Pickled Cauliflower

Cauliflower is one of the most versatile vegetables out there. You can serve it raw with your favorite healthy dips or use it as a low-carb substitute in comfort food sides like cheesy cauliflower breadsticks or cauliflower mashed potatoes. Once you learn how to pickle cauliflower, you’ll realize it makes a great pickle too.

Pickled cauliflower recipes take more patience than effort to make. (And even regarding patience, it doesn’t take much!) Soon you’ll find yourself keeping it in the fridge all summer long, right next to your pickled red onions and pickled corn.

Ingredients for Pickled Cauliflower

• Cauliflower: This recipe makes enough brine to pickle about two small heads of cauliflower. Cut the cauliflower into small florets to make them easier to pack into jars.
• Onion: You can use any type of onion, but we like sweet onions to add a subtle sweetness to the pickling brine.
• Vinegar: White vinegar brings acidity and tang to pickled cauliflower recipes.
• Sugar and salt: These ingredients balance the vinegar, ensuring the cauliflower pickling recipe tastes well-seasoned and not too acidic. Make sure to use canning or pickling salt, which doesn’t contain additives that could make the brine cloudy.
• Pickling spices: Mustard seeds, crushed red pepper flakes, celery seeds and ground turmeric add color and flavor.

Directions

Step 1: Combine the raw vegetables

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Place the cauliflower and onion in a large bowl. Make sure to choose a bowl big enough to hold a few cups of liquid in addition to the vegetables.

Step 2: Prepare the brine

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In a saucepan, combine the white vinegar, water, sugar, canning salt, mustard seed, crushed red pepper flakes, celery seed and ground turmeric.

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Bring the mixture to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and simmer until the sugar dissolves, one to two minutes.

Step 3: Pour the brine over the vegetables

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Pour the brine over the cauliflower and onion. Set aside and let cool.

Step 4: Refrigerate before serving

Cover the bowl, or transfer the mixture to jars and seal tightly. Refrigerate at least two hours before serving.

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Pickled Cauliflower Variations

• Try different spice combinations: Try using other spices, like yellow curry powder or garlic powder.
• Add more veggies: Carrots, celery, banana peppers, shallots and whole garlic cloves all go well with cauliflower pickles. Or, add chopped beets to give the pickles a fuchsia color! These are just some of the many surprising foods you can pickle.
• Make it spicy: Add sliced jalapenos to give the pickles some heat. Extra red pepper flakes would do the trick too.

How to Store Pickled Cauliflower

Store the cauliflower in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to enjoy it, keep your fingers out of the jar. Instead, use a clean fork (or a pickle picker!).

How long does pickled cauliflower last?

Stored in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator, pickled cauliflower recipes will last up to two months. Although, it’s so tasty that we bet it’ll be gone long before then!

Pickled Cauliflower Tips

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What is the best type of vinegar for pickled cauliflower recipes?

You can use most types of vinegar for pickled cauliflower recipes. We use white vinegar, but you can change the flavor by using white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar instead. Just avoid vinegars with less than 5% acidity, as they’re not acidic enough to preserve vegetables.

What are some ways to use pickled cauliflower?

This cauliflower pickling recipe is irresistible straight out of the jar as a tangy, crunchy, vibrant snack. It also fits right in on a relish tray paired with other pickled vegetables or on a charcuterie board stacked with salty prosciutto, salami, blue cheese, olives and crusty slices of bread.

You can also chop the cauliflower into smaller pieces. Use it as a topper, as you would Chicago-style hot giardiniera, on hot roast beef sandwiches or hot dog sliders. No matter how you serve it, we’re sure it’ll be your new favorite pickle.