Artificial Food Coloring Free Apple-Cinnamon Quick-Pickled Vegetable Medley
Bright, tangy, and just a little sweet, this quick-pickled medley is the kind of condiment that makes everything on the plate more interesting. Cabbage, carrots, radishes, and crisp apple come together in a warmly spiced brine built from apple cider vinegar, honey, Ceylon cinnamon, fresh ginger, and turmeric — every single ingredient completely natural and easy to verify. For anyone navigating artificial dyes in store-bought pickles and relishes, that matters more than it might seem; commercial versions are notorious for sneaking in synthetic colorants to boost their visual appeal. Here, the gorgeous golden hue comes entirely from turmeric, and the rosy tones from the radishes are just the vegetables doing their thing. The process is straightforward — salt the veg, simmer the brine, pour and chill — and the result is a crisp, complex topping that works beautifully alongside grain bowls, tacos, sandwiches, or grilled proteins. A scatter of fresh parsley right before serving adds a pop of green that keeps it looking as lively as it tastes.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the vegetables
- 2 cups green cabbage, thinly shredded
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and julienned or coarsely grated
- 6 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 small apple, cored and cut into thin matchsticks
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
For the brine
- ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 ceylon cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the shredded cabbage, carrots, radishes, and apple in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with the fine sea salt and toss well, then set aside for 10 minutes while you prepare the brine — the salt will begin to draw out moisture and soften the vegetables.
- 2
Combine the apple cider vinegar, water, honey, Ceylon cinnamon stick, grated ginger, and ground turmeric in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the honey dissolves, then bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes, until fragrant.
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