Artificial Food Coloring Free Quick Pickled Vegetables with Turmeric & Ginger
Store-bought pickles and jarred vegetables are notorious for sneaking in synthetic dyes and artificial preservatives, but this vibrant brine gets every bit of its golden color from real ground turmeric and freshly grated ginger — no lab-made shortcuts needed. The result is a tangy, lightly spiced mix of cucumber, carrots, cauliflower, radishes, and garlic that looks stunning and tastes even better. Apple cider vinegar and honey do the heavy lifting in the brine, creating that perfect balance of sharp and subtly sweet that makes you want to snack straight from the jar. A gentle simmer brings everything together in just a few minutes, and the vegetables only need about 45 minutes to soak up all that flavor before they're ready to eat. The turmeric stains the brine a gorgeous deep yellow that honestly looks like something out of a fancy deli case — except you made it yourself with five simple vegetables and a handful of pantry staples. These are brilliant piled onto grain bowls, tucked into sandwiches, or served alongside grilled proteins as a bright, crunchy contrast. Once you see how easy it is to control exactly what goes into your jar, it's hard to go back to anything store-bought.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the brine
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- ½ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
For the vegetables
- 1 medium english cucumber, thinly sliced into rounds
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thin coins or matchsticks
- 1 cup cauliflower florets, cut into small bite-sized pieces
- 4 radishes, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the vegetables: slice the cucumber into thin rounds, cut the carrots into thin coins or matchsticks, break the cauliflower into small bite-sized florets, thinly slice the radishes, and thinly slice the garlic. Pack the vegetables snugly into two clean pint-sized mason jars (or one quart jar), distributing them evenly.
- 2
Combine the apple cider vinegar, water, honey, sea salt, turmeric, grated ginger, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using) in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the honey and salt are fully dissolved, about 3–4 minutes.
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