Artificial Food Coloring Free Classic Pickled Vegetables
Store-bought pickles and jarred vegetables are some of the sneakiest offenders when it comes to hidden dyes — that unnaturally vivid color on a pickle slice or a jar of maraschino-adjacent veggies is often a red flag. This recipe keeps everything completely clean, relying on the natural jewel tones of cucumbers, carrots, and radishes to do all the visual work. The brine is nothing but white wine vinegar, water, kosher salt, and a little sugar, so you know exactly what's going into every jar. Fresh dill, sliced garlic, black peppercorns, and a pinch of red pepper flakes layer in real, bold flavor without any artificial shortcuts. After 24 hours in the fridge the vegetables are bright and lightly tangy, and by 48 hours they're deeply pickled and seriously addictive. Pack them alongside sandwiches, pile them onto grain bowls, or just snack straight from the jar — they're that good.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
For the vegetables
- 2 medium english cucumbers (about 1 lb total), sliced into ¼-inch rounds
- 3 medium carrots (about 8 oz total), peeled and sliced into ¼-inch coins
- 1 bunch radishes (about 8 oz), trimmed and sliced into ¼-inch rounds
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 4 sprigs fresh dill
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
For the brine
- 1 ½ cups white wine vinegar
- 1 ½ cups water
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
Instructions
- 1
Divide the cucumber rounds, carrot coins, and radish slices evenly between two clean wide-mouth quart mason jars, packing them in snugly. Tuck 2 garlic slices, 2 dill sprigs, 1/2 tsp black peppercorns, and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (if using) into each jar.
- 2
Combine the white wine vinegar, water, kosher salt, and granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until the salt and sugar are fully dissolved, about 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat.
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