Yes, you read that correctly: for Day 4 of Thanksgiving Week we’re making the simplest, crunchiest, easiest, spicy pickled cauliflower!!
But, instead of actually going through the process of canning these, we’re making quick pickles, aka a no-canning required version of pickles that get stored in the fridge!
These crunchy, spicy, tangy pickle nuggets of joy are my current favorite way to:
- extend the life of the seemingly endless heads of local cauliflower in my farmer’s market delivery each week.
- spice up my lunches and leftovers with a little bit of tang and heat.
Best part? They’re made with just a handful of ingredients with only a few minutes of prep work.
I recently had a friend send me home with a jar of pickled cauliflower and literally turned into the human version of the head exploding emoji. I was so stunned at the fact that I had never even considered pickling a vegetable that is in my fridge for a good six months out of the year. The cauliflower is my favorite part of Giardiniera (aka Italian pickled mixed veggies), but for some reason I never though to just pickle it myself.
Until now.
If you’re like me and love cauliflower and pickles, but hate wasting food and don’t always love eating raw vegetables in the cold weather…this recipe is the perfect way to ensure you do!
Add it to your Thanksgiving spread for a fun, tangy-spicy-crunchy element no one realized they were missing!
Let’s make Spicy Pickled Cauliflower!
prep your veg
First, we’re cutting the cauliflower in half, removing the core, then slicing into bite sized chunks.
Next, we’ll halve a jalapeno, and stuff everything into a mason jar.
prep your pickling liquid
Water, sugar, and salt get heated on the stove until simmering, and poured into the jar of cauliflower.
Once slightly cooled, apple cider vinegar gets poured over top, filling the jar with liquid. By adding the vinegar last, we’re ensuring the heat from the water doesn’t kill off the enzymes and probiotics present in the apple cider vinegar!
At this point, all that’s left to do is seal the jar, give it a good shake, and let everything get happy and pickley in the fridge for about a week.
The final result? A less-crisp-than-raw-but-still-quite-crunchy cauliflower pickle with a kick of heat and a perfectly balanced salty-tangy-sweet flavor profile.
Put it on top of salads, enchiladas, or build a little afternoons snack plate with some spicy pickled cauliflower, apple slices, crackers, cheese, etc.
Or, if you’re like my family and always have a little something pickley out on the Thanksgiving table, this one would make a fun addition to your Thanksgiving spread!
Stay tuned this week for two more brand new Thanksgiving recipes, as well as the Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup on Sunday, November 22!
As always, if you make this recipe, let me know how it turns out! Leave a comment below, or take a picture and tag me on Instagram so I can see all your Thanksgiving recipes in action!
Spicy Pickled Cauliflower (quick pickles!)
Ingredients
- 1/2 head cauliflower to yield about 3 cups, chopped
- 1 large jalapeño
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar maple or honey work well, too
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- If starting with a whole head of cauliflower: cut in half, and reserve half for future cooking (or double the recipe to use the whole head!). With the remaining half, cut out the core, and cut the cauliflower into bite-sized flourettes. Cut the jalapeño in half length-wise.
- Pack the cauliflower and jalapeño into a 32oz/4cup mason jar.
- Place the water, salt, and sugar in a small pot on the stove. Heat on high until steaming, and salt and sugar are dissolved.
- Turn off heat, add vinegar to the pot, and pour into the jar of cauliflower. If your cauliflower isn't fully submerged in liquid, add more water until it's completely full.
- Put the lid on the jar, give it a shake, and let sit at room temperature until cool.
- Store in the fridge, where it will keep for months. You can eat these right away, but their flavor is best if you wait at least 2-3 days before trying them. They'll get more flavorful as time goes on!