What Can Replace Pickles When You Don't Have Any?

If you have no pickles, refrigerator pickles, sauerkraut, capers, or brined olives can add acidity and salt in different ways. They are not identical in texture or flavor.

Quick pickles. For vinegar-based refrigerator pickles, follow a tested recipe for your vegetable, including vinegar acidity and the amounts of water, salt, and vegetables. Do not regard one cup of vinegar and one cup of water as a safe ratio for every quantity of vegetables. Follow the recipe's cooling and refrigerated-storage instructions; do not treat the product as shelf-stable canned food.

Other substitutes. Sauerkraut brings a different flavor, while capers and olives can be intensely salty. Start with a little and adjust the dish's salt accordingly. Use a clean utensil to remove food from the jar.

Fermentation and probiotics. Quick vinegar pickling and fermentation are different processes. Fermented food may contain live cultures, but fermentation alone does not establish a probiotic benefit; pasteurization can also affect live cultures. Do not generalize one storage life to all pickles; follow the label or tested recipe.