Packed with cauliflower, carrots, peppers and more, my Giardiniera (pickled Italian seasoning) is the perfect condiment for any barbecue meal.
Giardiniera (Pickled Italian Relish)
Give your barbecue, sandwiches, charcuterie boards and more a touch of crunchy, sweet and tangy goodness with this homemade giardiniera. This vibrant Italian pickled relish combines crunchy cauliflower, sweet carrots, crunchy celery and tangy peppers in a perfectly balanced brine that adds flavor and subtle heat to any dish. It’s incredible on sandwiches and appetizers with Italian beef, or on its own as an entrée. Livens up everything from grilled meats to pasta salads. Whether you’re hosting a casual barbecue or whipping up an impressive appetizer, this giardiniera recipe is a chef’s kiss.
Chicago Style vs Italian Giardiniera
You may already know that giardiniera is a pickled (or relish) vegetable, but you may not know that there are different styles. The two most common are Italian style and Chicago style. While both styles traditionally contain a mix of pickled vegetables, such as cauliflower, carrots, onions, and celery, there are some important differences in preparation.
For this recipe, I’m making Italian style, which contains large chunks of vegetables. These morsels make it great as an appetizer or side dish. With Chicago style, everything is cut thin. This often includes olives, and some recipes call for more peppers after pickling. If you’ve ever had giardiniera as a topping on a sandwich, it was probably Chicago style. The good news is that you can still use this recipe by simply slicing the vegetables thinly if you prefer this style. It’s your recipe, so do what works for your needs.
Ingredients for pickled Italian dressing
This giardiniera only uses a handful of ingredients, but boy, do they deliver on the flavor. The pickling liquid only needs 5 common pantry ingredients before you load it with 7 vegetables and herbs full of sweet and savory goodness. Here’s what you need to make this crunchy condiment:
Liquid brine
- 2 cups distilled white vinegar
- 1 cup waterfall
- 1 tbsp Kosher salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 teaspoons pickling spices
Marinated vegetables
- 1 cup cauliflower florets
- 1 cup carrot slices
- ½ cup white onions (sliced)
- ½ cup celery sticks
- ½ cup red peppers (sliced)
- ½ cup sliced jalapenos (or your favorite hot chili pepper)
- 1-2 cloves garlic
Variations and substitutions
In my opinion, the best part about making recipes at home is being able to customize them exactly how my family likes them. The large pieces make this recipe Italian-style, but I’ve made a few variations to fit what we like best around here. If you like the original article, here are some options:
- The “authentic” Italian style: Most traditional Italian-style giardiniera recipes also include green beans, but I don’t love them on sandwiches. If you’re looking for authenticity, you can include them and replace the sliced white onions with scallions. Garlic is also not a common ingredient, but I love the flavor it adds.
- Chicago Style: I know you know this style is sliced thinly for piling onto your sandwiches, but it also has a few extra, unique touches. Chicago-style giardiniera typically marinates in olive oil for 1-2 days after brining. It also includes some extras like olives and gherkins.
- Your style: Don’t let the names stop you. You can also add your favorite veggies to pickle or omit anything you don’t love. This mix is what we like best in my house, but you can create something totally your own.
How to Make Giardiniera
Whatever style of gardener you prefer, you can make it directly at home by following these few simple steps:
- Prepare the vegetables. Whatever vegetables you decide to include, be sure to rinse them well before starting. You want them clean and dried so the brine liquid stays clear. This is the time to also slice the onions and peppers (or all if you’re going Chicago style).
- Prepare the liquid brine. Combine the distilled white vinegar, water, kosher salt, sugar, and pickling spices in a large pot, then heat it on the stove. favorite grill or hob. Once the brine liquid boils, add the vegetables and remove the pot from the heat. You want to partially cook the vegetables, but leaving them on the heat will overcook them. Let everything cool to room temperature before moving on to the next step.
- Salt the vegetables. After everything has reached room temperature, pour the vegetable pieces into a bowl Glass jar with lid. Once you have all the veggies in the jar, go ahead and pour in the salty liquid and close the lid. Then, place the jar back in the refrigerator and let the brine liquid work its magic for 48 hours. Believe me, it’s worth the wait.
- Serve and enjoy. When your giardiniera finishes brining, you can enjoy your tangy, crunchy, pickled reward. Be sure to store the pickled relish in the refrigerator between uses if it lasts more than one sitting.
Serving Tips
Pickled vegetables, like this Italian giardiniera, work great for all kinds of occasions. The large bites of this version make it a perfect addition to charcuterie boards, salads and pasta. In my house we love a bit of giardiniera whenever we enjoy French dips, Philly cheesesteaks, and even Cuban sandwiches. This Italian style is great with most sandwiches. And remember, you can always cut it more before pickling it if you want to use it as a Chicago-style condiment.
Storage and shelf life
The good news is that you don’t have to do anything special once your giardiniera is finished. You can store it in the same jar you use for the brine. It will stay fresh stored this way in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. When the vegetables begin to soften excessively and the brine becomes cloudy, it’s time to make a new one.
Other recipes for condiments and appetizers
After you and your family experience the new depths of flavor this giardiniera brings to your appetizers, sandwiches, and smoked meats, you’ll be looking for more recipes. Luckily for you, I have dozens of dressing recipes and hundreds of appetizer recipes in your recipe library, plus the Hey Grill Hey app. Not all of them do double duty as this versatile giardiniera, but each of them is absolutely delicious and easy to make at home. For now, here are some of my favorites to serve alongside pickled vegetables:
Homemade Giardiniera Recipe
Zhuzh prepare your next lunch with a sandwich or charcuterie board with this simple gardener. You can make this recipe right at home in under 20 minutes, then look for the rolls while the brine does its thing. Use that time to give this guy a 5 star rating and tell me what a breeze he was in the comments below.
If you want to be the first to know when great new seasonings like this giardiniera become available, be sure to follow me on Instagram AND Facebook. You can also see how I make recipes like this (or just look for something rich and smoky to enjoy them with) by subscribing to my YouTube channel. Wherever you are on your journey to becoming a backyard barbecue hero, Hey Grill Hey is here to help.
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Prepare the vegetables. Make sure the vegetables are completely rinsed and clean before moving forward.
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Prepare the liquid brine. Combine all the ingredients for your liquid brine in a large pot and bring to a boil. Once the brine liquid boils, add the vegetables and remove from the heat. The residual heat will partially cook the vegetables, but not cook them completely. Leave everything to cool to room temperature.
2 cups distilled white vinegar, 1 cup of water, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 teaspoons pickling spice
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Salt the vegetables. Once at room temperature, place the vegetables in a glass jar with a lid, then pour the pickling liquid over them. Place it in the refrigerator and let it marinate for 48 hours.
1 cup cauliflower florets, 1 cup carrot slices, ½ cup white onions, ½ cup celery sticks, ½ cup red peppers, ½ cup hot peppers, 1-2 cloves of garlic
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Serve and enjoy. After leaving the giardiniera in brine for 2 full days, it is ready to be enjoyed. Use as a topping for sandwiches, pasta, salads and more. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
Calories: 20kcal | Carbohydrates: 3G | Protein: 0.4G | Fat: 0.1G | Saturated fat: 0.02G | Polyunsaturated fats: 0.04G | Monounsaturated fats: 0.01G | Sodium: 448mg | Potassium: 89mg | Fiber: 1G | Sugar: 2G | Vitamin A: 1543UI | Vitamin C: 17mg | Soccer: 12mg | Iron: 0.2mg
Nutrition information is calculated automatically, so should only be used as an approximation.
