This pickled cauliflower recipe takes pickling to a new level! Soaked in a spice-filled brine, this purple and orange-colored cauliflower is easy to make and tastes delicious as a snack or added to salads!
Pickled cauliflower is the solution to a fridge drawer of purple and orange cauliflower. After all, what doesn’t taste good when pickled?
If you are finding this beautiful cauliflower as an option in your weekly CSA share, welcome it. It’s a wonderful way to absorb new colors into your diet with something that’s quirky and fun. Forget the food coloring, because these orange and purple shades keep their color well into the pickling process, making them a fun topping for your summer salad.
Plus, your kids might just love to see a rainbow of colors as an option when they reach into the fridge for a snack (I know my girls do!)
Why pickled cauliflower?
Everything tastes delicious when pickled, and this colored cauliflower is no exception. The color of each orange and purple cauliflower have different sources. The purple comes from the antioxidant anthocyanin – which can be found in red cabbage and red wine.
The orange color comes from a genetic mutation that gives it more beta carotene than the regular, white cauliflower we are familiar with. The higher than normal beta carotene levels make orange cauliflower high in vitamin A, and great for healthy skin.
Both orange and purple-colored cauliflower work great for making pickles. These high bred varieties keep their fabulous color and crunch for months after pickling. Besides the fact that these pickles are colorful and pretty, they make a wonderful low-calorie snack for the hot summer months.
Or, throw them on your salad for some fresh color.
This pickled cauliflower is definitely not your typical pickle recipe. It involves some really fun spices like coriander, mustard seeds, cumin, allspice, red pepper seeds, and peppercorns. We also used kicked up the flavor with fresh dill.
How to Make Pickled Cauliflower
Divide the spices, dill, cauliflower, and bell pepper among three pint jars, a small bit of headspace. Once you bring your brine to a boil, turn off the heat. Pour the hot brine over the packed jars, allowing 1/2 inch of headspace.
Wipe the rims, and apply the lids and rings (finger tight). Then, process your jars in a hot water bath for 12 minutes. Remove from the water bath and allow to cool on a folded towel for 8-12 hours. Check the seal, and then store in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year.
Enjoy this colorful recipe for pickled cauliflower on your next salad. Or, watch your kids dive in for this lovely rainbow of colors.
This purple and orange pickled cauliflower takes orange and purple cauliflower to a new level! Soaked in a spice-filled brine, this colored cauliflower is easy to make and tastes delicious as a snack or added to salads!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 heads cauliflower (purple and orange), cut into smaller florets
- 6 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and sliced thin
- 3 C. white vinegar
- 3 C. water
- 3 Tbsp pickling salt
- 6 Tbsp organic cane sugar
- 3 tsp mustard seed
- 3 tsp coriander seed
- 15 whole black peppercorns
- 15 allspice berries
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 bunch organic dill weed
Instructions
- Combine your vinegar, water, salt, sugar and bay leaves in a medium pot. Bring to a boil.
- Divide the remaining ingredients between your sterilized pint canning jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
- Remove the bay leaves from the brine; then our the hot brine into each jar, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
- Wipe the rims, then apply the lids and rings (finger tight). Process your jars in a hot water bath for 12 minutes. Remove the jars carefully and allow to cool on a towel for 8-12 hours.
- Check the seal, and allow the jars to sit in a cool place for up to 1 year.
If you love pickling, you might want to try these other recipes, too!
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