Quick pickles are a great way to put your extra veggies to use! You can pickle just about anything, and it’s an excellent addition or side to sandwiches, salads, or a snack. They last for weeks and enable you to enjoy vegetables all throughout the year.
Most pickling recipes call for a combination of vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and a variety of herbs. This is your brine. You can use the same brine for a variety of vegetables, or create special brines for special vegetables with their own unique blend of herbs. The possibilities are endless!
Photo by Jeff Roffman | The Kitchn
Ingredients
Serving Size: 2 quarts (2 large 32 oz. mason jars)
Brine
1 ½ cups of vinegar (can be white, apple, or rice or a combo)
2 ½ cups of water
¼ cup of salt
2 TBS white sugar
Optional: 2-3 peeled cloves of garlic, fresh ginger thinly sliced
Vegetables of your choice (about 2 pounds total)
Thinly sliced matchsticks: red onions, beets, carrots, turnips, cucumber, asparagus, summer squash
Sliced like coins: carrots, cucumber, asparagus
Whole: beans, okra, dill cucumbers, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes
**Note on color: garlic might turn blue due to minerals in the water or your pots; to keep green veggies green, do a quick blanch in hot water before pickling
Herbs of your choice (about ⅓ - ¼ cup total)
Dried: bay leaves, thyme, dill, rosemary, oregano
Fresh: dill, thyme, oregano, rosemary
Whole: Peppercorns, Coriander seeds, mustard seeds, red pepper flakes, fennel seeds
Ground spices: turmeric, smoked paprika (good for color and flavor)
Photo by Tieghan | Half Baked Harvest
Example combinations:
Brine + Cucumbers + garlic, dill see, red pepper flakes
Brine + Carrots + coriander, ginger, turmeric, thyme
Brine + Green Beans + garlic, fresh dill
Brine + Cherry Tomatoes + peppercorns, garlic
Brine + Squash + red onions, garlic
Rinse your jars! Just in case.
Cut desired vegetables into shape.
Divide and put herbs and optional garlic/ginger amongst your jars.
Add your vegetables to the jars. Leave about 1/2 inch of space from the top. Pack as many as you can without smashing. Time to test your Tetris skills.
Make your brine! Pour ingredients into a pot over high heat. Stir until sugar and salt are dissolved.
Pour brine over vegetables into jars. It’s ok if you don’t use all the brine!
Tap the jars to release any air bubbles. Screw lid on tight and let jars cool to room temperature before placing them in the refrigerator.
Pickled vegetables’ flavor will improve with time. Wait at least 2 days before tasting!
Adapted recipe from Foodal, Half Baked Harvest, and The Kitchn
