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Giardiniera

Name: Giardiniera
Prep time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Makes enough to fill a 1 litre jar
Cuisine: Italian recipes
Ingredients: 100g cauliflower (about ¼ small cauliflower), broken into small florets; 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced; 1 celery stick, cut into 2.5cm pieces; 100g mixed baby peppers, deseeded and sliced; 50g green beans, sliced into 3cm batons; 1 baby cucumber (or ¼ a large one), sliced; 2 spring onions, sliced into 3cm batons; 60g pitted green olives, sliced; ½ tbsp fine salt; For the pickling piquor; 1 tsp fennel seeds; 1 tsp coriander seeds; 1 tsp black peppercorns; 350ml white vinegar; 50ml extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tbsp caster sugar; 6 small garlic cloves; 2 bay leaves; 1 tbsp dried oregano; 1 tsp chilli flakes (optional); Specialist kit; 1 litre jar or container

By: Pollyanna Coupland
Food producer, delicious.

Published: 16 Sep 24
Updated: 27 Sep 24

Giardiniera are colourful Italian pickles that are commonly served in the northern Italian regions as an antipasti (although they’re great in sandwiches too). Traditionally made to preserve the summer’s veg bounty, these crunchy, piquant pickles are incredibly moreish and simple to make. The hard part is waiting a month until they’re ready to eat!

There are two variations of giardiniera; this Italian version or an Italian-American version mostly associated with Chicago which sees the vegetables marinated in oil after the pickling process. The American version always include chillies and is used as a deli-style sandwich filler or hotdog garnish.

Browse our recipe tour of Italy’s 20 regions for more traditional dishes.

Easy
Online only 2024

Test kitchen approved

Makes enough to fill a 1 litre jar
Hands-on time 15 min, plus 30 min salting and 1 month pickling

Browse our recipe tour of Italy’s 20 regions for more traditional dishes.

Nutrition: Per tbsp (approx.)

Calories: 10kcals
Fat: 0.7g (0.1g saturated)
Protein: Trace
Carbohydrates: 0.8g (0.7g sugars)
Fibre: Trace
Salt: 0.1g

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Before you start

It’s always sensible to sterilise your jars when pickling or making preserves: find out how.

Salting the vegetables before pickling is an important step as it draws out moisture, ensuring they remain nice and crisp after a month in the pickle liquor.

Before you start

It’s always sensible to sterilise your jars when pickling or making preserves: find out how.

Salting the vegetables before pickling is an important step as it draws out moisture, ensuring they remain nice and crisp after a month in the pickle liquor.

Ingredients

100g cauliflower (about ¼ small cauliflower), broken into small florets
1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced
1 celery stick, cut into 2.5cm pieces
100g mixed baby peppers, deseeded and sliced
50g green beans, sliced into 3cm batons
1 baby cucumber (or ¼ a large one), sliced
2 spring onions, sliced into 3cm batons
60g pitted green olives, sliced
½ tbsp fine salt

For the pickling piquor

1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
350ml white vinegar
50ml extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp caster sugar
6 small garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)

Specialist kit

1 litre jar or container

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Method

Put all the vegetables and olives in a colander set over a bowl and sprinkle over the salt. Toss, then leave for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the pickling liquor. Heat the fennel seeds, coriander seeds and peppercorns in a dry saucepan until fragrant and lightly toasted, then pour in the rest of the ingredients along with 100ml water. Bring to the boil, stirring, to dissolve the sugar. Take off the heat and leave to cool.
Rinse the salted vegetables and discard the liquid they have produced, then transfer to your jar or container, packing them down tightly. Pour over the cooled pickle liquor and seal. Store in a cool, dark place for a month. Once opened, keep the jar in the fridge – provided everything stays submerged in the liquor, the giardiniera should last indefinitely.