Celery Free Apple-Cinnamon Quick-Pickled Vegetable Medley
Quick pickling is one of those techniques that sounds fancier than it is, and this apple-cinnamon version delivers a genuinely exciting result — tangy, lightly sweet, and warmly spiced all at once. Shredded cabbage, julienned carrots, sliced radishes, and crisp apple matchsticks come together in a way that feels both fresh and a little unexpected. The brine is the real star here: apple cider vinegar, honey, Ceylon cinnamon, fresh ginger, and a touch of turmeric create something aromatic and complex that you'd never get from a store-bought jar. Salting the vegetables first and then squeezing out the excess moisture is a small but important step that keeps the final texture snappy rather than soggy. Everything goes into a single jar, and after a short rest in the fridge the flavors meld into something that tastes like it took far more effort than it did. Serve it alongside grilled proteins, pile it onto tacos or grain bowls, or just eat it straight from the jar — it holds up beautifully as a bright, crunchy condiment. Every ingredient here is naturally free of celery in any form, so there's no label-scanning or substitution stress involved.
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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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