Lactose Free Sweet Pickle Relish
Tangy, sweet, and packed with crunch, this homemade pickle relish is the kind of condiment that makes everything it touches taste better — hot dogs, burgers, potato salad, you name it. The good news for anyone avoiding dairy is that this recipe is naturally free of it, built entirely from fresh vegetables, vinegar, sugar, and warm spices like mustard seeds, celery seeds, and turmeric. No substitutions needed, no label-reading anxiety at the store. The double-vinegar base of white distilled and apple cider vinegar gives it a bright, complex tang that store-bought versions rarely match, while the sugar balances everything out into that classic sweet relish flavor. Salting the cucumbers, onion, and bell pepper first draws out excess moisture, which is what gives the finished relish its satisfying texture rather than a watery, limp result. It comes together in one saucepan and stores right in the fridge, making it an easy weekend project with serious payoff. Once you've had a spoonful of this on a grilled sausage, going back to the jarred stuff is going to feel like a real step down.
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Learn more →Ingredients
32 servings
- 1 ½ lbs cucumbers (about 3 medium), finely diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper, finely diced
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- ¾ cup white distilled vinegar
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp celery seeds
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
Instructions
- 1
Combine the diced cucumbers, onion, and green bell pepper 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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