Pickled & Fermented Vegetables (Printable View)

Colorful tangy vegetables arranged for a stunning, flavorful appetizer or side dish with pickling and fermentation.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Fresh Vegetables

01 - 1 cup carrots, julienned
02 - 1 cup cucumber, sliced
03 - 1 cup radishes, thinly sliced
04 - 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
05 - 1 cup cauliflower florets
06 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed

→ Quick Pickling Brine

07 - 2 cups white vinegar
08 - 2 cups water
09 - 2 tablespoons sugar
10 - 2 tablespoons kosher salt

→ Spices & Aromatics

11 - 2 garlic cloves, sliced
12 - 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
13 - 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
14 - 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
15 - 2 bay leaves
16 - 3 sprigs fresh dill
17 - 1 small red chili, sliced (optional)

→ Fermented Vegetables (Optional)

18 - 1 cup kimchi
19 - 1 cup sauerkraut

# How To Make It:

01 - Wash and cut all vegetables as specified, ensuring uniform sizes for even pickling.
02 - Combine white vinegar, water, sugar, and kosher salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
03 - Firmly pack the prepared vegetables into clean glass jars or small bowls, grouping by color and shape for visual impact.
04 - Distribute sliced garlic, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, bay leaves, fresh dill, and sliced chili pepper evenly among the jars.
05 - Carefully pour the warm pickling brine over the vegetables, ensuring they are fully submerged to prevent spoilage.
06 - Seal the jars and let them cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for a minimum of 12 hours for quick pickles or up to 48 hours for intensified flavor.
07 - For fermented vegetables, prepare a 2% salt brine (20 g salt per 1 liter water) and submerge vegetables. Ferment at room temperature for 5 to 7 days, checking daily for desired tang.
08 - Arrange pickled and fermented vegetables in small jars or bowls. Present them in linear or grid patterns on a serving board or tray to create an elegant display.

# Best Practices:

01 -
  • These vegetables stay crisp and bright—they're the opposite of mushy store-bought pickles, with a satisfying snap that surprises you every time.
  • The colors are absolutely stunning when arranged together; your guests will think you spent hours when really you just learned a simple trick.
  • It's naturally vegan and gluten-free, which means you can serve it to almost anyone without stress.
  • The whole thing gets better as it sits, so you can make it days ahead and actually relax when people arrive.
02 -
  • Vegetables must be completely submerged in brine, or the exposed parts will develop mold. This isn't a suggestion—it's a lesson I learned the hard way with a jar of beautiful carrots.
  • Use whole spices, not ground. Ground spices will cloud your brine and make it look murky instead of clear and jewel-like. Whole seeds and peppercorns stay suspended and look beautiful.
  • Don't skip the cooling step after boiling the brine. If you pour boiling liquid over delicate vegetables, they'll start cooking and lose their crispness. Slightly warm is the sweet spot.
03 -
  • Slightly cool brine (not hot) is the secret to vegetables that stay crisp. Hot brine starts to cook them, and you'll lose that satisfying snap.
  • Pack your jars tightly so the vegetables don't float around. They'll pickle more evenly when they're snug together, and the presentation is more striking.
  • If you're doubling the recipe, make the brine in a separate pot and divide it among your jars. This ensures consistent seasoning across all your vegetables.
Go Back