Giardiniera Redo

Giardiniera is the Italian-American pickled vegetable mix that belongs on every sandwich, sausage, and antipasto plate. This from-scratch version brines carrots, cauliflower, celery, bell peppers, and small white onions overnight in salt water, then packs them into jars with a hot vinegar bath spiked with mustard seed, celery seed, and dried chilies.

The overnight brine does two things: it draws excess water out of the vegetables so they stay crisp after pickling, and it seasons them from the inside out. Don’t skip this step or you’ll end up with soggy, bland pickles.

Boiling the carrots and onions in the spiced vinegar for five minutes gives them just enough heat to soften slightly while the harder vegetables stay raw and crunchy.

Pro Tips

• Cut all vegetables to a similar size so they pickle at the same rate and look uniform in the jar.
• Use glass or enameled lids, not bare metal. The vinegar will corrode regular metal lids and give the vegetables an off taste.
• Pack the vegetables tightly and fill vinegar to within half an inch of the rim. Air gaps cause discoloration.
• Let the jars cool to room temperature before refrigerating. They taste best after sitting for at least a week.

Variations

• Add sliced sport peppers or banana peppers for a Chicago-style hot giardiniera.
• Toss in green olives and sliced garlic cloves for a more Italian antipasto-style mix.
• Use red wine vinegar instead of white for a deeper, more robust pickle flavor.