Quick Pickled Vegetables, also known as refrigerator pickles, are endlessly versatile and an easy way to extend the life of fresh produce. Create a fun mixture using the vegetables you have on hand, or pickle individual vegetable varieties in their own jars. Try cauliflower, peppers, green beans, asparagus, radishes, and so much more.
The tangy, crisp, slightly sweet morsels are guaranteed to elevate your salads, sandwiches, snack boards, and stir fries!

I've been a bit obsessed with quick pickling this summer. From sandwiches to grain bowls to lettuce wraps, it's difficult to think of a dish that doesn't benefit from their exciting burst of zippy flavor!
Not only are quick pickles delicious, they're also an easy way to preserve fresh produce when you find yourself with extra from the garden or the grocery store.
Our jalapeño plants have grown especially well this year and created far more peppers than we could use or give away. On top of having an abundance of them, these peppers are HOT. Like, really, really spicy.
Having made quick pickled jalapeños before, I thought I'd be clever and use loads of them that way.
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But it took just one batch for me to learn my lesson. Way too hot!
I realized that most, if not all, of the seeds in the jalapeños would have to be removed and that combining the peppers with other veggies was the way to go.
Mixing vegetables create a more interesting combination of deliciously tangy, spicy, and crunchy vegetables for snacking and topping our meals. See the photo above? Seedless jalapenos for the win (and only 3 of them).
See the photo below? No bueno! Waaaaaaay too hot. We love spicy foods, but the jalapeños in that batch were pretty much inedible.
We ended up picking out the onion and carrots, which were very spicy but tasty when mixed with other foods. I share all of this so you can learn from my mistakes!

Now, if you're a SUPER fan of all things spicy, and your jalapenos don't seem to be extraordinarily hot, you may find success with a batch of quick pickles comprised of mostly peppers (and their seeds). The spiciness of jalapenos can vary quite a bit, so that's a major factor.
The blend of cauliflower, carrots, red onion, cucumber, and jalapenos pictured below was SO GOOD we devoured half the jar in one day.
Of course, only using 3 or 4 jalapeños per jar wasn't going to use up the massive pile of jalapenos I had on my hands, but it was a start.
Quick pickled vegetables will keep in the fridge for several weeks, so I plan to make a jar or two each week until our jalapenos are gone (and share some jars, too). Roasting the jalapenos has been another delicious way to them. They can also be frozen.
Check out this Roasted Lime and Jalapeño Hummus!

What You'll Need
As I mentioned, the recipe is very versatile, so don't be afraid to try different vegetables and spices. You can also use any combination of the vinegars listed below. Here are the ingredients you'll need:
For the brine:
- 1 cup white distilled vinegar
- ¼ cup rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
The vegetables:
Amounts will vary depending on the vegetables you use (due to negative space while measuring) but aim for about 3 to 4 cups of chopped/sliced vegetables.
Some of our favorites are red onion, cauliflower, carrots, jalapenos, cucumber, radishes and beets. Green beans and asparagus are also fun but benefit from blanching first. The other veggies can go into the jar raw.
I used the following:
- about ¼ small head of cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
- 1 medium carrot, peeled, cut into coins
- 1 pickling cucumber, peeled and cut into coins (peeling optional)
- ½ large red onion, thinly sliced
- 3 jalapeños, sliced lengthwise, seeded, then sliced again
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed and sliced
The garlic is really more of a flavoring, but since it falls into the produce category I wanted to list it here with the other veggies.
Flavorings:
- 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
You can get very creative with flavorings! Try different herbs and spices:
- fresh or dried herbs like cilantro, dill, or rosemary
- dried spices like red pepper flakes, paprika, and turmeric
- fresh ginger root
For my next batch of quick pickles I plan to do a ginger-turmeric combo with mostly rice vinegar. Doesn't that sound delicious?

How To Make Quick Pickled Vegetables
The process for making quick pickles is very simple. Some recipes call for briefly heating the vegetables in the brine, but I like to put the raw vegetables directly into the jar.
- Fill a wide-mouth 32 ounce glass jar (or 2 pint jars) with the prepared veggies and seasonings (peppercorns, mustard seeds, etc).
- Combine the brine ingredients in a small sauce pan and cook over medium-high heat until it reaches a low boil. Stir and cook for a few seconds to dissolve the sugar. Pour the hot brine into the jar so that all of the veggies are covered and liquid almost reaches the top. (In the photo above I was a bit eager to take the shot and hadn't really finished filling the jar. The photo below shows it topped off with more brine.)
- Allow the jar to cool for a few minutes before covering it. Then let it rest on the counter until it has cooled to room temperature. Transfer the jar to the refrigerator.
Your quick pickles will be cold, crisp, delicious, and ready to eat the next day.... if you can wait that long. I can never resist sneaking a few test bites later that same day.
Quick pickles taste best after at least 2 days in the fridge.
Do I have to use sugar in quick pickle brine?
Technically you don't have to include sugar in the quick pickle brine, but a small amount of added sugar does improve the overall flavor. It's not enough to turn these into sweet pickles, so don't worry about that! It's just enough to soften and round out the flavors.
Storage
Quick pickles will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 weeks, possibly longer if unopened. Keep in mind that quick pickles are just that, quick and easy! These are not canned and should be kept refrigerated.

Side note: did you know you can also quick pickle fruit? You absolutely can and the results are amazing!
Try berries, peaches, apples, mango, pears, plums, and grapes. Keep the liquids for the brine the same as this recipe, but increase the sugar to 4 tablespoons and decrease the salt to just a pinch.
I hope you enjoy these super easy Quick Pickled Vegetables and the extra burst of flavor they add to your meals! If you try the recipe I would love to hear from you.
Comment below, rate the recipe, and be sure to let us know what flavor combinations you try!
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📖 Recipe

Quick Pickled Vegetables
Ingredients
- 1 medium carrot, peeled, cut into coins or matchsticks
- ¼ head cauliflower, cut into small florets
- ½ large red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 medium pickling cucumber, peeled, cut into coins or thinly sliced
- 3 to 4 jalapenos, ends trimmed and seeds removed if very hot, sliced
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic, smashed and sliced
- 2 teaspoons whole peppercorns, optional
- 2 teaspoons whole mustard seeds, optional
For the brine:
- 1 cup white distilled vinegar
- ¼ cup rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- Locate one 32 ounce glass jar (or two pint jars) with a lid. Make sure the jar is clean by pouring a small amount of white vinegar inside, screwing on the lid, and shaking for a few seconds. Let stand for about a minute, then rinse. (There's nothing scientific about this; it's just a simple step I take to feel better about the cleanliness of the jars.)
- Fill the jar with the prepared vegetables and any flavorings you're using, such as peppercorns, garlic, mustard seeds, fresh or dried herbs. Set jar aside.
- In a small sauce pan combine the vinegars, water, salt, and sugar, and cook over medium-high heat until boiling. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt. Pour the brine into the jar so that it covers the vegetables and almost reaches the top of the jar. Let cool for a few minutes, then screw on the lid. When the jar has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to the refrigerator. The quick pickles can be eaten anytime but taste best after at least one day in the refrigerator.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com.
Jenn
Hi Lori, after looking up hundreds of different recipes, I think I've got a winner in yours and want to try this out tomorrow! However, I do have a quick question. Can you please confirm this recipe isn't a "sweet pickles" recipe? I see that the recipe calls for a bit of sugar. I'm just afraid it will make the final product even a little sweet - I'm not a fan of sweet pickles at all, and don't want to jump into making a full batch and have a bunch of sweet pickled vegetables that'll go to waste (it's happened before!). Thank you!! 🙂
Lori
Hi Jenn,
The end result definitely isn't as sweet as an actual "sweet pickle," but it does have a hint of sweetness. The sugar is there to balance the vinegar, but if you strongly dislike any sweetness in pickles, it may still be too sweet for you. Do you recall how much sugar was in the previous recipes you tried?
I wouldn't omit the sugar altogether, but you could try reducing it by half. If you give that a try let us know!
John
Hi Lori, it's me again with probably another dumb question. Can I water bath these jars for long time storage?
Lori
Hi John, not a dumb question at all! 🙂 For food safety reasons I recommend following a recipe written with canning/longer storage in mind. There will likely be some helpful tidbits in the instructions and the brine may be different, too. This one is best just for quick "refrigerator" pickles.
John
Ok, Thank You.
Gloria Owings
5 very tasty
John
What does the sugar do in this recipe and can I omit it?
Lori
Hi John, the sugar balances the overall flavor and complements the vinegar. If completely omitted the quick pickles may seem too tart and sour, but you can always give it a try!
Lynn
Anyone do purple cabbage w/ this recipe?