Pickles aren't usually considered cool or sexy. In fact, many people (erroneously) believe making pickles is best left to Little House on the Prairie characters (along with canning and sewing quilts). But pickling at home is actually super easy, pretty fun, and a great way to preserve summer's best produce to eat year-round. Plus, pickles add tons of complex, sweet-sour flavor to any dish without adding tons of extra calories. Try out these five flavorful, easy pickle recipes and join the pickling party!

1. 5 EASY PICKLING RECIPES
FROM AROUND THE WEB

2. Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles
Let's start with the basics — these sour pickles are perfect for pairing
with a sandwich or burger. Simmer vinegar, salt, and water and pour
the heated mixture over sliced cukes, spices, garlic, and plenty of dill.
Let the jar sit for 48 hours and enjoy!

3. Pickled Blueberries
We had no idea (until now) that you can pickle fruit! When combined
with vinegar and red onion, bluebs are more savory than sweet. Pair
these sweet-tart berries with cheese, fish, meat, or other sandwich
fillings for a hit of complex flavor (hint: they'd also be bomb-diggety
delicious on a cheese plate).

4. Pickled Mini Bell Peppers
This recipe's a bit more complicated than the others, but the results are
well worth a little extra elbow grease. Roast mini bell peppers (or sliced
regular-sized ones) and then marinate them overnight with
vinegar, onion, garlic, and herbs.

5. Homemade Pickled Onions
This speedy recipe is a guaranteed way to add flavor to
tacos, sandwiches, burgers, omelettes, or pretty much any other
savory dish. Simmer spices, vinegar, sugar, lime juice, and salt
together, then pour the combination over red onions and let the whole
container chill out for an hour. That's all, folks!

6. Mint Pickled Strawberries
Strawberries, mint, vanilla, honey, sugar...and vinegar? Yep, this isn't an
extremely tardy April Fool's joke. Pickling sweet strawberries turns them
a little bit savory, making them perfect for sandwiches or cheese
plates.