Gluten Free

Pickled Eggs

By Amy Flanigan

Updated May 26, 2026

Read 22 Reviews

Prep 8 minutes mins

Cook 10 minutes mins

Servings 10 servings

By Amy Flanigan

Updated May 26, 2026

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These easy pickled eggs are a simple refrigerator pickled eggs recipe made with a tangy vinegar brine and absolutely no canning required. This old-fashioned recipe is so easy and so good! After a few days in the fridge, the eggs turn flavorful, zippy, and perfectly snackable with a firm white and creamy yolk center. They’re an easy make-ahead snack that’s great for meal prep, salads, charcuterie boards, sandwiches, or just grabbing straight from the jar whenever you want a quick protein-packed bite.

Usually, around Easter time, when everyone is decorating their eggs, I’m over here pickling mine. HA. Honestly, though, I make these refrigerator pickled eggs all year long because my family loves them just as much as my soy sauce eggs and beet pickled eggs. They’re such an easy grab-and-go snack, and I love that refrigerator pickling is simple and safe for casual home cooks since there’s no canning involved. After about 3 days in the fridge, the eggs develop that classic tangy flavor with firm whites, creamy yolks, and a vinegary bite that slowly mellows the longer they sit. I actually think they taste even better after several days because the flavor keeps deepening over time. Compared to shelf-stable canned pickled eggs, these refrigerator pickled eggs taste fresher, brighter, and have a much better texture, too.

Helpful Tips

• Use slightly older eggs. Fresh eggs are harder to peel cleanly, while slightly older eggs usually peel much more easily and give you smoother-looking pickled eggs.
• Don’t skip the ice bath. Transferring the eggs to ice water stops the cooking process and helps prevent chalky yolks or that gray-green ring around the outside.
• Let the eggs pickle for at least 3 days. The eggs need time to absorb the brine. They’ll taste lightly tangy after a few days, but the flavor becomes deeper and more balanced after about 5-7 days.
• Keep the eggs fully submerged in the brine. Any exposed spots can dry out or pickle unevenly. If needed, gently press the eggs down or use a smaller jar so everything stays covered.
• Use glass jars or non-reactive containers. Vinegar can react with certain metals and affect the flavor of the brine over time.
• Expect the flavor to get stronger as they sit. The vinegary bite mellows, and the seasoning becomes more developed after several days in the refrigerator.
• Don’t overcook the eggs. Overcooked hard-boiled eggs can turn rubbery once they sit in the pickling brine. Aim for firm whites with creamy yolks.
• Always store the eggs in the fridge. This is not a shelf-stable canning recipe, so the eggs should stay refrigerated the entire time.

4.96 from 22

Pickled Eggs

Prep: 8 minutes mins

Cook: 10 minutes mins

Chill: 8 hours hrs

Total: 8 hours hrs 18 minutes mins

Servings: 10 servings

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This old fashioned recipe for Pickled Eggs is super easy to make and a perfect lip-smacking snack or condiment for salads!

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 10 large eggs
• ▢ cold water and ice
• ▢ 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 1 cup water
• ▢ ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 tbsp pickling spice
• ▢ 1 tsp salt
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• ▢ 1 large bay leaf
• ▢ red onion, a few slivers
• ▢ a few small fresh dill sprigs

Instructions 

• Gently place 10 large eggs in a single layer at the bottom of a medium pot – make sure they're not crowded. Fill with cold water to cover eggs by 1-2 inches. Heat the pot on high and bring the water to a rolling boil. Once it starts boiling, turn off the heat, remove the pan from the burner, cover, and let sit for 12 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to a large bowl filled with water and ice and let cool for 10 minutes. (This will cool them quickly and prevent further cooking, plus make them easier to peel.)
• Peel and proceed with making the brine.
• In a medium saucepan, mix together 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 cup water, ⅓ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon pickling spice, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil; then reduce heat to low until the sugar has dissolved. Mix in 2 cloves peeled and smashed garlic and 1 bay leaf; remove from heat and let cool slightly.
• Fill a clean tall 1-liter glass jar with your peeled eggs. Tuck in some sliced red onion and fresh dill sprigs.
• Pour the warm brine over the eggs to cover.
• Loosely fasten with the lid. Let cool to room temperature, tighten the seal, then store in the refrigerator.
• The eggs can be eaten after only a few hours of marinating, but for best results allow them to pickle for a couple days. Use as desired. They’re great for snacking or cut up in salads!

Notes

• This is a refrigerator pickled eggs recipe and does not require canning.
• Let the eggs pickle for at least 3 days for the best flavor.
• The flavor will continue to deepen and mellow the longer the eggs sit.
• Keep the eggs fully submerged in the brine for even pickling.
• Slightly older eggs peel more easily than very fresh eggs.
• Don’t skip the ice bath, or the eggs can overcook and become rubbery.
• Store the eggs in a glass jar or other non-reactive container.
• Always keep pickled eggs refrigerated. They are not shelf-stable.
• Apple cider vinegar gives the brine a slightly sweeter, milder flavor than white vinegar.
• Add jalapeños, extra garlic, dill, or red pepper flakes for extra flavor variation.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 105kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 186mg | Sodium: 307mg | Potassium: 95mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 274IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.

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How to Make Pickled Eggs Step by Step

Hard-boil the eggs: Place 10 large eggs in a single layer in a medium pot, making sure they aren’t crowded. Cover the eggs with cold water by about 1-2 inches, then bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat. As soon as the water reaches a full boil, turn off the heat, remove the pot from the burner, cover, and let the eggs sit for 12 minutes.

Cool and peel the eggs: Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to a large bowl filled with ice and cold water. Let them cool for about 10 minutes, or until the eggs are cool enough to handle. This stops the cooking process, helps prevent rubbery whites and chalky yolks, and makes the eggs easier to peel. Gently peel the eggs and set aside.

Make the pickling brine: In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 cup water, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 1 tbsp pickling spice, and 1 tsp salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar fully dissolves and the brine smells fragrant and tangy. Stir in the 2 peeled and crushed garlic cloves and 1 large bay leaf, then remove the saucepan from the heat and let the brine cool slightly for a few minutes.

Fill the jar and cover with brine: Place the peeled eggs into a clean 1-liter glass jar, then tuck in a few slivers of red onion and a few small fresh dill sprigs around the eggs. Carefully pour the warm brine over the eggs until they are completely submerged. The eggs may shift slightly as you pour, which is perfectly normal.

Cool, seal, and store: Loosely place the lid on the jar and let everything cool to room temperature before sealing tightly and transferring to the refrigerator. The eggs can be eaten after just a few hours, but for the best tangy flavor, let them pickle in the refrigerator for at least 3 days. The flavor will continue to deepen and mellow over time. Enjoy them as a quick snack or sliced and chopped into salads, sandwiches, grain bowls, or charcuterie boards.

Variations & Substitutions

• Swap the apple cider vinegar for white vinegar if you prefer a sharper, more classic pickled flavor. Apple cider vinegar gives the brine a slightly sweeter, mellower taste.
• Add sliced jalapeños, crushed red pepper flakes, or a few dashes of hot sauce if you want a spicy version.
• Add extra flavor with fresh dill sprigs, additional garlic cloves, mustard seeds, peppercorns, or even a pinch of celery seed.
• Use red onion, sweet onion, or shallots, depending on the flavor you prefer. Red onion adds a little extra color and mild sharpness.
• Add sliced cooked beets to the jar for extra earthy sweetness and a gorgeous pink-purple color.
• Want a colorful version? Try these Beet Pickled Eggs. They have a beautiful, deep magenta color and a slightly sweeter, earthy flavor from the beets.
• If you love marinated eggs, these Soy Sauce Eggs are another favorite. The soft, jammy eggs soak up a savory, umami-rich soy sauce mixture that’s perfect for ramen, rice bowls, and snacks.

Serving Suggestions

I honestly eat these straight from the jar most of the time because they make such an easy protein-packed snack, but they’re also great chopped into salads and grain bowls for extra tangy flavor. I love dicing them into my cobb salad recipe or mixing them into warm sushi rice for an easy lunch bowl situation. 

Sandwiches

Pickled eggs are surprisingly good on sandwiches and toast, too. I love slicing them onto hash brown avocado toast for breakfast or layering thin slices onto sandwiches like this prosciutto wrapped turkey panini for a little extra tangy bite. You can even use them to make a fun twist on classic deviled eggs. The pickled flavor gives the filling a brighter, more vinegary kick that’s honestly hard to stop eating.

How to Store Leftovers

Fridge. You can eat the eggs after just a few hours of marinating, but letting them pickle for 1-5 days gives the salty vinegar brine time to soak into the eggs and develop a deeper, tangier flavor. Once you seal the jar tightly, the pickled eggs will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of months.

More Protein-Packed Snack Ideas

• Classic Deviled Eggs: These creamy classic deviled eggs are always a crowd favorite and a great way to use hard-boiled eggs for holidays, parties, and easy snacking.
• Italian Antipasto Charcuterie Board: This loaded charcuterie board is filled with cured meats, cheeses, olives, and pickled favorites that pair perfectly with tangy pickled eggs.
• Classic Potato Salad with Egg: Creamy potato salad with hard-boiled eggs makes the perfect summer side dish for cookouts, picnics, and potlucks.
• Best Tuna Salad: This easy tuna salad is creamy, flavorful, and perfect for sandwiches, wraps, crackers, or quick protein-packed lunches.

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