Quick Pickled Cauliflower
This quick Pickled Cauliflower is incredibly easy. No processing jars required. This is a great beginner recipe and has so many uses!
Refrigerator pickles are an incredibly easy project and last for many months. They are a healthy alternative to sugary snacks and only take a few minutes to make.
This is a spicy pickled cauliflower but if you prefer no heat, just omit the jalapeño slices.
What you need
- cauliflower- must be fresh. Use various color cauliflower, if desired, purple, orange or white are all really tasty.
- garlic cloves- I like to use one per jar.
- onion – I like to thin slice them.
- yellow orange or red bell pepper- they look really pretty in the jar
- dill- preferably fresh dill leaves
- vinegar- your choice of vinegars. Use white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, chive blossom vinegar, rhubarb vinegar, garlic scape vinegar, or your favorite alternative. I just like to use a clear or almost vinegar. Although you could use red wine vinegar or balsamic, the color of the product won’t be as nice.
- jalapeño slices or red pepper flakes for a little kick
- sugar- just a pinch of white or turbinado sugar – can be eliminated.
- salt- use kosher, sea salt or canning / pickling salt. Don’t use iodized salt.
How to make quick pickled cauliflower
Wash jars thoroughly.
- Wash cauliflower.
- Remove core and leaves.
- Cut the cauliflower into bite sized pieces. Cut larger florets in half or quarters.
- Place on small saucepan on medium low heat. Add vinegar of your choice and sugar.
- Crush garlic cloves with the side of your knife.
- Add them to vinegar. Heat vinegar but do not let it boil.
- Slice onion, jalapeños and red pepper.
- Add onion and peppercorns to the bottom of jar.
- Layer cauliflower with a few jalapeños and a few slices of red pepper.
- Leave about 1/2″ headspace. Add a few sprigs of dill and cover with warmed vinegar.
- Cover with lid. See notes below.
Other optional veggies to add
- green beans
- carrots
- hot peppers
How long will these last?
Unopened jars of quick Pickled Cauliflower will last about 4-6 months in the refrigerator. After jar is opened, use within a month or so,
How to use them?
- Add them to your kids snacks for a healthy alternative to sweets or products with lots of salt.
- Use them on charcuterie boards and grazing platters.
- Serve them as a side as you would any other pickles with sandwiches and burgers.
- Top salads with a few for an extra zing.
- Serve with tacos, tostadas, burritos and the like.
Pro tips for your success
- It is best to not use metal lids to store products with vinegar because the vinegar can corrode the metal. The plastic lids pictured are a perfect alternative and can be reused.
- You can eliminate sugar and they are still delicious.
- Use any vinegar you would like to use. Light color vinegar will give your final product a nicer appearance.
- Don’t use iodized salt. Use kosher, sea salt or canning salt should be used.
- Completely cover the vegetables with the brine.
- Allow jars to sit in the refrigerator at least overnight before sampling.
- Using wide mouth jars will make it easier to fill the jars.
- Recipe can be doubled, tripled and more if you are giving the jars as gifts or you can use them up in a few months.
Other delicious refrigerator pickles
- pickled radishes
- pickled garlic scapes
- quick pickled peppers
- pickled red onions
- pickled green tomatoes
Tools I use
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I hope you enjoyed the recipe today!
Enjoy. And have fun cooking!
Quick Pickled Cauliflower
This quick Pickled Cauliflower is incredibly easy. No processing jars required. This is a great beginner recipe and has so many uses!
See Step by Step Photos Above!Most of our recipes have step by step photos and videos! Also helpful tips so that you can make it perfectly the first time and every time! Scroll up to see them!
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Servings: 40 servings
Calories: 10kcal
Cost: $6
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower
- 1 red bell peppers
- 1 jalapeños
- 4 teaspoon black peppercorns divided
- ½ large onion
- 1 cup white vinegar see notes
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons Sugar
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 teaspoons coarse kosher or sea salt divided
- 8 sprigs dill weed
Instructions
- Wash cauliflower.1 head cauliflower
- Remove core and leaves.
- Cut cauliflower into bite sized pieces. Cut larger florets in half or quarters.
- Place on pan on medium low heat. Add vinegar of your choice, water and sugar.1 cup white vinegar, 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons Sugar
- Crush garlic cloves with the side of your knife.4 cloves garlic
- Add them to vinegar. Heat vinegar but do not let it boil.
- Slice onion, jalapeños and red pepper.1 jalapeños, ½ large onion, 1 red bell peppers
- Add onion, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of peppercorns to the bottom of each jar.4 teaspoons coarse kosher or sea salt, 4 teaspoon black peppercorns
- Layer cauliflower with a few jalapeños and a few slices of red pepper.
- Leave about 1/2″ headspace. Add a few sprigs of dill and cover with warmed vinegar. I also add 1 garlic clove to each jar.8 sprigs dill weed
- Cover with lid. See notes below.
- Refrigerate once jars have cooled to room temperature.
See all of my favorite tools and gift ideas on my New Amazon Store!Check out Binky’s Amazon Store!Notes
PRO TIPS FOR YOUR SUCCESS
- It is best to not use metal lids to store products with vinegar because the vinegar can corrode the metal. The plastic lids pictured are a perfect alternative and can be reused.
- You can eliminate sugar and they are still delicious.
- Use any vinegar you would like to use. White vinegar, white wine vinegar, I used chive blossom vinegar. Light color vinegar will give your final product a nicer appearance.
- Don’t use iodized salt. Use kosher, sea salt or canning salt should be used.
- Completely cover the vegetables with the brine.
- Allow jars to sit in the refrigerator at least overnight before sampling.
- Using wide mouth jars will make it easier to fill the jars.
- Recipe can be doubled, tripled and more if you are giving the jars as gifts or you can use them up in a few months.
- They will last for about 3 months stored in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Serving: 10servings per jar | Calories: 10kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 238mg | Potassium: 60mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 102IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg
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Good morning, Beth. I love your canning/pickling recipes of which I have made many. We have a surplus of jalapeños this year and was wondering if I could substitute jalapeños for the cauliflower but used the rest of the ingredients?
Thank you for any advice you can give me and have a great holiday weekend!
Susan
Sorry for delayed response Susan. We are on vacation with spotty internet reception. He is a recipe on the blog for pickled peppers. It is similar to the cauliflower recipe and we love it. https://www.binkysculinarycarnival.com/easily-pickle-hot-peppers/ Thanks for being a loyal reader!
Hi Beth,
Many thanks for your reply: I’ll be making this recipe tomorrow—can’t wait! I brought home more jalapeños and hot banana peppers from my fiancé’s garden and now I know what to do with them!
I’ll let you know how they turn out. I appreciate your comment, as well, as using a hot water bath, as in the past, my peppers came out mushy as well—wont’ do that again.
Hope you are having a great vacation!
Susan
Thanks Susan!
Beth,
Sorry, I just saw I said I was making this recipe but will be making the one you suggested in my initial comment 🤣!
Susan