32 Pickling Recipes for the Pickle-Obsessed (2024)

Home Recipes Techniques Preserving Pickling

32 Pickling Recipes for the Pickle-Obsessed (1)

ByAllison T.S. Robicelli

Taste of Home's Editorial Process

Updated: Jan. 04, 2024

    Preserve your summer harvest with these pickling recipes! You can pickle cucumbers, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, green beans, garlic and more.

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    Watermelon Rind Pickles

    “Waste not, want not” has always been smart advice—especially when it produces pickled watermelon rind that’s so refreshing. There are many types of pickles and this for sure is one of a kind! Serve these straight out of the jar at your next backyard barbecue, and be prepared for all your guests to ask for this pickling recipe.

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    If you were wondering, you can also find out if pickles are good for you.

    2/32

    Pickled Carrots and Daikon

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    3/32

    Garlic Dill Pickle Recipe

    Is there a type of pickle more iconic than garlic and dill? This recipe makes three 1-quart jars: eat one with these homemade pastrami sandwiches, another with Gouda turkey clubs and one all by itself with your bare hands. There’s a reason this is one of our favorite pickling recipes!

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    Also check: What’s sweet, sour, spicy, and red all over? Achamoy pickle, the latest viral recipe taking over TikTok.

    4/32

    Pickled Strawberries

    I developed a unique healthy recipe to feature my most-loved spring and summer fruit. My favorite way to serve these pickled strawberries is as an appetizer with cheese. —Roxanne Chan, Albany, California

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    5/32

    Refrigerator Dill Pickles

    Easy and economical, refrigerator dill pickles are tangy, zesty and crispy. No one will believe you made them yourself! —Jake Haen, Ocala, Florida

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    6/32

    Pickled Corn

    When fresh corn is in season and you’re overeating it straight off the cob, try making pickled corn instead! —Amanda Phillips, Portland, Oregon

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    7/32

    Taste of Home

    Pickled Brussels Sprouts

    Brussels sprouts are delicious and versatile—they’re good when roasted, grilled and even raw. It should be no surprise that these sprouts are also outstanding when pickled with garlic, onion and a pinch of chili flakes.

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    8/32

    Pickled Eggs

    Ever since I can remember, my mother served this pickled egg recipe at Easter. It was a tradition that my family expected. I made them for my granddaughter the last time she visited and they were all gone before she left. —Mary Banker, Fort Worth, Texas

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    9/32

    Pickled Green Tomatoes

    I had no clue what to do with all the green tomatoes from my garden until my husband said to pickle them. I thought he was nuts, but they are fantastic! Making pickled green tomatoes is a wonderful way to keep your garden produce from going to waste. —Lori Eaton, Downs, Kansas

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    10/32

    Pickled Jalapenos

    I started canning Hungarian hot and mild peppers with my dad every year, but they are hard to find in California, so I now make pickled jalapenos instead. They stay crunchy, unlike the mushy kind you find at the store. —Lou Kostura, Belmont, California

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    11/32

    Homemade Pickling Spice

    In the mood for pickling recipes, but don’t have store-bought pickling spice on hand? There’s a good chance that you already have the ingredients to make this homemade version. Then, get ready to make all kinds of pickled vegetables.

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    12/32

    Pickled Carrots

    My mother is the only other person I’ve known to make this recipe. In fact, when I take it to a potluck or picnic, no one has ever heard of pickled carrots. But once they try them, they are hooked. —Robin Koble, Fairview, Pennsylvania

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    13/32

    Best Ever Sweet Pickles Recipe photo by Taste of Home

    Best Ever Sweet Pickles

    These pickle rounds are refreshing, crunchy and utterly irresistible. Chop the pickles up and stir into old-fashioned egg salad, or use them as a sweet-and-sour accent on top of spicy cheeseburgers.

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    14/32

    Pickled Sweet Peppers

    This pickled pepper recipe uses a mix of red bell peppers and banana peppers for a variety of flavor and color. You can make this recipe using any type of peppers from the store or even hot peppers from the garden.

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    15/32

    Taste of Home

    Pickled Peaches

    Fresh peach quarters pickled with sugar and warm spices is a classic southern treat. Serve these tart pickled peaches with homemade ice cream, fresh baked buttermilk pound cake or roasted meats like pork chops.

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    16/32

    Spiced Pickled Beets

    One of our favorite pickling recipes, these sweet-and-sour pickled beets are infused with warm autumn spices—which, quite honestly, are welcome all year round. Try serving them on toothpicks with a piece of nutty cheese, like Gouda.

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    17/32

    Pickled Green Beans

    These zippy little pickles have a spicy bite thanks to a generous amount of cayenne pepper. Try them in Bloody Mary for a brunch co*cktail that will really wake you up!

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    18/32

    Pickled Red Onions

    Everyone should have a jar of this pickled red onion recipe in their refrigerator at all times. I put them on everything and they keep for weeks, if they last that long. —James Schend, Taste of Home Deputy Editor

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    19/32

    Pickled Asparagus Recipe

    Looking for a pickle recipe that’s familiar, yet different? Instead of using a classic garlic-dill pickle brine with cucumbers, try this recipe that uses asparagus instead.

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    20/32

    Pickled Green Tomato Relish

    Got a big bushel of unripe tomatoes, but can only eat so many fried green tomatoes? This relish recipe will put that bumper crop to good use.

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    21/32

    Bread and Butter Pickles

    These old-fashioned bread and butter pickles are ideal for making crispy air-fryer pickles, and are great for adding some cooling contrast to this recipe for chipotle chili sloppy joes. You’ll never be able to settle for store-bought again.

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    22/32

    Pickled Cabbage

    My mother picked up this pickled cabbage recipe in Pennsylvania, and as long as I can remember, there was always a “bucket” of slaw in the refrigerator. Now I have an old stoneware butter crock in my refrigerator filled with the same!

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    23/32

    Dill Pickle Recipe

    Grandma knew a thing or two about pickling recipes. Once you’re done eating these amazing pickles, don’t throw out the brine. There are all kinds of ways to use leftover pickle juice, like as a tenderizing meat marinade or a co*cktail ingredient. (This is how to make a dirty martinis!)

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    24/32

    Pickled Apples

    These easy pickled apples are perfect alongside a pork entree or salad, or with a charcuterie cheese board. —Rashanda Cobbins, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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    25/32

    Tangy Pickled Mushrooms

    This basic pickled mushroom recipe is lightly seasoned with dried tarragon, but if you like your pickles bursting with herbal flavors, feel free to add more. You can also use dried basil, oregano, herbes de Provence or any other herb or spice you enjoy.

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    26/32

    Sweet and Sour Zucchini Pickles

    Pickled zucchini is a great way to use up all those green beauties in your garden. And if you’ve never tried growing your own zucchini, give it a shot. It’s even easier than you think!

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    27/32

    Taste of Home

    Refrigerator Pickles

    This easy refrigerator pickles recipe is a great way to use cucumbers and onions from the garden. Here in upstate New York, we have an abundance of cucumbers. —Catherine Seibold, Elma, New York

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    28/32

    Taste of Home

    Spicy Pickled Garlic

    Raw garlic cloves are too harsh to eat on their own, but when pickled, the flavors mellow significantly. Try popping one of these pickled cloves in your next Gibson instead of using a co*cktail onion.

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    You can eat bread and butter pickles with just about anything. But if you need more ideas, here are some good ones: Add chopped pickles to tuna salad (or add sliced pickles to a tuna melt); mix them into tartar sauce instead of dill pickles; eat them straight out of the jar!

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    30/32

    Taste of Home

    Grapes might not be the most obvious choice for a canned pickle recipe, but once you taste these pickled red grapes, you’ll wish you’d known about them sooner. The pickling liquid for these grapes includes red wine, vinegar and common pickling spices like coriander, mustard seeds and hot pepper; it also contains warm spices like cinnamon and star anise along with brown sugar. The flavor-packed grapes are delicious on an antipasto platter or on a fruit and cheese board.

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    31/32

    Homemade Pickles

    My husband grows cucumbers, garlic and dill in the garden and eagerly waits for me to make these homemade pickles. The recipe comes from my grandmother.—Angela Lienhard, Blossburg, Pennsylvania

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    32/32

    Pickled Peppers Recipe

    You can pickle any pepper with this recipe from Ball brand, the grandfather of home canning products. It’s hard to go wrong with jalapeno, but banana peppers and other types of peppers are on the table, too.

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    Originally Published: June 12, 2019

    Author

    Allison T.S. Robicelli

    Formerly the chef-owner of Robicelli’s Bakery, Allison is a James Beard-nominated food writer. At Taste of Home, she tests kitchen tools with the hands-on insight she gained from her time as a professional chef. Her cookbook “Robicelli’s: A Love Story, With Cupcakes” was published in 2013 and appeared on several Best Cookbooks of the Year l...

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    32 Pickling Recipes for the Pickle-Obsessed (33)

    32 Pickling Recipes for the Pickle-Obsessed (2024)

    FAQs

    What is the 321 method of pickling? ›

    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.

    What are the ratios for pickling? ›

    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. So for example, 200g vinegar, 100g water, 50g sugar and 25g kosher salt (again, you can scale this up or down!).

    What are the best vegetables to pickle? ›

    Beyond the classic cucumbers, other fruits and vegetables that work well for pickles include asparagus, beets, bell peppers, blueberries, cauliflower, carrots, cherries, fennel, ginger, grapes, green beans, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, peaches, peppers, radishes, ramps, rhubarb, strawberries, squash, tomatoes, turnips, ...

    What is the secret of pickles? ›

    Here are 10 tips for crunchy pickles:
    • Choose Freshly Harvested Cucumbers. As soon as cucumbers are picked, the softening process begins. ...
    • Use the Right Cucumber Varieties. ...
    • Cut off the Ends of Cucumbers. ...
    • Soak Cucumbers in Ice Water. ...
    • Use Calcium Chloride. ...
    • Add a Source of Tannin. ...
    • Use Enough Salt. ...
    • Don't Add Bacteria.

    What is the best pickling solution? ›

    Any basic vinegar is game — white vinegar, apple cider, white wine, and rice vinegar all work well. You can use these vinegars alone or in combination. Steer clear of aged or concentrated vinegars like balsamic or malt vinegar for pickling.

    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 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 best vinegar to use 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 percentage of vinegar for pickling? ›

    Vinegar used for pickling must at least 5% acidity. Look at the label to be sure that the vinegar you are using is 5% acidity. Sometimes vinegar will be labeled as grain; 5% acidity is the same as 50 grain. Most white and cider vinegars used for making pickles and salsa are 5% acidity, but not all.

    What makes pickles taste better? ›

    The taste of your pickled vegetables can be greatly changed by toasting spices. This is because toasting spices cause the natural oils of a spice to be released, which in turn amplifies the flavors. Start the toasting process by placing a dry skillet over medium heat, then add your spices to the pan.

    Do I have to boil vinegar for pickling? ›

    No, there are other methods for pickling, including quick pickling and refrigerator pickling. But this pickling method does call for boiling the brine. This process helps bloom the flavors of the ingredients and help speed up the pickling process when it's added to the fresh vegetables or fruit.

    Why do pickle jars not say pickle? ›

    Olive all use the term on their websites, in advertisem*nts, and in the product descriptions of their pickle varieties. When asked why the word isn't on the front of the jars, all three companies provided nearly the same answer: They feel the word “pickle” isn't necessary on pickles packaged in clear glass containers.

    What country eats the most pickles? ›

    Germans eat the most pickles in the world. The Netherlands is number three. Americans eat their share of pickles.

    What is a fun fact about pickles? ›

    Pickling is one of the oldest forms of food preservation, discovered at the dawn of civilization, thousands of years ago in Mesopotamia. North Americans prefer pickles with warts. Europeans prefer wartless pickles. Refrigerated pickles account for about 20 percent of all pickle sales.

    What are the three methods of pickling? ›

    There are three general methods for vinegar-brine pickling: quick-pickling, salt-brine pickling and the vinegar-brine soak and rinse method. Within those methods, there exist many variations, recipes and approaches to make things like relishes and chutneys.

    What are the 4 methods of pickling? ›

    There are four general methods for pickling: quick, salt-brined, vinegar-brined and fermented. Within those basic pickling techniques, there exist many variations to pickle different vegetables and fruits and to make relishes and chutneys.

    What are the 4 types of pickling? ›

    The many varieties of pickled and fermented foods are classified by ingredients and method of preparation. The four general classes are: brined or fermented, fresh-pack or quick-process, fruit and relishes. Caution: The level of acidity in a pickled product is as important to its safety as it is to taste and texture.

    What is the basic pickling formula? ›

    Use this BA-endorsed formula as a brine base for pretty much everything: Bring 1 cup distilled white vinegar, 2 Tbsp. kosher salt, 2 tsp. sugar, up to 2 Tbsp. spices (e.g., peppercorns, coriander seeds, and/or mustard seeds), and 2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan.

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