Small Batch Pickled Vegetables
Quick Pickled Vegetables are easy to make with almost any vegetable, and the tangy, crisp bites will elevate salads, sandwiches, charcuterie boards, burgers, carnitas, tacos, burrito-type bowls, stir fries, and more. Great for everyday snacking too!
Ingredients
- 2 cups vegetables like carrots, radishes, pickling cucumbers, red onion, cauliflower, bell peppers, green beans, asparagus, beets, and/or red cabbage
- ½ cup (120ml) water
- ½ cup (120ml) white vinegar*
- 1 teaspoon (5g) kosher or sea salt
- 1 teaspoon (4g) granulated sugar (could substitute honey)
- ¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 to 2 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
- Optional: 1 red chili pepper, split lengthwise (or jalapeño or serrano), a few sprigs of fresh dill, a bay leaf
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables: Make sure they are clean and mostly dry. Slice radishes into coins and carrots into sticks or coins (for sticks make sure they are slightly shorter than the height of the jar; same with green beans and asparagus). Cucumbers can be cut into rounds or spears, cauliflower into bite-size florets, and thinly slice red onion and cabbage.
- In a non-reactive small pot or saucepan, bring the water, vinegar, salt, and sugar to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat as soon as the sugar and salt are dissolved.
- Meanwhile, add the peppercorns, garlic, chile pepper, and herbs, if using, to a clean, pint-size jar—or divide among two 8-ounce jars. Add the raw vegetables, packing them close together, and then pour the hot liquid over to cover. (If you are short on brine, top off with a little water or a 50-50 mix of water and vinegar.)
- Let cool to room temperature, and then cover and refrigerate.
- Storage: The vegetables will be ready to eat after 24 hours, but the flavor will continue to improve over several days. They will keep in the refrigerator for at least one month.
Notes
*For a somewhat different flavor profile, you may substitute another white vinegar like white wine, rice, or white balsamic vinegar (or a mix). Apple cider and red wine vinegar will work as well; they will simply add additional color to the brine.
One batch of brine is enough for 2 (8-ounce) or 1 pint-size jar or similar container if the vegetables are packed fairly tightly. Double the recipe to fill a quart-size canning jar.
About how much per 8-ounce jar? Keep in mind that “one carrot,” for example, can vary greatly in size, but as a good estimate: 1 small bunch radishes, 2 carrots, 1 small or half a large red onion, 2-3 small pickling cucumbers, 1 cup cauliflower florets, etc.
When pickling firmer veggies like carrots, you may simmer them in the pickling liquid for a minute or so if you prefer a slightly softer vegetable. Just be sure not to soften them too much.
To mix or not? You can mix vegetables in the same jar or keep them separate. Keep in mind that vegetables like red onion, radishes, and red cabbage will turn the liquid a pretty shade of red or pink, although you may not want pink cauliflower. (Or maybe you do!)
Add herbs and spices as desired. I love the addition of dill to carrots for example, and a bay leaf adds little something to virtually any pickled vegetable. If you enjoy heat, a fresh chile pepper is the way to go. If you don’t have one, a pinch or three of red pepper flakes may be used instead.
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