There’s nothing more refreshing than a cool pickle from the fridge. Did you know that you can pickle almost all of your favourite vegetables? You might even like them better that way!

Many people are under the impression that pickling is a long and complicated endeavour, but, through a process known as quick pickling, you can pickle a wide variety of fresh vegetables quickly and easily. Doing so helps to preserve the vegetables for longer and gives them that desired pickled taste. Here’s a quick overview of DIY quick pickling at home.

What is Quick Pickling?

Quick pickling, also known as refrigerator pickling, simply involves placing your chosen vegetables in a jar with water, vinegar, salt, and some herbs and spices for extra flavour. They don’t develop quite the same depth of flavour as they would acquire during the full fermenting process, but quick pickling doesn’t require canning and it takes only a few days before your vegetables are ready to eat. You can also use the pickled vegetables to put a spin on some of your favourite recipes.

What Kind of Vegetables Can Be Quick Pickled?

Almost any kind of vegetable can be used for the quick pickling process, but keep in mind that fresh vegetables are best. Bruised vegetables are better avoided, but you can save those for soups and other methods of preservation. You can use carrots, squash, mushrooms, cauliflower, asparagus, broccoli, mushrooms, and pretty much any vegetable varieties you want to try. The shape of the vegetables is also up to you, though some of the most common methods of preparation include peeling and slicing carrots, blanching green vegetables like asparagus and green beans, and slicing squash.

Quick Pickling How-To

To get started with quick pickling, you have to make the brine. For quick and simple basic brine, you can use equal parts water and vinegar, but feel free to adjust this to your taste and preferences. First, heat the water on the stove until it is steaming, then add the salt and stir until dissolved before adding the vinegar. Next, add the vegetables to be pickled in a lidded glass jar or a ceramic container. Pour the brine over the top until the vegetables are fully covered. Finally, let the jars cool down to room temperature before putting them away in the fridge.

You can enjoy your quick pickles as soon as you want, but, the longer you wait, the more flavourful they will be.

Creating Your Own Custom Flavours

One of the best things about pickling your own vegetables at home is that you can customize the flavour of the brine. Common herbs used in pickling include dill, oregano, rosemary, coriander, thyme, mustard seed, turmeric, red pepper flakes, peppercorns, and marjoram. Smashed and sliced garlic and thinly sliced ginger are often used as well. Consider pickling your green beans with dill and garlic and your carrots with turmeric, ginger, coriander, and thyme.

Give your vegetables new life by quick pickling them and storing them in the refrigerator to enjoy as a snack or side. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll find yourself pickling just about any vegetable you can get your hands on.