Homemade Pickling Recipes (2024)

Pickled Asparagus

Homemade Pickling Recipes (1)

Credit: Oxmoor House

From pickled okra to dilled green beans these unique twists on the traditional pickle are sure to satisfy.

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Sweet and Sour Pickled Green Beans

Sweet and Sour Pickled Green Beans

Homemade Pickling Recipes (2)

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Sweet and Sour Pickled Green Beans Recipe

Packing these pickled green beans in small jars makes a great gift. You can evenrefrigerate themfor up to 1 month!

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Dill Pickle Spears

Dill Pickle Spears

Homemade Pickling Recipes (3)

Dill Pickle Spears Recipe

Considering that the average supermarket dill pickle spears contain 313mg sodium each, these are downright saintly, with only 193mg in 4 spears.

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Mustard and Ginger Pickled Carrots

Mustard and Ginger Pickled Carrots

Homemade Pickling Recipes (4)

Credit: Annabelle Breakey

Mustard and Ginger Pickled Carrots Recipe

These tender-crisp carrot pickles are good served with raw vegetables alongside dips at a party.

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Bread-and-Butter Pickles

Bread-and-Butter Pickles

Homemade Pickling Recipes (5)

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr

Bread-and-Butter Pickles Recipe

This easy pickle recipe yields lots of cucumber pickles to keep on hand for picnics or snacks. Try bread-and-butter pickles on sandwiches or burgers, as a complement to field peas, or as a snack with whole-grain mustard, cheddar cheese, and crackers. Thin-skinned pickling cucumbers are essential.

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Refrigerator Pickled Blackberries

Refrigerator Pickled Blackberries

Homemade Pickling Recipes (6)

Credit: Anais & Dax; Styling: Lydia Pursell

Refrigerator Pickled Blackberries Recipe

The glistening jewels would be incredible as a sauce for duck breast, as part of a cheese platter, spooned onto ricotta-topped crostini, draped over yogurt, or plopped into co*cktails.

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Pickled Jicama, Ginger, and Summer Peppers

Pickled Jicama, Ginger, and Summer Peppers

Homemade Pickling Recipes (7)

Credit: Annabelle Breakey

Pickled Jicama, Ginger, and Summer Peppers Recipe

A great use for the sweet peppers piled up at the farmers' market right now--all of them work in this juicy, tart pickle.

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Spiced Pickled Beets

Spiced Pickled Beets

Homemade Pickling Recipes (8)

Credit: Anais & Dax; Styling: Lydia Pursell

Spiced Pickled Beets Recipe

What a sweet addition to a summer veggie plate! Any kind of beets will work; we used golden ones for their lovely color.

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Sweet-and-Sour Veggie Pickles

Sweet-and-Sour Veggie Pickles

Homemade Pickling Recipes (9)

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Sweet-and-Sour Veggie Pickles Recipe

Serve these pickles with co*cktails or with grilled poultry or fish. This recipe makes four (1-pt.) jars—enough to keep and give away to friends and neighbors.

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Dilled Green Beans

Dilled Green Beans

Homemade Pickling Recipes (10)

Dilled Green Beans Recipe

Green beans make for delicious pickles, especially when paired with red peppers and garlic. Grab a couple of pounds from your local farmers' market during peak season and you'll have homemade pickles to enjoy the rest of the year.

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Spicy Pickled Okra

Spicy Pickled Okra

Homemade Pickling Recipes (11)

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Spicy Pickled Okra Recipe

Make good use of an abundant summer okra harvest by whipping up these spicy pickles. White peppercorns and jalapeños add some kick, making these pickles a great side dish or martini garnish.

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Zucchini Pickles

Zucchini Pickles Recipe

Zucchini makes for great breads, cakes, soups, and more–why not pickles, too? Rice vinegar and ginger add a little Asian flair to this easy pickling recipe.

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Spicy Pickled Vegetables

Spicy Pickled Vegetables

Homemade Pickling Recipes (13)

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr

Spicy Pickled Vegetables Recipe

These Tex-Mex-inspired pickles make great toppings for nachos, tacos, or chili.

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Spicy Pickled Summer Vegetables

Spicy Pickled Summer Vegetables

Homemade Pickling Recipes (14)

Credit: Quentin Bacon

Spicy Pickled Summer Vegetables Recipe

For extra color and variety, add wax beans, hot peppers, haricots verts, icicle radishes, or pole beans. A wide-mouth jar makes pickling a snap--the vegetables are easier to slide inside.

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Pickled Green Beans

Pickled Green Beans

Homemade Pickling Recipes (15)

Pickled Green Beans Recipe

Save the best of summer flavor by preserving ripe green beans at their peak.

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Sweet and Sour Cucumber and Red Onion Pickles

Sweet and Sour Cucumber and Red Onion Pickles

Homemade Pickling Recipes (16)

Credit: Annabelle Breakey

Sweet and Sour Cucumber and Red Onion Pickles Recipe

We riffed off classic bread-and-butter pickles, adding the unexpected tastes of lemongrass and coriander.

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Spicy Dill Quick Pickles

Spicy Dill Quick Pickles

Homemade Pickling Recipes (17)

Credit: © Tina Rupp

Spicy Dill Quick Pickles Recipe

Your choice of red or green chiles adds heat to these cool pickles.

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Quick-Pickled Baby Turnips

Quick-Pickled Baby Turnips

Homemade Pickling Recipes (18)

Credit: Romulo Yanes; Styling: Claire Spollen

Quick-Pickled Baby Turnips Recipe

Look for baby turnips with the greens on them for an elegant look that will wow. Trim greens to about 1/2 inch from the top of the bulb; then slice turnips vertically.

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Homemade Dill Pickles

Homemade Dill Pickles

Homemade Pickling Recipes (19)

Credit: Petrina Tinslay

Homemade Dill Pickles Recipe

Skip the store and make pickles at home. All you need is a little time.

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Easy Refrigerator Pickles

Easy Refrigerator Pickles

Homemade Pickling Recipes (20)

Easy Refrigerator Pickles Tout

Love traditional sliced cucumber pickles? You can make your own with this easy recipe. The pickles keep in the fridge for up to one month.

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Mommy's Watermelon Rind Pickles

Mommy's Watermelon Rind Pickles

Homemade Pickling Recipes (21)

Credit: Tina Cornett

Mommy's Watermelon Rind Pickles Recipe

Make the most of summer watermelon by saving the rind and making these tangy spiced pickles.

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Green Tomato Pickles

Green Tomato Pickles

Homemade Pickling Recipes (22)

Green Tomato Pickles Recipe

Instead of making fried green tomatoes, use those green tomatoes for tangy, spiced pickles that are perfect with ham, pork tenderloin, or grilled chicken. The recipe makes 7 pints, so you’ll have a few jars for gifts.

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Pickled Fresno Chiles

Pickled Fresno Chiles

Homemade Pickling Recipes (23)

Credit: Thomas J. Story

Pickled Fresno Chiles Recipe

Spicy and sweet, these pickles add a hit of color and flavor to burgers--and are great with any rich food, like sausages or fried chicken.

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Dill Pickle Spears

Dill Pickle Spears

Homemade Pickling Recipes (24)

Credit: Oxmoor House

Dill Pickle Spears Recipe

These classic spears are crisp, sour, and a sandwich's best friend. Like most pickles, they'll reach their best flavor and texture after three weeks in the jars.

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Old-Fashioned Mustard Pickles

Old-Fashioned Mustard Pickles

Homemade Pickling Recipes (25)

Credit: Brian Woodco*ck; Styling: Paige Hicks

Old-Fashioned Mustard Pickles Recipe

Traditionally, the vegetables are salted and left to soften. Instead, we blanched them to tenderize before pickling.

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Bread-and-Butter Pickles

Bread-and-Butter Pickles

Homemade Pickling Recipes (26)

Credit: Oxmoor House

Bread-and-Butter Pickles Recipe

Try these sweet-and-sour pickles on sandwiches, in deviled eggs, or straight out of the jar.

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Squash Pickle Medley

Squash Pickle Medley

Homemade Pickling Recipes (27)

Credit: Oxmoor House

Squash Pickle Medley Recipe

This colorful blend mimics bread-and-butter pickles--sweet, tart, and squeaky-crisp--even though it contains no cucumbers. Use the freshest zucchini and yellow squash you can find, free of blemishes and with no hint of limpness, for the crispiest results.

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Quick Confetti Pickles

Quick Confetti Pickles

Homemade Pickling Recipes (28)

Credit: Oxmoor House

Quick Confetti Pickles Recipe

No time to can? No problem. These refrigerator pickles are easy--and so colorful that you'll want to shingle them on buttered brown bread or put them in a glass bowl just to show them off. Standard radishes will do, but slender, carrotlike icicle radishes from the farmers' market are easier to slice.

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Pickled Melon

Pickled Melon

Homemade Pickling Recipes (29)

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Pickled Melon Recipe

Thyme sprigs add a nice flavor to these tangy pickled melon slices.

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Pickled Jalapeño Slices

Pickled Jalapeno Slices

Homemade Pickling Recipes (30)

Credit: Oxmoor House

Pickled Jalapeño Slices Recipe

If you like things hot, you'll love these fiery pickles. They're ideal as a final atomic flourish on tacos, nachos, and huevos rancheros. If you prefer milder pickled peppers, cut off the stem ends, and scoop or tap out some of the seeds before slicing the peppers.

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Pickled Cherries with Tarragon and Vanilla

Pickled Cherries with Tarragon and Vanilla

Homemade Pickling Recipes (31)

Credit: Thomas J. Story

Pickled Cherries with Tarragon and Vanilla Recipe

Chef Renee Erickson, owner of several Seattle restaurants and of Boat Street Pickle company, gave us the recipe for this bright, sweet-sour pickle. She uses fresh sour cherries (with the stems is especially pretty), but sweet Bings work well too--and so do frozen cherries of either type.

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Pickled Peaches

Pickled Peaches

Homemade Pickling Recipes (32)

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Pickled Peaches Recipe

Use fresh mint, if you can, to add a coolness to the tang of these pickled peaches.

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Dilly Beans

Dilly Beans

Homemade Pickling Recipes (33)

Credit: Anais & Dax; Styling: Lydia Pursell

Dilly Beans Recipe

These addictively crunchy sticks would make a mighty fine Bloody Mary garnish. Wide-mouth jars are your friend here. When placing beans into jars, try squeezing them into a tight bunch before pushing them down inside.

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Pickled Garlic with Chiles

Pickled Garlic with Chiles

Homemade Pickling Recipes (34)

Credit: Oxmoor House

Pickled Garlic with Chiles Recipe

Try these crunchy cloves in dirty martinis and anywhere you'd use fresh garlic. The garlic is mellowed and crisped by pickling and enhanced by hot peppers, and the hit of vinegar brightens any savory dish.

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Pickled Golden Beets

Pickled Golden Beets

Homemade Pickling Recipes (35)

Credit: Oxmoor House

Pickled Golden Beets Recipe

This recipe works with red beets, too, but golden beets are less likely to stain your fingers or your apron.

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Pickled Mushrooms with Garlic and Thyme

Pickled Mushrooms with Garlic and Thyme

Homemade Pickling Recipes (36)

Credit: Thomas J. Story

Pickled Mushrooms with Garlic and Thyme Recipe

Chef Renee Erickson, owner of several Seattle restaurants and of Boat Street Pickle company, gave us the recipe for these bracing pickles. She likes to eat them right from the jar, tossed with a little olive oil, or serve them with roasted chicken. She also recommends using them in a bloody Mary skewer.

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Pickled Dilled Beans

Pickled Dilled Beans

Homemade Pickling Recipes (37)

Credit: Oxmoor House

Pickled Dilled Beans Recipe

Crushed red pepper gives these beans a kick. A mix of green and yellow beans makes for a pretty jar.

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Pickled Strawberries

Pickled Strawberries

Homemade Pickling Recipes (38)

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Pickled Strawberries Recipe

Fresh rosemary adds dimension to the tartness of these pickled strawberries.

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Red Onion Pickles with Peppercorns

Red Onion Pickles with Peppercorns

Homemade Pickling Recipes (39)

Credit: Thomas J. Story

Red Onion Pickles with Peppercorns Recipe

These may be the most versatile pickles you can make. "They're a natural for sandwiches, and of course burgers, but they're also great with smoked fish," says chef Renee Erickson, owner of several Seattle restaurants and of Boat Street Pickle company.

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Pickled Pearl Onions

Pickled Pearl Onions

Homemade Pickling Recipes (40)

Credit: Oxmoor House

Pickled Pearl Onions Recipe

Use these crisp, tart onions as sandwich toppers, martini garnishes, or interesting additions to meat-and-cheese platters.

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Pickled Okra

Pickled Okra

Homemade Pickling Recipes (41)

Credit: Oxmoor House

Pickled Okra Recipe

Okra shrink and float when pickled. To get the most in each jar, pack one layer of okra with stem ends down and tips up and another layer with stem ends up and tips down, interlacing the tips in the middle of the jar.

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Pickled Peppers & Onions

Pickled Peppers and Onions

Homemade Pickling Recipes (42)

Credit: Oxmoor House

This medley of bell peppers and red onion is the perfect accompaniment to a sandwich or an appetizer tray.

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Pickled Asparagus

Pickled Asparagus

Homemade Pickling Recipes (43)

Credit: Oxmoor House

Pickled Asparagus Recipe

You need to trim the asparagus to fit your jars, but you needn't discard the tender trimmings. Chop them evenly, blanch or sauté, and add to spring pasta or egg dishes.

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Homemade Pickling Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are the basic ingredients in pickling? ›

Ingredients
  • Produce. Select fresh, firm fruits or vegetables that are free of spoilage. ...
  • Salt. Use a canning or pickling salt. ...
  • Vinegar. White distilled or cider vinegars of 5 percent acidity (50 grain) are recommended. ...
  • Sugar. White granulated and brown sugars are used most often. ...
  • Water. ...
  • Spices. ...
  • Firming Agents.

What is the best ratio of vinegar to water for pickling? ›

The basic ratio for quick pickles is 1:1 vinegar to water, and includes some combination of salt and sugar. Another ratio that is commonly followed is the 3:2:1 method, using three parts vinegar, two parts water, and 1 part sugar.

What to avoid when pickling? ›

"Pickles are about vinegar and salt, not sweetness," says Perry. Yes, you should have some sugar, but be wary of recipes that call for more than a ¼ cup of sugar. Your brine should lean salty, not syrupy. If you just use vinegar in your brine, it will be way too sharp, warns Perry.

Do I have to boil vinegar for pickling? ›

The Process

Vinegar-based pickling is a much faster process than fermentation pickling. In its quickest form, you'll just boil a vinegar solution, pour it over the the object of your pickling desire, let it all cool and stash it in the fridge.

What is the best vinegar for pickling? ›

Most pickle recipes call for distilled white vinegar. This is the clear, colorless vinegar made by fermenting grains. It has a mellow aroma, tart acid flavor and does not affect the color of light-colored vegetables or fruits.

What are the three basic ingredients in pickling? ›

They are simply vegetables that are pickled in a vinegar, water, and salt (sometimes sugar, too) solution and stored in the refrigerator.

Do you put sugar in pickle brine? ›

This is a basic 3-2-1 pickle recipe—three parts vinegar, two parts water, one part sugar. Salt and spices are totally up to you. You can also reduce the amount of sugar for a more savory pickle brine.

How do you prevent botulism when pickling? ›

Making sure enough vinegar is added to the cucumbers is important to make safe pickles; Clostridium botulinum can grow in improperly canned, pickled foods with a pH higher than 4.6. It is critical to use scientifically tested recipes for making pickles to ensure their safety.

What are the common pickling problems? ›

Causes and Possible Solutions for Problems with Pickled Foods
ProblemCause
Soft or slippery pickles (If spoilage is evident, do not eat.)1. Vinegar too weak.
2. Insufficient amount of brine.
3. Pickles not processed properly (to destroy microorganisms).
4. Moldy garlic or spices.
18 more rows

Do you cook cucumbers before pickling? ›

These pickles are not cooked or processed, so you do want to soften them a little bit so that they really absorb the flavor of the brine. To do this, place your prepped cucumbers in a bowl, sprinkle with salt and sugar, and massage gently for a few minutes until they begin to give up some liquid and get a bit pliable.

Can you pickle in straight vinegar? ›

Pickling can be done utilizing one of two methods — with salt as the primary instigator of fermentation or with vinegar, which is a quicker process. If you choose to use vinegar, your flavors will vary depending on the type, from the delicate hint of rice vinegar to the bracing rush of apple cider vinegar.

Can I use white vinegar instead of distilled vinegar for pickling? ›

The base for pickling vinegars is often white vinegar but it can also be cider vinegar, malt vinegar, or wine vinegar. These vinegars vary in flavour and acidity to allow you to subtly alter the taste of your pickles. Vinegar, or acetic acid, is the base of most pickle recipes.

What is the most important ingredient in pickling? ›

Vinegar: Use white distilled or cider vinegars of 5% acidity. Any kind of vinegar with unknown acidity should not be used. White vinegar is usually preferred when a light color is desirable. The level of acidity in a pickled or fermented product is as important to its safety as it is to taste and texture.

What is the most important ingredient in pickling vegetables? ›

Vinegar is the most important ingredient in quick-pickle recipes. Without an adequate amount, the pickles will not be safe to eat. Use any vinegar with 5% acidity. Caution: Do not reduce the amount of vinegar or increase the amount of water in a recipe.

What are the two main ingredients to pickle something? ›

The classic ratio is super easy to remember and is easily scale-able depending on how many pickles you're making. It's 100% vinegar, 50% water, 25% sugar and 12.5% kosher salt by weight.

What ingredient gives flavor to the pickles? ›

The primary ingredient in pickles is cucumbers. Acetic acid, or vinegar, is added to the cucumbers. After water, vinegar makes up most of the pickle juice. It also adds to the pickles' sour taste.

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