Emulsifier Free Quick Pickled Vegetables with Turmeric & Ginger
Bright, tangy, and loaded with color, these quick pickled vegetables are the kind of condiment that makes everything on your plate look and taste more exciting. The brine is built entirely from pantry staples — apple cider vinegar, honey, sea salt, and warm spices — with zero additives or stabilizers that tend to sneak into store-bought pickles. That matters a lot when you're avoiding emulsifiers, because commercial jarred pickles and relishes are notorious for containing polysorbates, carrageenan, or other processing aids you never asked for. Here, the brine is just liquid, spice, and heat, which means what goes into the jar is exactly what you see in the ingredient list. The turmeric gives everything a gorgeous golden hue while the freshly grated ginger adds a subtle warmth that plays beautifully against the crunch of cucumber, carrot, cauliflower, and radish. You can have the jars packed and resting on your counter in under an hour, no canning experience required. They're perfect alongside grain bowls, sandwiches, or anything that needs a little acidic lift.
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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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