ways to make dill pickles

There are three primary methods of making dill pickles with fresh cucumbers:

How long does it take to turn a cucumber into a pickle?

Using the lacto-fermentation process I show you in this dill pickle recipe, it takes 4-5 days at room temperature if your room is in the low to mid 70's. If it's warmer than that inside, your pickles will ferment faster and will be ready in 2-3 days.

Do you have to boil the jars for pickling?

For this dill pickle recipe, it isn't necessary to boil the jars, but they should be immaculately clean. Because we are not using a canning process to make these pickles, you can use any clean glass jar with a lid - they don't need to specifically be caning jars.

Can you can fermented pickles?

While the

Part of the beauty of lacto-fermentation is the beneficial microorganisms they lend to your gut when you eat them. Heat canning kills these beneficialbacteria by design.

How to Make Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles

Ingredients

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• Pickling Cucumbers - 35 small/medium or 15-20 medium/large
• 2 Tbsp Organic Pickling Spice (this is the organic pickling spice I use)
• 4 Tbsp Organic Whole Dill Seed (this is the brand I use)
• 10-12 garlic cloves, peeled
• 8 cups cold filtered water
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (choose the kind "with mother")
• 1/3 cup canning salt or kosher sea salt (do NOT use table salt. I like this salt from Jacobsen.)

Serving size for purpose of nutrition information is 2 small or one large pickle. Nutrition information is approximate and may vary based on the freshness and brand of your ingredients.Nutrition information calculated at:Calorie Count.

Directions

Video: How to make easy dill pickles

Easy Dill Pickle Recipe:

Looking for the printable recipe card? Scroll down to the bottom of the post!

How to make lacto-fermented dill pickles step 1:

Clean cucumbers well but don't scrub so hard to damage their skin. Cut or slice cucumbers if desired. Set aside.

How to make lacto-fermented dill pickles step 2:

Clean jars in a dishwasher. These will not be heat processed so official "canning" jars are not needed but jars should be immaculately clean.

How to make lacto-fermented dill pickles step 3:

Mix together pickling spice and dill seed in a small bowl. Set aside.

How to make lacto-fermented dill pickles step 4:

Prepare brine by mixing together water, vinegar and salt in a large bowl.

Mix very well with a whisk until all traces of salt are completely dissolved. Set aside.

How to make lacto-fermented dill pickles step 5:

Fill clean jars with cucumbers.

You can use them whole, in half, spears or slices.

If using smaller pieces (like slices) that stack well, layer the cucumbers, 1.5 Tbsp mixed spices and 1 or 2 garlic cloves in the jar.

If doing whole pickles or spears, you can fill the jar with cucumbers first and then add the 1.5 Tbsp spices and garlic later, shaking to fill in gaps.

How to make lacto-fermented dill pickles step 6:

Once jars are filled, top cucumbers with brine. Tap on the counter or insert a clean butter knife and press against the cucumbers as needed to remove air bubbles.

Be sure to completely cover the cucumbers with brine.

Save any extra brine in clear jars for your next pickling session.

How to make lacto-fermented dill pickles step 7:

Screw lids onto jars and then unscrew one half turn so that jars are only lightly covered. Leave the pickle jars on the counter at room temperature for 4-5 days.

Start tasting the pickles on day 4 and once they reach the desired level of pickly-ness, tighten the lids all the way and store in the refrigerator.

If you are having a hard time keeping cucumbers submerged under the brine, you can purchase fermenting weights to hold them down. Keeping the cucumbers completely submerged is important for this process to work correctly without spoiling.

Pickles prepared this way can keep for 4-5 months. Be sure any pickles remaining in the jar as you eat through them are covered with brine solution.

IMPORTANT: If the pickles ever become soft, slimy, smell bad or taste bad, discard that jar of pickles.

Enjoy!