Quick-Pickled Cauliflower

If you are looking to add more veggies to your plate, quick-pickled is a fun, easy method for preparing a big pile of veggies to enjoy all week long. Honestly, you can quick-pickle a wide variety of vegetables, but here I’m going to show you how I like to pickle a head of cauliflower.

It’s helpful to have an actual canning jar (that can tolerate high temp liquids) on hand like these 1.5 liter Weck jars and these easy, no-fuss lids so that you can pour the heated liquid directly into the jar, and store it in the fridge easily. No problem, though if you don’t have that. You can also use any pot you have on hand, and simply let the mixture cool before you pour it into your dish/jar of choice for storage.

Here are a couple of ways to enjoy this sweet, tangy, and crunchy side dish:

• added to a pasta salad, like the one pictured below (an easy way to add plenty of tangy, acidic zip to your pasta salad AND boost the veggie content for a more balanced, fiber-rich pasta salad)
• as a side to just about any meal – this one works with breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

make it your own

In my version of quick-pickled cauliflower, I’ve added flavor with the addition of mustard seeds and black peppercorns. Feel free to experiment with other spices if you like (ground or whole)! You could also add fresh herbs, dried herbs, garlic, or peeled and sliced fresh giner.

enoy it in a pasta salad

Print Recipe

Quick-Pickled Cauliflower

Course

Salads & Side Dishes

Servings

Ingredients

• 1 small to medium head of cauliflower chopped into small, bite-sized pieces
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
• 4 tablespoons sugar (=1/4 cup)
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns

Course Salads & Side Dishes Servings Ingredients 1 small to medium head of cauliflower chopped into small, bite-sized pieces 1 1/2 cups water 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar 4 tablespoons sugar (=1/4 cup) 2 tablespoons kosher salt 2 tablespoons mustard seeds 1 teaspoon black peppercorns

Instructions

1. Pack cauliflower in roomy jar* (I used a 1.5 liter Weck-brand jar). * NOTE: If you do not have an actual "canning" jar (which can tolerate hot liquids), use a large bowl or pot instead at this point. Later, after your mixture has cooled, you can pack it in any jar that fits.
2. Combine vinegar, water, salt, sugar, and spices in pot and bring to simmer until salt and sugar dissolve.
3. Pour immediately over cauliflower. Allow mixture to cool. Store in refrigerator. You can enjoy soon afterward, but the flavor really takes off and is more fully developed about 48 hours in. The pickled cauliflower will keep for a month in the fridge (though I am sure you will have eaten it all by then - too good to last!).