What makes it “instant”
“Instant” here means you skip canning, fermenting and long waits. You cut the cauliflower, pour a hot vinegar brine over it, let the jar cool, and refrigerate. Most people can eat it after a few hours, although the flavor keeps developing for a day or two. If you would rather ferment cauliflower, see how long to ferment cauliflower.
It is a refrigerator pickle. It is not shelf-stable and should not be stored in the pantry.
Ingredients
This fills one pint jar generously (increase everything proportionally for a quart).
- About 2 cups cauliflower florets, in 1-inch pieces
- 3/4 cup distilled white or apple cider vinegar, labeled 5% acidity
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine pickling salt (or weigh about 9 grams of salt if using a coarser kind)
- 2 teaspoons sugar, optional
- 1 small garlic clove, smashed, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
Small florets pickle faster and eat more easily. Trim the stem pieces to about the same size, as they are crunchy and also good.
Method
- Wash a pint jar and lid in hot, soapy water and rinse well.
- Put the garlic and spices in the jar, then pack in the cauliflower, leaving room for brine.
- Heat the vinegar, water, salt and sugar in a small saucepan until it comes to a boil and the salt dissolves.
- Pour the hot brine over the cauliflower to cover it completely, leaving about 1/2 inch of space at the top. Press the florets down so they are submerged.
- Cool the jar at room temperature for up to an hour or so, then cover and refrigerate.
Do not leave the jar out for long. The point of the cooling step is to get it to room temperature before refrigerating, not to store it on the counter.
Should cauliflower be blanched before pickling?
For most refrigerator pickles, no. Raw florets in hot brine stay firm with a crunchy bite. Blanching for about a minute, then shocking in ice water, gives a slightly more tender result, and some people prefer that for larger florets. If you do blanch, keep it short, because overcooked cauliflower goes soft in the jar.
Timing: how soon can you eat it
- After 30 to 60 minutes: lightly pickled and still very fresh-tasting. Fine as a quick salad topping.
- After 4 hours: a typical minimum recommendation for a clear pickle taste.
- After 24 to 48 hours: more fully flavored and balanced.
Thicker florets take longer to absorb the brine than thin slices.
What is the 3-2-1 rule?
You may see “3-2-1” described as a shortcut for pickle brine. Different sources use it for different things, such as parts of water, vinegar and sugar, and some versions end up with more water than vinegar. Because the ratios vary, it is a poor foundation for food safety. This recipe uses roughly equal parts vinegar and water instead, which is a common approach for refrigerator pickles. If you follow a 3-2-1 recipe, check how much of it is vinegar and make sure the vinegar is 5% acidity.
Sweet cauliflower pickle and refrigerator carrots
For a sweeter bread-and-butter style, raise the sugar to about 2 to 3 tablespoons per pint and add a pinch of turmeric and a little celery seed. Sugar is for taste only and does not make the pickle safer or longer-lasting.
You can use the same brine for thin carrot sticks or coins. Carrots keep their crunch well in a hot brine, and a mixed jar looks great. For a combined jar, see our full recipe for pickled cauliflower, carrots and celery.
Storage and safety
- Keep the jar in the refrigerator, with the cauliflower under the brine.
- Use clean utensils rather than fingers.
- For best quality, eat it within about four weeks. Some recipes say longer, but texture and flavor decline.
- Throw it out if it smells off or looks slimy, moldy or fizzy.
- Do not water-bath can this recipe. Canned pickles require a tested recipe, such as those from the National Center for Home Food Preservation; our easy pickle recipes for canning walk through one.
Troubleshooting
- The cauliflower turned yellow or tan: apple cider vinegar and spices like turmeric will tint it. Use white or rice vinegar for pale florets.
- It tastes harsh: give it another day, or add a little sugar next time.
- It is soft: the florets were small or cooked too long. Skip any blanching and cut slightly larger pieces.