Alex and I add pickled veggies to dishes to up the acidity and and create more dynamic meals. These are a great batch cooking item. You can make several varieties all at once, store them in jars and have them at the ready for weeks.
Samin Nosrat wrote in her book Salt Fat Acid Heat that her understanding of the value of acid came gradually. For me, it was a revelation like hers with salt and fat. I remember understanding the importance of a lemon wedge with fried fish or a splash of vinegar with roasted vegetables all of a sudden. Pickled veggies are an easy, convenient way to bring bright acidity to your meals at home.
For the pickle haters…
I’m one of you! Cucumbers should be crunchy and fresh in my book. I will always be frustrated when a sandwich from a restaurant comes soggy from a sliced pickle. Eventually I stopped pulling pickled red onions off my tacos at restaurants, and eventually I converted entirely. Alex and I typically have no fewer than three varieties of pickled veggies in the fridge ready to top salads, sandwiches or tacos. The acidity and tartness brightens up any dish. Please just promise you’ll try at least one of these and see how you feel. If you’re still a hater, we’ll catch you on the next recipe.
The Pickled Vegetables Formula
Our pickled veggies rely on a basic formula of boiling vinegar, water, salt and sugar. Once the mix is boiling, it gets poured over sliced vegetables right in the jar you’ll use to store them. We might add aromatics like peppercorn or garlic, or even switch up the type of vinegar we use, but everything is based on this formula.
Our pickled veggies live in the fridge for weeks. We use them as toppings for everything from cumin-spiced pork to black bean burgers.
If you want to store these in the pantry we recommend checking out this Serious Eats beginners’ guide to canning.
Our favorite quick pickled vegetables…
PrintPickled Jalapenos
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 T salt
- 2 T sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 5–6 jalapenos, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Add jalapenos and smashed garlic to your jar(s).
- Bring all other ingredients to a boil, and pour mixture over jalapenos.
- Allow to cool to lukewarm before sealing and storing in the fridge.
Red Wine Vinegar Pickled Vegetables
Ingredients
- 1 bell pepper, julienned
- 1 red or white onion, thinly sliced
- ½ medium cauliflower, cut into small florets
- Peppercorns
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup white vinegar
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 T salt
- 2 T sugar
Instructions
- Add veggies to the jar(s).
- Bring all other ingredients to a boil, including the peppercorns, and pour over vegetables.
- Allow to cool to lukewarm before sealing and storing in the fridge.
Pickled Red Onions
Ingredients
- 3 – 4 medium red onions, sliced into very thin rings (I recommend using a mandolin at ⅛ inch, if available)
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 T salt
- 2 T sugar
Instructions
- Layer onions into large jar, pressing down to fit them all in.
- Bring all other ingredients to a boil and pour over onions.
- Allow to cool to lukewarm before sealing and storing in the fridge.
I fell in love with pickled red onions via the Goddess Salad at Panera and have been wanting to make them myself for quite some time. Looks super easy!
It really is so simple, and they add the best flavor! Let us know how they come out!