How to Quick Pickle Vegetables

Find yourself buying pickles at the grocery store every week? You might be surprised to learn that you can make a delicious, homemade batch right in your own kitchen at a fraction of the cost with minimal work. Plus, homemade quick pickles are infinitely more satisfying than the store-bought variety and surprisingly easy to customize to your taste. You don’t even have to stick to cucumbers – everything from carrots and red onions to squash to green beans are fair game when it comes to pickling. Here’s how to get started.

See more: How to Can Tomatoes Using the Water Bath Method

What is Quick Pickling?

If you want to get scientific about it, pickling is the process of preserving food in a brine or vinegar through anaerobic fermentation. The pickles you find at the store are often preserved using a salt brine, or a salt brine soak and rinse method. These methods take a little longer and involve a little more hands-on time. But quick pickling is the easiest and quickest way to make your own delicious pickled produce that’s ready in a few days (or less).

It’s important to note that this version of pickling does not require a full canning process, and that means your pickled vegetables won’t last as long in the fridge. Depending on the vegetables you’re pickling, they can last anywhere from two weeks (for onions) to two months (for cucumbers). Be sure to research the specific veggie you’re planning to quick pickle to understand how long it will last in the fridge.

Use Fresh Vegetables

You can pickle a wide range of vegetables, and experimenting with flavors, cuts and textures is half the fun. But be sure to use the freshest produce you can get your hands on. Whether you grew it in your backyard, picked it up from a local farmers market or bought it at the grocery store, it’s worth keeping in mind that fresh vegetables will give you the best flavor profile and nutrients.

See more: Easy Salt Pickles

How to Prepare Vegetables for Pickling

Cucumbers, summer squash and red onions: Slice into thin spears.

Carrots: Peel and slice into thick rounds or julienne.

Daikon radishes: Peel and trim the ends, then julienne into thin strips.

Green beans: Blanch and cut strings from the ends.

Ginger: Peel and thinly slice.

Garlic: Remove peels and slice cloves in half.

Basic Brining Recipe

Quick pickling is a simple process that requires equal parts water and vinegar. Distilled white vinegar is a classic go-to for beginner picklers, but apple cider, white wine and rice vinegars can all enhance the flavor of your vegetables. You can even mix and match, adding half and half of your two favorites. Because there are so many ways to customize the water-vinegar brine, don’t be afraid to experiment to find out which flavor you like best. Quick pickles can be ready to taste in 24 to 48 hours, so you can always try again if you don’t like the results.

See more: How to Make the Most of Your Summer Harvest Before the Season Ends

Add a Flavor Boost

Keep it simple with a basic water and vinegar brine, or add flavor boosts using spices and herbs. Some picklers use sugar to sweeten their pickles. Others enjoy everything from peppercorns and bay leaves to celery seeds and red pepper flakes. Dill complements cucumbers, while black peppercorns taste great with red onions. Summer squash is especially tasty with crushed garlic.

You can also experiment with thyme, oregano, rosemary, marjoram, ginger, mustard seed, coriander, turmeric or smoked paprika depending on what you’re pickling and how you want it to taste when it’s ready.

How to Quick Pickle

Use the basic recipe below to get started quick pickling your favorite veggies.

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh vegetables of choice (carrots, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, green beans, summer squash, red onion, etc.)
• 1 cup vinegar of choice
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar (optional, if you want a touch of sweetness)

Instructions

1. Prepare jars.

Wash jars in hot, soapy water and dry thoroughly.

2. Prepare vegetables.

Wash and peel or slice your vegetables in your shape of choice.

3. Prepare brine.

In a large measuring cup, mix together the vinegar, water, salt, sugar and any add-ins you like (such as peppercorns or herbs).

4. Fill jars.

Fill jars with the prepared vegetables, pour the brine solution over them and gently shake the jars to remove any trapped air bubbles.

5. Refrigerate.

If you boiled your brine on the stovetop (as some picklers prefer), be sure to let the jars completely cool before sealing and refrigerating them.

6. Enjoy.

Quick pickled vegetables are ready to eat in 24 to 48 hours, but their flavor will improve over time.