Make easy and flavorful Quick Pickled Vegetables—perfect for parties, gatherings, and make-ahead meals. Vibrant, crunchy, and full of zesty flavor, these pickled veggies are a crowd favorite!
Who else is always on the lookout for easy, make-ahead recipes for entertaining? If you're like me, you know that the best party recipes are the ones that are simple to prepare, can be made ahead of time, and are always a crowd-pleaser. These Quick Pickled Vegetables check all those boxes and then some! They’re incredibly easy to whip up, require minimal prep, and are guaranteed to add a burst of flavor and color to any spread.
This recipe has been a family favorite for years. My mom and many of my relatives have been making this tangy, crunchy vegetable medley for as long as I can remember. It’s one of those dishes that’s perfect for summer gatherings, and it always disappears fast. It’s the kind of dish that looks beautiful, tastes amazing, and requires very little effort. Whether you're serving it as a snack, a side dish, or a topping for your favorite sandwiches, these quick-pickled veggies will definitely steal the show.
Ingredients:
½ of a cabbage head, chopped into 1 inch pieces
½ cauliflower head, cut into florets
2 broccoli stalks, cut into florets
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1-2 bell peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 small onion or 1 large shallot, sliced
3-5 garlic cloves, peeled
Brine:
5 cups water
4 ½ Tablespoons kosher salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
¾ cup distilled white vinegar
¾ - 1 cup sunflower oil
How To Make Quick Pickled Vegetables
Prep all the ingredients. 
Mix to combine in a large bowl or pot. 
Make the brine by brining the water to a boil, and adding the salt and sugar, mixing to combine until they dissolve and then off the heat adding the vinegar and the oil. 
Pour the brine over the vegetables and let it stand for about 15-20 minutes. The vegetables will wilt slightly. You might want to put some kind of weight on top of it to make sure the brine covers the vegetables completely. 
Place the salad into glass canning jars or even into a large bowl or bowls. Make sure that the vegetables are covered completely with the brine. Store in the refrigerator. Marinate for 24-48 hours before serving.
Quick Pickled Vegetables
Ingredients
- ½ of a cabbage head chopped into 1 inch pieces
- ½ cauliflower head cut into florets
- 2 broccoli stalks cut into florets
- 3 carrots peeled and sliced
- 2 celery stalks sliced
- 1-2 bell peppers cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 small onion or 1 large shallot sliced
- 3-5 garlic cloves peeled
Brine:
- 5 cups water
- 4 ½ Tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- ¾ cup distilled white vinegar
- ¾ - 1 cup sunflower oil
Instructions
- Prep all the ingredients.
- Mix to combine in a large bowl or pot.
- Make the brine by brining the water to a boil, and adding the salt and sugar, mixing to combine until they dissolve and then off the heat adding the vinegar and the oil.
- Pour the brine over the vegetables and let it stand for about 15-20 minutes. The vegetables will wilt slightly. Place the salad into glass canning jars or even into a large bowl or bowls. Make sure that the vegetables are covered completely with the brine.
- Store in the refrigerator. Marinate for 24-48 hours before serving.
Can this recipe be made shelf stable rather than keeping in a refrigerator?
I have never tried it, George.
If you can it properly, it is possible that it would be shelf stable, but I can't be sure.
Olga what if you don’t care the sunflower and use canola what will be just a different taste?
Use a different oil, if you don't like sunflower.
Hi Olga, thank you so much for this recipe! I fell in love with this recipe after I tried it at your housewarming party! It was delicious and I have been craving it since! I have a question though, I want to sterilize the jars so I can store the salad for longer than just a week or two, how do you sterilize your jars? I pour boiling water into the jars and close the lid right away, do you do it any other way?
That's awesome, Vitaliya! I'm so glad you liked it:).
I use the oven to sterilize jars. I place the jars in the oven, preheat the oven to 225-300 degrees Fahrenheit and then keep them in the oven for 10-15 minutes. I usually boil a pot of water on the stove, and put the lids in the boiling water. If you will be storing the salad for a long time, it would be a good idea to also place the sterilized jars, already filled with the salad in a large pot of water, submerge the jars completely in water and cook for 15 minutes.
I was out of half portion of the vinegar so I added some apple cider vinegar. It has a distinquitive smell, but I tried it and it tastes ok. Do you think I shouldn't have used the apple cider vinegar? I'm getting nervous as to how it will turn out after being marinated...........
I don't use apple cider vinegar in pickling because it has a very specific taste, while regular vinegar is mild and doesn't have a specific taste. I don't think it will ruin the dish, but it depends on your taste preference, Marina.
Do you pour off the brine after 24-48 hours? How long do the vegetables keep in the refrigerator?
No, keep the brine over the vegetables, Diane. I don't keep them longer than a week or two, unless I sterilize the jars first, in which case, they will keep for months.
Great post Olga, I actually prefer assortments like these vs just canned tomatoes or cucumbers. You'll get a unique flavor and some variety :).
Thanks, Vadim. I agree; it is nice to have some variety. It's a great option for parties.
I have been looking for this kind of recipe for a while now, thanks for posting this!
I love your new kitchen too 🙂
Perfect timing, then, Marina:). Enjoy.
We are really enjoying our new home and I just LOVE the spacious and bright kitchen.
Thank you Olya for posting this recipe. Vegetables are really expensive where I live; however, right now we have them in abundance at a lot lower price. It was like you read my mind and now I know what to do with my vegetables and get my family to eat vitamins. 🙂 Thank you again and again! I love your site and every recipe that I've tried always comes out tasting and looking good! May God Bless you for all of your hard work!
It's awesome to take advantage of all the fresh vegetables available during the summer and fall.
Thanks Olga for this recipe, will do this weekend! Looks much easier to make than other recipe I have. I enjoy your blog and recipes, may God bless you and your family !!!!
Thank you, Yelena! I hope you'll enjoy the salad.