This quick pickled cauliflower recipe makes the perfect low carb snack of of pickled cauliflower and bell peppers in an easy homemade brine! No canning needed – just store in the fridge and enjoy!
Alright – I usually show up here with a cauliflower recipe where the cauliflower is pretending to be something else…cauliflower breadsticks, cauliflower mac and cheese, cauliflower potato salad…you get the drift.
This time we’re just taking the goodness that is a head of cauliflower, chopping it up, and pickling it! No hiding it or trying to turn it into anything else. Just crispy, crunchy cauliflower with a zippy, tangy flavor that will have you sneaking the jar open every time you look in the fridge.
Pickles are a definite favorite of mine and we pickle our own cucumbers quite often (will share the recipe soon!!), but pickled cauliflower is right up there when it comes to a favorite snack. It’s so easy to make, the crunch of the cauliflower is so satisfying, and these are tangy and zippy and salty, just the way I like them!
Plus, this pickled cauliflower recipe is a refrigerator pickle – meaning we DO NOT can this one. You just add everything to the mason jar, seal it up, and pop it in the fridge. These are so simple to prepare and impossible to resist!
Ingredient Notes:
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Veggies – Cauliflower is the star of the show, but we also like to mix in some chopped bell pepper.
Herbs & Spices – Smashed garlic, fresh sprigs of dill, mustard seeds, and black peppercorns will go into the mason jars with the veggies. The brine and the veggies will absorb all that flavor!
Brine – You’ll prepare a brine to pickle the cauliflower in by boiling together some vinegar, water, kosher salt, and sweetener (optional).
White Distilled Vinegar Vs. Apple Cider Vinegar:
This recipe calls for white distilled vinegar, because we love that it’s about twice as acidic as apple cider vinegar, meaning it will have a stronger vinegar flavor. We love the tang!
You may swap in apple cider vinegar, if you prefer that flavor. Both work great!
This recipe is a great starting point, but pickles are easy to personalize. If you like them extra tangy, use extra vinegar in place of some of the water. Reduce or increase the salt to suit your tastes. The sweetener can be omitted entirely, if desired.
Pickles are the perfect keto snack as the big, bold flavors are very satisfying!
There’s no need to can this recipe – just store the pickles in the fridge!
This makes a great addition to a charcuterie board and everything thinks you’re a rockstar when you make homemade pickles!
How To Pickle Cauliflower:
Fill – This recipe makes enough for 3-4 pint sized mason jars, depending on the size of your cauliflower. To start you’ll divide the cauliflower, garlic, bell peppers, dill, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and black peppercorn between the jars.
Brine – This brine is pretty simple and you can adjust it with more (or less) vinegar or salt to suit your taste! Add the vinegar, water, kosher salt, and sweetener to a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Stir occasionally to dissolve the salt and sweetener.
Pour – When the brine has reached a rolling boil you can remove it from the heat and then carefully pour it over the veggies in the mason jars. Allow the brine to cool completely before sealing the lids on the jars and refrigerating. It’ll take at least 24 hours for the veggies to pickle, and it’ll last in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
Canning Pickled Cauliflower:
Unfortunately, I do not have any experience with canning and cannot assist in helping to make this recipe safe for canning. As written, our recipe for cauliflower pickles is designed to be stored in the refrigerator and is not shelf stable.
Serving Suggestions:
Serve alongside our keto pulled pork – the tangy cauliflower is a great contrast to the rich pork.
Chop finely and serve in a sandwich or wrap using low carb bread or tortillas. The crunch is addicting!
Serve with our marinated cheese and olives as a delicious snack.
Keep these handy in the fridge for munching on whenever you need a quick and simple low carb snack.
Green Garlic:
The first time I made quick pickles I was shocked to see my garlic turn a blue green color in the brine and quickly worried that I’d done something wrong!
Not to worry – it’s perfectly normal and completely safe for garlic to turn green when exposed to the acids in vinegar.
This process will happen over the first couple of days, but the blue green color may lessen or even disappear over time! Science is fun.
FAQ’s:
Our pickled cauliflower is a quick pickle recipe, meaning that we are not canning it for longer term storage. Store the jars in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.
All sorts of things! Another quick pickling recipe to try are these easy pickled eggs! And if you want to make your own dill pickles try out these easy refrigerator dill pickles. Just be sure to omit the sugar or swap it out for sweetener!
More Low Carb Cauliflower Recipes:
- Cheesy Cauliflower Bake
- Loaded Cauliflower Casserole
- Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup
- Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
Pickled Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower cut into florets
- 4 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 small red bell pepper chopped
- 4 sprigs fresh dill
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 2 cups white distilled vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons sweetener
Instructions
- Divide the cauliflower, garlic cloves, pepper, dill, mustard seeds, and peppercorns between 4 pint sized mason jars.
- Add the vinegar, water, kosher salt, and sweetener to a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally, to dissolve the salt and sweetener.
- Pour the hot brine evenly between the jars to fill.
- Let cool completely before closing the jars and refrigerating.
- Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before eating. Store in the fridge for up to one month.
Karen grimes says
What is everyone using for the sweetener?
Karly Campbell says
We linked to our favorite sweetener in the post – we use Lakanto. Allulose should also work well.
Linda Baker says
Could you can this if you want?
Karly Campbell says
I don’t have any experience with canning and am not sure if this would be safe to can.
Karen Miller says
I added sliced fresh carrots and cocktail onions -it’s delicious! It’s better than store-bought gardineria! My husband refuses to even taste cauliflower but he gobbled this up in no time! He’s overweight so I am thrilled that he loves something healthy. Thank you!
Karly Campbell says
Sounds delicious with the carrots and onions! Thanks for sharing!
Mara says
I make this all the time except I layer in mandolin-sliced red onions and jalapeño slices! So good!
Karly Campbell says
Oh, I bet it’s delicious with the jalapeno and onion! 🙂
CATHERINE A KALASKY says
Oh, I see it is pint sized jars. I missed that.
CATHERINE A KALASKY says
You mention coriander seeds in the directions, but there are no coriander seeds in the list of ingredients. Also, what size jars are you using?
Karly Campbell says
Hi Catherine! Whoops – I originally called for coriander seeds, but I’ve had such a hard time finding them lately that I reworked the recipe without them. Must not have removed them from the instructions. 🙂
Ela says
Hi Karly,
I have a question and it might sound a little bit stupid but should the cauliflower be raw or cooked?
Nice greetings from Germany,
Ela
Karly Campbell says
Hi Ela! It’s not a stupid question! The cauliflower should be raw, so that it’ll be nice and crunchy. 🙂