Vegetarian Classic Relish
Bright, tangy, and loaded with garden-fresh flavor, this homemade relish is the kind of condiment that makes everything it touches taste better — from hot dogs and burgers to grain bowls and cheese boards. The process is straightforward: salt the vegetables to draw out moisture, rinse and press them dry, then simmer everything in a sweet-and-spiced vinegar brine until the mixture thickens into something truly special. Mustard seed, celery seed, and a touch of turmeric give it that classic deli-style depth you'd expect from a jar that costs three times as much at the store. Because every single ingredient here is plant-based, there's no need to scrutinize labels for hidden meat-derived additives — it's naturally free of all that. The combination of English cucumbers, red and green bell peppers, and yellow onion creates a relish that's colorful, crisp-tender, and just the right balance of sweet and acidic. Spooned into sterilized jars and tucked into the fridge, it keeps beautifully and makes a genuinely impressive homemade gift. Once you've tasted the real thing, the store-bought version is going to have a hard time competing.
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Learn more →Ingredients
16 servings
- 4 cups english cucumbers, finely chopped (about 3 medium cucumbers)
- 1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 medium onion)
- ½ cup green bell pepper, finely chopped
- ½ cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 cup white distilled vinegar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp mustard seed
- ½ tsp celery seed
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
Instructions
- 1
Combine the chopped cucumbers, onion, and both bell peppers in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the kosher salt over the vegetables and toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, until the vegetables have released a significant amount of liquid.
- 2
Transfer the salted vegetables to a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Press firmly with your hands or the back of a spoon to squeeze out as much liquid as possible — the vegetables should feel noticeably drier.
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