Italian-Style Pickled Cauliflower Recipe
This Pickled Cauliflower, Italian Style recipe offers a vibrant and tangy way to preserve cauliflower with aromatic spices and herbs. Perfect as a crunchy snack or a flavorful addition to antipasto platters, these pickles combine the warmth of coriander, fennel, and mustard seeds with the heat of dried chiles and the earthiness of thyme, all preserved in a vinegar brine. The pickling process involves boiling and canning for long shelf life, making this a classic kitchen staple.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 week and 35 minutes (including waiting time for pickling)
- Yield: 4 pints 1x
- Category: Preserving
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 large head of cauliflower
Spices
- 4 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 4 teaspoons fennel seeds
- 4 teaspoons mustard seeds (optional)
- 4 dried hot chiles
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
Brine
- 7 cups white vinegar
- 7 cups water
- 5 tablespoons pickling or kosher salt
Instructions
- Prepare Canning Pot and Jars: Fill a large canning pot with water and bring it to a hot simmer. Ensure it has a rack or metal steaming insert at the bottom to prevent jars from touching the pot surface. Get 4 clean pint jars ready with new lids.
- Toast the Spices: In a dry pan, toast coriander seeds, fennel seeds, and mustard seeds until fragrant. Keep stirring or tossing occasionally. Once the first seed pops, immediately turn off the heat to avoid burning.
- Prepare Cauliflower: Break the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces suitable for pickling by cutting around the stem and breaking down florets into smaller clusters. Trim any large stem pieces as needed.
- Fill Jars: Evenly divide the toasted spices, thyme, and dried chiles among the jars. Pack the cauliflower pieces into the jars, leaving about 1/2 inch of headspace at the top for proper sealing.
- Make and Add Brine: Bring the white vinegar, water, and pickling salt to a boil. Carefully ladle the hot brine into the jars over the cauliflower, ensuring the florets are submerged. You may have some excess brine depending on how tightly packed the cauliflower is.
- Seal and Process Jars: Wipe the rim of each jar clean before placing new lids on top (new lids are necessary for a proper seal while you can reuse metal rims). Place the jars in the simmering water of the canning pot for 15 minutes to process and seal.
- Cool and Store: Remove the jars and place them on a cutting board or rack to cool. Let the pickles sit sealed for at least one week before enjoying to allow flavors to develop. These pickles can keep in the pantry for up to one year. Refrigerate after opening.
Notes
- Serve these pickled cauliflower florets alongside brine-pickled carrots and pickled artichoke hearts for a delicious antipasto spread.
- A plate of salami, quality cheese, fresh bread, and a good bottle of wine complete a perfect appetizer experience with these pickles.
Keywords: pickled cauliflower, Italian pickles, preserved vegetables, homemade pickles, vinegar pickling, antipasto, fermented vegetables
