6 Easy Ways to Make Pickled Vegetables at Home

 6 Easy Ways to Make Pickled Vegetables at Home

When it comes to pickles, cucumbers don’t always have to be your main squeeze. You can make almost any veggie into that juicy, crunchy bite you crave. And the best part is you can easily make the vinegar-set snack right at home. In fact, long before it was a trend, pickling was common practice for stopping foods (and not just cucumbers) from spoiling.

To start the pickling process, just toss any produce — we’re talking leftover celery, a half-eaten bag of carrots or whatever you have on hand — into a brine (aka salt and water). Let it sit overnight and it creates that crunchiness you know and love. In some cases, the food also ferments, meaning good bacteria forms. That’s the same process that occurs in buzzy foods like kombucha and kimchi, which offer a whole slew of health benefits, from providing probiotics and healthy enzymes to improving digestion and increasing energy.

So pick your favorite produce, stock up on some apple cider vinegar and pop open a mason jar to store your healthy snack, made right at home. Just follow these six recipes for tasty, crunchy combos.

RELATED: 21 Low-Calorie Snacks You’ll Want to Eat Every Day

Healthy Pickle Recipes with Veggies

Pickled Vegetables Recipe: Quick Pickled Vegetable Variety

1. Quick Pickled Vegetables

No matter what veggie you choose — carrots, beets, green beans, you name it — this is a good recipe to jumpstart your pickling practice. It really only requires five main ingredients, plus water and the option for adding some dill and spices. Bring the liquid items to a boil, then pour over your produce. You can munch on them as soon as the next day. Photo and recipe: Renee Blair / Life by Daily Burn

Pickled Vegetables Recipe: Spiced Pickled Vegetable Variety

2. Spiced Pickled Vegetables

If you’re still a little suspicious of the whole pickling trend, you’re not alone. Teighan Gerard of Half-Baked Harvest notes on her blog she saw no reason to stray from baking, roasting or sautéing her vegetables until she realized just how easy it is to create a flavorful jar of pickled vegetables, customized to your taste. In this recipe, she offers herbs and spices to add to your mix — plus the option to toss in red pepper flakes or chiles for a kick of heat. Photo and recipe: Teighan Gerard / Half-Baked Harvest

RELATED: 15 One-Pot Meals for Quick, Healthy Dinners

Pickled Vegetables Recipe: Pickled Green Tomatoes

3. Pickled Green Tomatoes

Next time your tomatoes become less than ripe, slice them up for this tasty recipe. Toss them in a salad or add as the finishing touch atop a goat cheese crostini or homemade pizza. Pair them with sundried tomatoes for an extra bold flavor. Photo and recipe: Carla Azevdo Cooking

Pickled Vegetables Recipe: Vietnamese Quick Pickles

4. Vietnamese Quick Pickles

These pickles are a match made in banh mi (the signature Vietnamese bread) heaven. They also make a great side for any grain bowl or as a simple snack. This recipe creates a refreshing combination of carrots, cucumbers, and daikons. Photo and recipe: Liz Ingraham / Pumpkin & Peanut Butter

RELATED: 12 Delicious Asian-Inspired Recipes That Beat Takeout

Pickled Vegetables Recipe: Mediterranean Cauliflower Pickles

5. Mediterranean Cauliflower Pickles

Featuring cauliflower, plus flavoring from lemons, basil, peppercorns, and chili flakes, this brine perfectly encapsulates Mediterranean tastes. It has a nice strong kick to finish it off, too. Photo and recipe: Danielle / Fermented Food Lab

Pickled Vegetables Recipe: Pickled Red Onions

6. Pickled Red Onions

Whether it’s atop a salad, sandwich, or tacos, everyone can agree pickled red onions make anything better. Whip these up at home to make taco night feel like you’re dining out. Photo and recipe: Beth Moncel / Budget Bytes

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