Quick Pickled Vegetables is a delicious medley of vibrant fresh vegetables, pickled to perfection. This simple recipe adds crisp, tangy, crunchy flavor to bowls, salads, sandwiches, and anything it touches. Use it as a condiment or as a side dish!
When asked how to make healthy eating more appealing, I always suggest adding condiments, sauces, spices and herbs to level up flavor.
This quick and easy recipe for pickled veggies does just that!
It brings bright, tangy flavor, crunchy texture, and a whole lot of flair with hardly any effort.
Whether you’re growing a vegetable garden, have a CSA, go to a farmers market, or simply enjoy picking up fresh vegetables from your local grocery store, this easy quick pickling recipe adds spunk to sandwiches, wraps, salads, burgers, bowls, and anything you fancy.
It’s ready almost immediately and doesn’t require the use of a hot water bath as the recipe isn’t designed for long term storage, but rather enjoyment within a few days.
I love scooping a generous amount into all of my bowl recipes with some form of animal protein and rice to add spunk to the meal.
This super versatile recipe is easy to customize using a variety of fresh vegetables, herbs and spices.
So if you love homemade pickles and are looking for a new adventure, you’ll absolutely adore this quick pickle recipe.
Let’s discuss the basic ingredients for pickled cucumbers and peppers. You can find the full ingredient list at any grocery store.
Quick Pickled Vegetables Ingredients:
Cucumbers: Fresh cucumbers are cool, crisp and refreshing. When pickled with vinegar and spices, cucumbers add a flavorful, fresh element to anything it touches. Use Persian cucumbers for the best pickling cucumbers.
Sweet Peppers: Mini sweet bell peppers add sweet and slightly smoky flavor to this vegetable medley.
If you prefer spicy chiles or peppers, feel free to replace the sweet mild peppers with spicy peppers. Jalapenos, serranos, and habaneros are all great options.
Red Onion and Fresh Garlic: Onion and garlic bring a fresh zing of flavor and a little kick of heat. You can increase or decrease the amount according to your personal taste.
Rice Vinegar or White Vinegar: Vinegar is used to add tangy flavor and quickly pickle the vegetables.
I like using rice vinegar because I enjoy the flavor, but white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or red wine vinegar works too.
Water: While vinegar makes up the majority of the pickling liquid, we need a little water to soften the bite so that it isn’t overwhelmingly acidic.
Pure Maple Syrup: A hint of pure maple syrup brings a slight sweetness to this pickling recipe, offsetting some of the acidity. You can increase or decrease the amount according to your personal taste.
Toasted Sesame Oil: I enjoy adding sesame oil to the recipe, because it adds some rich flavor from the fat and the added flavor of sesame.
The fat from the oil adds a unique essence, making the condiment taste even more enticing. If you don’t enjoy the flavor of sesame oil, feel free to omit it.
Recipe Adaptations:
- Optional Pickling Spices: If you have whole peppercorns, mustard seeds, allspice, celery seed, red pepper flakes or bay leaves, they are great additions to any kind of pickled vegetables. Because quick pickles are ready virtually immediately, the spices don’t spring to action after sitting for many hours. If you are patient to let the vegetables refrigerate for several hours, the flavor of the spices begin to shine through.
- Use Different Vegetables: bell pepper, cauliflower, carrots, banana peppers, yellow onions, kirby cucumbers, chili peppers, white onion, green onions, whole garlic clove, fresh ginger, and any kind of hotter peppers are all great options.
- Add Fresh Herbs: Fresh dill is a lovely addition to a pickling solution. Fresh bay leaf and rosemary are also good options.
Now that we’ve covered the fresh ingredients for pickled cucumbers and peppers, let’s make a batch!
How to Make Quick Pickled Vegetables:
In a large measuring cup, combine the vinegar, water, pure maple syrup, and sesame oil. If using pickling spices, add them into the solution too. Stir well and set aside.
Peel the cucumber, cut it in half lengthwise, then thinly slice the cucumber into small chunks.
Similarly, thinly slice the sweet peppers and onions and mince the garlic.
Add all of the fresh vegetables to a large bowl or glass jar such as a mason jar and pour in the pickling liquid.
Seal the jar or cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, ideally several hours.
Quick pickled vegetables are ready to consume right away, but they become more flavorful and softer after sitting for a few hours or a few days.
Store pickled vegetables for up to 1 week in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Note that this is not a canning recipe for long term storage. The great news is you can enjoy this recipe no matter the time of year because it’s so quick and simple to make.
And that’s it!
The next time you’re looking for a tasty way of sprucing up your meals or a great way of using up garden vegetables, whip up this simple recipe!
An easy recipe for quick pickling vegetables, this simple method results in a fresh and flavorful condiment that can be used on just about everything.
If you enjoy pickling recipes, also try out these reader favorites.
More Pickling Recipes:
Tangy crunchy veg forever!
Quick Pickled Vegetables
Equipment
- 32-oz Mason Jar or sealable container
Ingredients
- 2 cups cucumber peeled and chopped (1 small cucumber)
- 2 cups mini sweet peppers thinly sliced (about 6 mini peppers)
- ½ cup red onion thinly sliced
- 1 large clove garlic minced
- 1 cup rice vinegar
- ½ cup water
- 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup or sugar
- ½ tsp sea salt to taste
Instructions
- In a large measuring cup, combine the vinegar, water, pure maple syrup, and sesame oil. If using pickling spices, add them into the solution too. Stir well and set aside.
- Peel the cucumber, cut it in half lengthwise, then thinly slice the cucumber into small chunks.
- Similarly, thinly slice the sweet peppers and onions and mince the garlic.
- Add all of the fresh vegetables to a large bowl or glass jar such as a mason jar and pour in the pickling liquid.
- Seal the jar or cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, ideally several hours.
- Quick pickled vegetables are ready to consume right away, but they become more flavorful and softer after sitting for a few hours or a few days.
- Store pickled vegetables for up to 1 week in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Nutrition
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