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pickleEasyItalian

Giardiniera

Tangy pickled vegetable medley with celery, peppers, cauliflower, and carrots

⏱️ Prep: 20min🍳 Cook: 5min⏰ Total: 25min👥 Serves: 24🌡️ cold
✓ vegan✓ vegetarian✓ gluten-free✓ dairy-free

Ingredients

  • 1 cupcauliflower florets(small pieces)
  • 2celery stalks(sliced 1/4-inch)
  • 1red bell pepper(diced)
  • 1carrot(sliced thin)
  • 0.5 cupgreen olives(sliced)
  • 2pepperoncini(sliced)
  • 2 clovesgarlic(sliced)
  • 1 cupwhite wine vinegar
  • 1 cupwater
  • 1 tbspsugar
  • 1 tbspkosher salt
  • 1 tspdried oregano
  • 0.5 cupolive oil(for finishing)

📝 Make Ahead

Keeps refrigerated up to 1 month. Flavor improves after 3 days. Drain and add oil just before serving.

Instructions

  1. Combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and oregano in saucepan
  2. Bring to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt
  3. Place all vegetables in large heatproof bowl or jar
  4. Pour hot brine over vegetables
  5. Let cool to room temperature
  6. Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours before serving
  7. To serve, drain vegetables and toss with olive oil
  8. Serve as part of antipasto spread or on sandwiches

💡 Pro Tips

Cut vegetables into uniform small pieces for even pickling. Quick-pickling creates crisp vegetables; longer time yields softer texture. The olive oil finish adds richness and is traditional. Excellent on sandwiches, with cheese, or as part of an antipasto platter.

📜 History

Giardiniera ("from the garden") originated in Italy as a way to preserve summer vegetables. Italian-American communities, particularly in Chicago, adopted and adapted the tradition, creating the oil-based "hot giardiniera" that tops Italian beef sandwiches. This version is closer to the Italian original.

🍸 Pairs Well With

Also pairs well with:

wineproseccoaperolbeer