Low salt dill pickles deliver that bright, deli-style crunch with much less sodium than traditional dills. This tested canning recipe from the Ball Blue Book balances full-strength vinegar, sugar, and pickling spice to give real pickle flavor without the heavy salt taste.
This recipe has been reviewed for safety and accuracy by a Master Food Preserver certified through the University of Cornell Cooperative Extension.
If you want home-canned dill pickle slices but need to cut back on sodium, this low salt dill pickle recipe is a reliable option. It’s not just the regular recipe with the salt removed—salt contributes to flavor and texture, so reducing it requires reworking the brine. This Ball Blue Book version does that by using only five percent vinegar for the liquid and leaning on sugar and pickling spice to round the flavors.
The result is tangy, slightly sweet, and very sandwich-friendly without the intense salty bite of classic hamburger dills. These pickles read more sweet-tart than sharply salty, making them a good choice when you want crunch and brightness without extra sodium.
Notes from My Kitchen
These aren’t salt-free pickles, but they are much lower in sodium than traditional dill recipes. Because sugar helps replace some of salt’s role, the brine tastes more sweet-tart than purely briny. Pickling spice adds a warm deli background while fresh dill keeps the flavor anchored in classic dill territory rather than becoming a bread-and-butter style.
The fresh dill heads help avoid the sweeter gherkin profile even with more sugar in the brine. The recipe yields about six pints—enough for sandwich season and a few jars to share. If you’ve never canned a reduced-sodium pickle, this is a good, tested place to start.
Quick Look at the Recipe
- Recipe Name: Low Salt Dill Pickles
- Recipe Type: Cucumber pickle
- Canning Method: Water bath canning
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Canning Time: 15 minutes (longer at altitude)
- Yield: About 6 pints
- Jar Sizes: Pints only (not tested for quarts)
- Headspace: 1/2 inch
- Ingredients Overview: Pickling cucumbers, 5% white vinegar, sugar, pickling/canning salt, pickling spice, fresh dill (optional Pickle Crisp)
- Source: Ball Blue Book (tested for safety)
- Difficulty: Easy — a raw-pack pickle, no overnight brine required
Ingredients for Low Salt Dill Pickles
This recipe differs from many dill pickle recipes because it does not use a diluted vinegar brine. Instead, it uses full-strength (5%) vinegar, extra sugar for balance, and pickling spice to preserve the deli-style profile while keeping sodium low.
- Pickling cucumbers: Small firm cukes, about 3–5 inches. Use about 4 pounds for the batch.
- White vinegar: Six cups of 5% acidity white vinegar. Use commercial 5% vinegar for safety. Cider vinegar (5%) is an acceptable swap if you prefer.
- Granulated sugar: Three cups. With reduced salt, sugar softens the sharp edges of vinegar and balances the brine.
- Canning or pickling salt: Two tablespoons. This recipe contains a modest amount of salt to maintain pickle character; use pickling salt for a clearer brine.
- Pickling spice: Two tablespoons, tied in a spice bag so the brine gets a warm, deli-like background without sediment in the jars.
- Fresh dill: Six dill heads, one per pint jar. If fresh heads aren’t available, use about 1/2 teaspoon dill seed per jar.
- Pickle Crisp (optional): Calcium chloride (Pickle Crisp) at 1/8 teaspoon per pint helps maintain crunch without adding sodium.
Tips for Crisp Pickles
Start with the freshest cucumbers and can them soon after picking. Trim about 1/16 inch off both ends of each cucumber before slicing to remove enzymes that can soften the flesh. If possible, keep cucumbers chilled while you prepare the brine to limit time spent warm before processing.
How to Make Low Salt Dill Pickles
This is a raw-pack method: cold cucumbers go into hot jars and you pour hot brine over them. Have jars, lids, and all ingredients ready before you heat the brine.
Prepare the Canner and Jars
Fill a water bath canner about halfway and bring to a simmer. Wash pint jars in hot, soapy water, rinse, and keep them hot until filling (in the simmering canner or a sink of hot water). Set lids and bands nearby.
Prep the Cucumbers
Rinse cucumbers well, drain, trim 1/16 inch from both ends, and slice into 1/4 inch rounds. Use a mandoline for uniform slices or a sharp knife if you prefer. If your kitchen is warm, chill the slices briefly before packing.
Make the Pickling Brine
Put the pickling spice in a small cheesecloth or muslin bag. Combine the vinegar, sugar, and canning salt in a large saucepan and add the spice bag. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and simmer about 15 minutes to infuse the brine. Remove and discard the spice bag and keep the brine hot until ready to fill jars.
Pack and Brine the Jars
Pack cucumber slices into hot pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Add one fresh dill head (or 1/2 teaspoon dill seed) per jar and 1/8 teaspoon Pickle Crisp if using. Ladle hot brine over the cucumbers, maintaining 1/2 inch headspace. Release trapped air with a bubble remover or chopstick and top off brine if needed.
Wipe rims with a clean damp towel, center lids, and screw bands fingertip tight. If you prefer not to can, cool jars to room temperature and refrigerate. For shelf-stable storage, proceed with processing.
Canning Low Salt Dill Pickles
Because this recipe reduces salt and changes the brine, processing time is longer than many cucumber pickle recipes. Process pint jars for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath canner at sea level, adjusting time for altitude (see notes). The canner water should cover jars by at least 1 inch and timing begins after the water returns to a full rolling boil. After processing, turn off heat, remove the lid, and let jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes. Transfer to a towel-lined surface and cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours, then check seals.
Altitude Adjustments
Process times increase with elevation:
- 0 to 1,000 feet: 15 minutes
- 1,001 to 6,000 feet: 20 minutes
- Above 6,000 feet: 25 minutes
Yield Notes
Four pounds of pickling cucumbers yields about six pints. Exact yield varies by cucumber size and packing density; smaller uniform cukes pack more efficiently and you may have a partial extra jar for fridge use. This recipe is tested for pint jars in a raw pack; half pints are acceptable (process the same time), but quarts are not recommended for this formula.
Serving Ideas
These low salt dill pickle slices shine on sandwiches—burgers, BLTs, ham and cheese, turkey, or egg salad—adding crunch and bright flavor without heavy salt. They also work chopped into tartar sauce, potato or pasta salads, deviled eggs, or served with cheese and crackers. Save the brine to quick-pickle onions or radishes in the refrigerator. Allow jars at least 2–3 weeks for flavors to mellow and develop before opening.
Low Salt Dill Pickle FAQs
Yes. Follow the tested Ball Blue Book recipe and use 5% vinegar exactly as written. Vinegar acidity is the safety-critical factor in canned pickles; do not change vinegar ratios or use lower-acidity vinegars for shelf-stable canning.
No—do not reduce the salt further for a shelf-stable canned recipe. The current amounts are tested to keep the product safe and properly flavored.
With salt reduced, sugar helps round the sharp vinegar bite and balances the brine so the pickles don’t taste harsh. The finished flavor is more sweet-tart than candy-sweet.
You can add small amounts of those ingredients, and many reduced-sodium recipes include them. To stay closest to the Ball Blue Book profile, keep the recipe dill-forward and use extras sparingly.