These No-Cook Refrigerator Pickles are hands down the easiest homemade pickles you'll find! They feature jalapeno and basil for a unique flavor profile with a hint of heat.
Balancing tart, spicy, and sweet, these unique pickles are beyond easy to make and leave you with a bright and zingy feeling! Perfect as a crunchy and satisfying low-carb snack.
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🩵 About This Recipe
Have you ever wanted to make your own homemade pickles? This recipe makes it super simple to make a delicious jar of refrigerator pickles with no cooking required!
Just let them sit overnight and you'll have a jar of delicious pickles that are flavored exactly to your liking. Add them to sandwiches or burgers or just eat them plain - the unique kick of spicy flavor is just that good!
And if you can't get enough recipes like this, try my Cucumber Salad or a twist on pickles with these Pickled Green Tomatoes.
What readers are saying...
We loved this recipe!!! The pickles turned out amazing.
- Ron
🧂 Gather Your Ingredients
- vinegar - a crucial ingredient for pickling just about anything, this gives pickles their signature tangy and sour flavor.
- sugar - balances the acidity of the vinegar.
- coriander seeds - give a familiar deli-style taste to the pickles.
- garlic - you can use fresh garlic if you prefer, but a nice convenient shortcut is to used minced jarred garlic.
- cucumbers - absorb the brine and transform in flavor and texture over time.
- jalapeno slices - offer some extra flavor and a little kick of spiciness.
- fresh basil - gives your pickles a delicious herbal flavor.
🔪 Let's Make No-Cook Refrigerator Pickles!
(Or click here to jump right to the recipe card with measurements!)
Make Brine
Combine vinegar, coriander, sugar, garlic, and salt in a bowl with water. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Slice Cucumbers
Cut the cucumbers into smaller wedges.
Add Flavors
Add some jalapeno slices and basil leaves to the bottom of the jar.
Arrange Cucumbers
Stuff the cucumbers into the jar over the other ingredients.
Add Brine
Pour enough of the vinegar mixture into the jar to fully cover the cucumbers.
Finish and Jar
Add the rest of the jalapenos and basil, then seal the jar and store in the fridge overnight.
💡 Expert Tips and Tricks
- To speed up the dissolving process for the sugar, you can mix the brine in a pot over medium low heat, whisking frequently.
- Kirby cucumbers and Persian cucumbers will give you the best crunch.
- Increase the amount of sugar for a slightly sweeter result.
- Don't get rid of your pickle brine! Once the pickles are gone, use it as a quick base for another batch of no-cook refrigerator pickles or even a flavorful base for a salad dressing.
❔ FAQs
Typical pickles are heat-canned, which is a specific process for preserving food that extends the shelf life. These pickles do keep well but wouldn't be shelf stable outside of the fridge.
I recommend waiting at least 12 hours to let all of the flavors develop and to let the pickling process work its magic! I make these as overnight pickles so they're ready the next day.
Yes, the pickling process happens regardless of whether or not the pickles are canned with heat. They just won't be as suitable for long-term storage as heat-canned pickles are.
If you like this recipe, you might also be interested in this pickled beetroot recipe! Pickled beetroot is delicious and makes a great side dish or even a salad add-in.
📝 Substitutions and Variations
- Use a different fresh herb like cilantro, dill, or thyme, or use a blend of your favorites to switch up the flavors.
- You can also use this recipe to pickle radishes, carrots, bell peppers, or some red onions alongside the pickles.
- If you like things extra spicy, add some red pepper flakes to the brine.
- Instead of minced garlic, add whole crushed garlic cloves.
Kristin's Kitchen Tip
This recipe can be made without any heat at all, but cooking the brine over a low heat will speed up the sugar dissolving process!
🥡 Storage
Keep these no-cook refrigerator pickles in a mason jar in the fridge. The first two weeks is when the flavor will be best and they'll be crunchiest, but they may be fine for another week or so afterwards.
Keep It Handy
Don't have time for this no-cook refrigerator pickles recipe right now? Click on or tap the heart icon on the BOTTOM RIGHT of the screen to save it for later!
🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
Add overnight pickles to my Blue Cheese Chicken Wraps or these Crock Pot Barbecue Burgers, add them to salads, serve on a charcuterie board, or even serve as a garnish for a Bloody Mary or a spicy margarita!
😋 More No-Cook Recipes You'll Love
- No Bake Mango Cheesecake - You'll love the bright pop of mango flavor in this cheesecake with no cooking required.
- No Bake Cookies - These yummy treats are perfect to customize for any holidays or special events.
- No Bake Cookie Dough Bars - If you're like me and you enjoy eating cookie dough, this is a fun and safe way to do it!
- Refrigerator Cake - Great for special occasions or whenever you're craving a light and sweet dessert.
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Easy Overnight Pickles
⭐ Did you make this recipe? Awesome! I would love to hear from you. Please give it a star rating and review below! 👇
📋 Recipe Card
Jalapeno Garlic Basil Pickles
Ingredients
- 1 cup vinegar
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2-3 cucumbers
- 10 jalapeno slices
- handful of fresh basil leaves (about 20 leaves)
Instructions
- Combine vinegar, water, sugar, coriander seeds, garlic, and salt in a bowl (for the no-cook method). Stir until the sugar dissolves. (To make this process go faster, use a saucepan and heat the vinegar mixture over medium low heat, stirring periodically. Do not boil. Let cool completely before pouring into the jar.)1 cup vinegar, 1 cup hot water, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Cut the cucumbers into wedges that will fit into the jars you will be using to pickle them.2-3 cucumbers
- Place some of the jalapeno slices and basil leaves in the jar. Stuff the cucumbers on top.10 jalapeno slices, handful of fresh basil leaves
- Pour the vinegar mixture into the jar, covering the cucumbers completely.
- Place the rest of the jalapenos and basil in between and on top of the cucumbers.
- Store in the refrigerator for 12 hours before serving.
Notes
- Use pre-minced garlic and pre-sliced jalapeños to cut down on prep time.
- Use Kirby or Persian cucumbers for the best crunch.
- You can swap basil for dill, thyme, or cilantro for a different flavor.
- Add some variety by pickling carrots, radishes, red onions, or bell peppers alongside the cucumbers.
- If desired, add red pepper flakes or more jalapeños for extra heat.
- Increase sugar to 1.5-2 tablespoons for a slightly sweeter flavor.
- Add whole crushed garlic cloves for a bolder garlic flavor.
Additional Serving Suggestions:
- Use the pickles in burgers, sandwiches, or wraps for a crunchy bite.
- Chop your pickles and add to green salads, pasta salads, or grain bowls.
- Serve with cheeses, cured meats, and crackers for a flavorful charcuterie board.
- Use as a garnish for Bloody Marys or spicy margaritas.
How To Handle Leftovers:
- Store in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks for the best flavor and crunch.
- After finishing the pickles, you can reuse the brine for another quick batch of pickles or as a tangy salad dressing base.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
Update Notes: This post was originally published in August 2015, and was republished with tips, step by step photos, and a recipe change in April 2025.
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Tracee Clepper says
The no cook version of the recipe was perfect. I added alittle spring onion to the jalapeño layer. I also water bathed two pints to test the recipe. They sealed fine. The only difference i did was that I added a 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of coriander seeds, a few cloves of garlic, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and an 1/8 teaspoon of pickle crisp to the bottom of the pint jar, add jalapeños to taste then packed the pickle spears into the jar. I heated the brine and poured it in the jars, released the bubbles, sealed with lids and rings and hot water processed for 15 minutes. I basically followed the directions from the Blue Ball cookbook for their dill pickle recipe. Thank you for the recipe and a great way to use up cucumbers and basil when in season.
Kristin King says
So glad you like these pickles! I'm so glad to hear it turned out comparable with your cookbook method. And thanks for stopping by to let me know!