Refrigerator Pickled Zucchini Recipe

Name: Refrigerator Pickled Zucchini Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 25 ounces zucchini ((sliced into ribbons)); 1 teaspoons Kosher salt; 1 cup rice wine vinegar; ½ cup water; 2 tablespoons white sugar; 1 ½ teaspoons pickling spice

July 6, 2021 *Updated* July 6, 2021 / By: Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy 142 Comments

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Is your garden overrun with zucchini? This homemade Refrigerator Pickled Zucchini Recipe is for you.

Zucchini ribbons, pickling brine, and a day or two in the fridge produce the most amazing quick pickles ever.

Old-fashioned refrigerator pickles are the perfect topping for burgers and sandwiches. Have you tried grilled zucchini burgers? Perfect for summer.

A jar of pickled zucchini ribbons ready to eat.

RECIPE and INSTRUCTIONS for these fridge pickles can be found at the bottom of this post.

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Pickled Eggs are still my most popular recipe on the blog. If you have read that post, you would know I am NOT a canner/preserver per se. Quick pickles are my way to a great tasting condiment.

This time of year you can never have too many ways to use the zucchini crop. Although they are delicious, we can only eat so many zucchini muffins.

This Refrigerator Pickled Zucchini Recipe Is Easy

No-cook refrigerator pickles are perfect for people (like me) that don’t want all the work involved in the traditional canning method.

Slice the zucchini into ribbons.
Remove excess liquid (see recipe).
Boil brine (this takes 5 minutes).
Pack zucchini into jars.
Add brine.
Put the lid on the jar.
Place in refrigerator.
In a few days, you will have pickled zucchini.

Zucchini ribbons that have been drained and squeezed, ready to put into jars.

To cut the zucchini into ribbons I used a spiralizer (affiliate). Do you have one? This really is a fun kitchen gadget.

It is great for making zoodles too. Greek Zoodle Salad is a favourite around here. If you are looking to cut some carbs out of your diet, try Zucchini Noodles with Shrimp for an easy weeknight dinner. Have you tried Zucchini Gazpacho?

Pickling brine ready to pour into the jar.

Pickling Tips

Prepare the jars and lids (wash with hot, soapy water, rinse and dry).
I even poured boiling water in mine just to make sure I got all the soap out.
Wash and dry the zucchini before slicing.
Tightly pack the ribbons into jars (leaving a bit of room at the top).
Pour the HOT brine into the packed jars (chances are you will have extra brine).
Lightly tap the jars to remove air bubbles, and top off with additional brine.
Tightly seal the jars.
Let the jars cool before placing in the refrigerator.
Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before eating (pickles improve with age).

Zucchini ribbons and brine in the jar, with pickling spice.

Feel free to experiment with the brine. Some recipes will use equal amounts of vinegar and water. For this pickled zucchini recipe, I used more vinegar than water.

The type of vinegar you use will produce different results as well. I used rice wine vinegar, but you can experiment with white vinegar, cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, or a combination. It is best to avoid concentrated kinds of vinegar like malt or balsamic.

A jar of zucchini pickles read to go into the fridge.

I did not include salt in my brine (but feel free to add some) since I used salt to remove excess liquid in the zucchini ribbons before placing them in the jar. I added a small amount of sugar, but you can omit that if you like.

Pickling spice is the flavouring in this recipe. Feel free to experiment with fresh herbs such as dill, thyme, or rosemary (add them to the jar before pouring in the brine).

Whole spices such as mustard seed, peppercorns, or chili flakes work great in the brine (especially if you want to add a bit of spicy heat). If you like garlic, by all means, add that too.

Here is a great article on common pickling mistakes.

A fork full of refrigerator zucchini pickles .

After a few days in the fridge, I was eager to see how these tasted. Hubby grilled up some Octoberfest sausages for the taste test. I stuffed a bun with that juicy sausage, topped it with honey mustard, and piled on these zucchini pickles. WOW! They had a nice tang, and are the perfect alternative to sauerkraut.

Try making quick pickled onions, they are perfect for burgers and sandwiches. Check out this Homemade Burger Roundup!!

This pickle roundup is packed with lots of great ideas. Did you know you can pickle fruit too?

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Quick Pickle FAQ

How long do refrigerator pickles last?

Normally about two months. They will begin to lose some crunch over time. They should always be kept in the fridge.

Is there a difference between white vinegar and pickling vinegar?

White distilled vinegar is the norm for pickling vinegar.

Can I reuse the pickle brine?

Yes, you can reuse it to make another batch of refrigerator pickles, but not canned/fermented pickles.