Citric Acid Free Paleo Quick-Pickled Vegetables
Quick-pickled vegetables are one of those fridge staples that make every meal feel a little more intentional — bright, crunchy, and just tangy enough to cut through richer dishes. The trick here is apple cider vinegar, which delivers that classic pickle punch without any added citric acid, making it a genuinely safe choice for anyone navigating that particular sensitivity. Store-bought pickles and jarred vegetables are notorious for sneaking in citric acid as a preservative, so making your own brine at home is really the only way to stay in full control. The brine itself is beautifully simple — just vinegar, water, sea salt, honey, and a few spices — and it comes together in minutes on the stovetop. Cucumber rounds, carrot coins, and radish slices soak it all up quickly, and fresh dill and garlic round out the flavor in the most satisfying way. These are ready to eat after just 30 minutes in the fridge, which means you're never far from a crisp, tangy bite to pile onto a grain bowl, tuck into a wrap, or snack on straight from the jar.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the brine
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
For the vegetables
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 medium english cucumber, cut into ¼-inch rounds
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch coins
- 6 radishes, thinly sliced
- 4 sprigs fresh dill
Instructions
- 1
Combine the apple cider vinegar, water, fine sea salt, honey, black peppercorns, and red pepper flakes (if using) in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the salt and honey dissolve completely, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and let the brine cool for 5 minutes.
- 2
Layer the garlic slices, cucumber rounds, carrot coins, radish slices, and fresh dill sprigs into a wide-mouth quart jar or medium bowl, packing them in snugly.
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