This week’s recipe blog is all about quick pickling — the easiest way to preserve the fresh crunch of your seasonal veggies and add a tangy twist to salads, sandwiches, or snacks.

Whether you’ve got leftover onions or an abundance of carrots and zucchini, I’ll show you simple ways to turn them into tasty refrigerator pickles that keep the summer going long after the sun goes down.

Five Reasons to Love Refrigerator Pickling

• No Special Equipment Needed: All you need is a jar, vinegar, and your veggies. Simplicity at its finest.
• Ready in Hours, Not Days: Pickles are often ready in as little as a few hours or overnight.
• Great for Using Up Odds & Ends: Turn scraps into something craveable instead of compost.
• Customizable for Every Taste: Sweet, sour, spicy, or herby — you're in control.
• Extends the Life of Your Veggies: Keep fresh produce crisp and ready for weeks in the fridge.

2-Ingredient Refrigerator Pickled Veggies

Created by: Kristen Hong

A super-simple, no-cooking-required technique for making no-salt, no-sugar refrigerator pickles.

Ingredients

• 2 cups raw onion, red cabbage, or radishes, sliced or diced
• Distilled white vinegar

Instructions

1. Chop or dice your veggies to desired size.
2. Fill a 16 oz. jar with chopped veggies.
3. Cover with vinegar; add herbs/spices if desired.
4. Seal and refrigerate.
5. Marinate for at least 24 hours, ideally 3 days, before using.

Tips

• Lasts in fridge for at least 2 weeks.
• Red cabbage and radishes last longest (up to 3 weeks).
• Red onions may become murky after 2 weeks.
• Use on salads, sandwiches, flatbreads, and pizzas.

Pickled Refrigerator Spicy Carrots

Created by: Sheryl – Lady Behind the Curtain

Perfect alongside your sandwich or added to a charcuterie board.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups water
• 3 cups white vinegar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
• 2 lbs carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
• 2 jalapeño peppers, quartered and seeded
• 1 bunch cilantro

Instructions

1. Heat water, vinegar, and sugar until sugar dissolves.
2. Remove from heat; steep garlic.
3. Prepare and pack jars with carrots, jalapeño, and cilantro.
4. Remove garlic from brine and pour liquid into jars.
5. Seal and refrigerate. Best after overnight rest. Keeps for 1 week.

Old Fashioned Quick Pickled Beets

Created by: Jay

Easy, delicious, and sugar-free!

Ingredients

• 2 cups red beets
• 2 cups hot water
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 tbsp salt

Instructions

1. Peel, wash, and cut beets into bite-size pieces.
2. Cook with water, vinegar, and salt until fork-tender (15–18 min).
3. Cool and transfer to jars. Store in fridge for up to 6 weeks.

Refrigerator Zucchini Pickles

Created by: Homemade and Yummy

Perfect for burgers, hot dogs, and summer meals.

Ingredients

• 709 g zucchini (sliced into ribbons)
• 1 tsp kosher salt

For the Brine

• 1 cup rice wine vinegar
• ½ cup water
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• 1½ tsp pickling spice

Instructions

1. Clean and prep jars.
2. Wash, slice, salt, and drain zucchini ribbons.
3. Pack into jars tightly.
4. Boil brine ingredients, then cool slightly.
5. Pour brine into jars, ensuring even coverage.
6. Tap jars to release air bubbles, seal, and refrigerate.
7. Best after 24 hours, better with time!