Our Favorite Giardiniera
Our homemade giardiniera is outrageously good! This easy pickled vegetable relish, made with oregano, vinegar, and olive oil, will quickly become your go-to condiment for everything (it has for me!). You can thank Chef Richard for this incredible recipe. It walks the line between Italian and Chicago style, giving you the best of both worlds. You’ll find the classic mix of crunchy veggies and herbs typical of Italian-style alongside the olive oil and a touch of heat that defines Chicago style giardiniera. I love this pickled veggie relish, and honestly, I have a hard time not adding it to my dinner plate each night. It’s crunchy, thanks to the veggies. Herby, thanks to oregano, and perfectly punchy, thanks to the vinegar. I’m obsessed. For more veggie pickles, try our pickled carrots, dill pickles, or these pickled beets! Key Ingredients Vegetables: The mixture of crunchy and colorful veggies really makes this homemade giardiniera so exciting. We use cauliflower, onion, sweet bell peppers (the multi-colored mini sweet peppers are my favorite for this!), carrots, and celery. Garlic and Oregano: Fresh garlic is the way to go. We use 5 cloves and mince it finely, this way the brine really takes on the garlicky flavor. Dried oregano is perfect for this, too. If you prefer to use fresh, that’s fine too. Just remember you’ll need more of it. A good rule of thumb is to start with 2 to 3 times the amount of dried oregano called for in the recipe and adjust to your taste. Salt and Sugar: We add a bit of salt and sugar to most of our pickles on Inspired Taste. The salt seasons the brine, and the sugar balances out the astringent qualities of the vinegar. Be sure to use sea salt or pickling salt, as table salt contains iodine that can sometimes cause discoloration or issues in pickling. Black Pepper and Red Pepper Flakes: Fresh ground black pepper makes the giardiniera taste more well-seasoned, and the red pepper flakes add a hint of heat. They are optional! You can use common crushed red pepper flakes (like those found at pizza restaurants) or try gochugaru (Korean pepper flakes). I love them and use them for homemade kimchi. They have some heat but are a little sweeter, so I’ve been using them in place of crushed red pepper flakes a lot in my cooking. Pimento Stuffed Olives: These might be my favorite part of Chef Richard’s giardiniera. You’ll slice them into rings and stir them in right before you transfer everything to a jar. Vinegar and Olive Oil: For the best flavor, reach for a good-quality white wine vinegar. When it comes to the oil, look for regular, more refined olive oil, not extra-virgin. Since you’ll be refrigerating these pickles, using regular olive oil helps prevent it from hardening significantly in the cold (though it may still firm up a little). If you notice the oil has solidified when serving, let the jar sit at room temperature for a bit to return to its liquid form. Vegetables: The mixture of crunchy and colorful veggies really makes this homemade giardiniera so exciting. We use cauliflower, onion, sweet bell peppers (the multi-colored mini sweet peppers are my favorite for this!), carrots, and celery. Garlic and Oregano: Fresh garlic is the way to go. We use 5 cloves and mince it finely, this way the brine really takes on the garlicky flavor. Dried oregano is perfect for this, too. If you prefer to use fresh, that’s fine too. Just remember you’ll need more of it. A good rule of thumb is to start with 2 to 3 times the amount of dried oregano called for in the recipe and adjust to your taste. Salt and Sugar: We add a bit of salt and sugar to most of our pickles on Inspired Taste. The salt seasons the brine, and the sugar balances out the astringent qualities of the vinegar. Be sure to use sea salt or pickling salt, as table salt contains iodine that can sometimes cause discoloration or issues in pickling. Black Pepper and Red Pepper Flakes: Fresh ground black pepper makes the giardiniera taste more well-seasoned, and the red pepper flakes add a hint of heat. They are optional! You can use common crushed red pepper flakes (like those found at pizza restaurants) or try gochugaru (Korean pepper flakes). I love them and use them for homemade kimchi. They have some heat but are a little sweeter, so I’ve been using them in place of crushed red pepper flakes a lot in my cooking. Pimento Stuffed Olives: These might be my favorite part of Chef Richard’s giardiniera. You’ll slice them into rings and stir them in right before you transfer everything to a jar. Vinegar and Olive Oil: For the best flavor, reach for a good-quality white wine vinegar. When it comes to the oil, look for regular, more refined olive oil, not extra-virgin. Since you’ll be refrigerating these pickles, using regular olive oil helps prevent it from hardening significantly in the cold (though it may still firm up a little). If you notice the oil has solidified when serving, let the jar sit at room temperature for a bit to return to its liquid form. How to Make Homemade Giardiniera I prefer the vegetables to be chopped fairly small, more like a relish, so you will spend most of your time prepping them. Think tiny “trees” for the cauliflower (like in my cauliflower chickpea salad) and about 1/4-inch pieces for the other veggies. While chopping takes a little effort, this recipe makes a large batch, so you’ll be stocked for a while. Trust me, once your first jar is gone, you’ll happily head back to your cutting board to make another! While it’s good right away, the true magic happens after a day or two in the fridge. The vegetables marinate, and the flavors meld, becoming even better. The carrots and cauliflower become ever so slightly tender. They are still crunchy, but not the same level of crunch as raw. I can’t wait for you to try it! Our Favorite Giardiniera PREP 1 hr COOK 5 mins TOTAL 1 hr 5 mins PREP 1 hr COOK 5 mins TOTAL 1 hr 5 mins You can think of this version as a blend between Italian and Chicago-style giardiniera. I call it Italian for its nice list of crunchy veggies, vinegar, and herbs, and Chicago-style because we also add some olive oil and a little heat with pepper flakes (though that’s optional). Homemade giardiniera lasts about 3 weeks in the fridge and adds a crunchy, zesty bite to almost anything (we especially love it for burgers, pizza, and antipasto boards with sliced homemade focaccia). One 2-quart jar, 32 Servings You Will Need 1 ½ pounds (680g) cauliflower, 1 small-to-medium cauliflower, about 4 cups small florets Half a large onion, chopped 5 cloves garlic, minced 8 ounces (226g) sweet bell peppers, seeds removed and chopped, about 2 cups 3 ribs celery, about 1 cup chopped celery 4 medium carrots, about 2 cups chopped carrots 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon fine sea salt or pickling salt 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional 20 green pimento stuffed olives, sliced into rings 2 ½ cups (20oz or 590ml) white wine vinegar 1 ½ cups (12oz or 354ml) olive oil, not extra-virgin, see note Directions 1Prepare equipment: Set aside a large mixing bowl and a 2-quart canning jar (or two 1-quart jars). 2Prepare the vegetables: Remove the stem and leaves from the cauliflower and then cut or pull it into tiny florets (about 1/4 inch). Mince the garlic, and then cut the remaining vegetables (onion, sweet peppers, celery, and carrots) into pieces no larger than 1/4 inch. 3Combine the vegetables: In the large mixing bowl, combine the prepared cauliflower, onion, garlic, sweet peppers, celery, carrots, oregano, salt, sugar, black pepper, and pepper flakes (if using). Toss to combine, then let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes. 4Make the brine: In a saucepan, combine the white wine vinegar and olive oil. Bring this mixture to a simmer over medium heat. 5Add the brine to the vegetables: Carefully pour the hot vinegar and oil brine over the vegetable mixture. Use a spoon to press down all of the veggies, so they are submerged in the brine. Wrap the top of the bowl with plastic wrap and allow everything to cool completely to room temperature. 6Add the olives and transfer to a jar: Once cooled, mix in the sliced green olives. Transfer the entire mixture to a 2-quart jar (or two 1-quart jars). 7Store in the refrigerator: Refrigerate overnight (preferably upside down, set inside a bowl, to ensure even brining). The next day, turn the jar right-side up and let it stand for one more day in the fridge. They will only get better from here! As it sits, make sure the brine covers the vegetables. It lasts in the fridge for about 3 weeks. 1Prepare equipment: Set aside a large mixing bowl and a 2-quart canning jar (or two 1-quart jars). 2Prepare the vegetables: Remove the stem and leaves from the cauliflower and then cut or pull it into tiny florets (about 1/4 inch). Mince the garlic, and then cut the remaining vegetables (onion, sweet peppers, celery, and carrots) into pieces no larger than 1/4 inch. 3Combine the vegetables: In the large mixing bowl, combine the prepared cauliflower, onion, garlic, sweet peppers, celery, carrots, oregano, salt, sugar, black pepper, and pepper flakes (if using). Toss to combine, then let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes. 4Make the brine: In a saucepan, combine the white wine vinegar and olive oil. Bring this mixture to a simmer over medium heat. 5Add the brine to the vegetables: Carefully pour the hot vinegar and oil brine over the vegetable mixture. Use a spoon to press down all of the veggies, so they are submerged in the brine. Wrap the top of the bowl with plastic wrap and allow everything to cool completely to room temperature. 6Add the olives and transfer to a jar: Once cooled, mix in the sliced green olives. Transfer the entire mixture to a 2-quart jar (or two 1-quart jars). 7Store in the refrigerator: Refrigerate overnight (preferably upside down, set inside a bowl, to ensure even brining). The next day, turn the jar right-side up and let it stand for one more day in the fridge. They will only get better from here! As it sits, make sure the brine covers the vegetables. It lasts in the fridge for about 3 weeks. Adam and Joanne's Tips A note on olive oil: We suggest using a regular, more refined olive oil for this recipe rather than extra-virgin. Extra-virgin olive oil tends to solidify more rapidly and completely in the cold temperatures of the refrigerator, making it harder to serve directly from the fridge. If you notice the oil has solidified when serving, don’t worry—leave the giardiniera out at room temperature for a short period until the oil liquefies again. Storing: Keep homemade giardiniera in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks, ensuring the vegetables remain fully submerged in the brine. If needed, you can top up the jar with more vinegar and oil to keep everything covered (start with 2 tablespoons vinegar + 1 tablespoon olive oil). Ways to serve it: Homemade giardiniera is so good I eat it straight from the jar, but it’s incredibly versatile and can add a terrific, tangy bite to almost anything. It’s classic with Italian beef and roast beef sandwiches. I love it for muffuletta sandwiches, and it’s perfect on an appetizer or antipasto board. Try it on homemade burgers, turkey burgers, beer brats, meatloaf, and hot dogs. I also love it as an alternative to pickles for my tuna salad, chickpea salad, and chicken salad! And finally, we love it on pizza (see my homemade pizza dough or cheese pizza to try it). The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Calculating how much salt is in the veggies is difficult, so we have included all of the brine in the calculations. A note on olive oil: We suggest using a regular, more refined olive oil for this recipe rather than extra-virgin. Extra-virgin olive oil tends to solidify more rapidly and completely in the cold temperatures of the refrigerator, making it harder to serve directly from the fridge. If you notice the oil has solidified when serving, don’t worry—leave the giardiniera out at room temperature for a short period until the oil liquefies again. Storing: Keep homemade giardiniera in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks, ensuring the vegetables remain fully submerged in the brine. If needed, you can top up the jar with more vinegar and oil to keep everything covered (start with 2 tablespoons vinegar + 1 tablespoon olive oil). Ways to serve it: Homemade giardiniera is so good I eat it straight from the jar, but it’s incredibly versatile and can add a terrific, tangy bite to almost anything. It’s classic with Italian beef and roast beef sandwiches. I love it for muffuletta sandwiches, and it’s perfect on an appetizer or antipasto board. Try it on homemade burgers, turkey burgers, beer brats, meatloaf, and hot dogs. I also love it as an alternative to pickles for my tuna salad, chickpea salad, and chicken salad! And finally, we love it on pizza (see my homemade pizza dough or cheese pizza to try it). The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Calculating how much salt is in the veggies is difficult, so we have included all of the brine in the calculations. Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size about 1/4 cup (veggies and brine) / Calories 111 / Total Fat 10.9g / Saturated Fat 1.6g / Cholesterol 0mg / Sodium 260.5mg / Carbohydrate 3.4g / Dietary Fiber 1g / Total Sugars 1.7g / Protein 0.7g AUTHOR: Joanne Gallagher We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and confidently cook fresh and flavorful meals.More About Us