Make life (and especially lunchtime) more interesting with these Cauliflower Pickles. Tangy, crunchy, and flavour-packed, these pickles are a perfect accompaniment to sandwiches, burgers, grazing boards and more.
How to make Cauliflower Pickles
To start with, you'll need:
- 2 medium jars, sterilised
- 2 days (these pickles, like most, are made over 2 days)
- 2 main ingredients: a cauliflower and 2 onions
- Salt: ⅓ cup
Note that there are more ingredients required for day 2 and these are listed below.
How to choose a cauliflower
Your Cauliflower Pickles will be influenced by the quality of your cauliflower, so here's some tips on picking a good one:
- the cauliflower head should be dense and tightly packed
- it should be a vibrant white or creamy colour
- the leaves surrounding the cauliflower head should be crisp and green
- it should feel heavy for its size
- cauliflowers will be more affordable, nutritious and delicious when they are in season – they're generally in season during the cooler months of the year but this will depend on your region and climate.
Day 1: Making Cauliflower Pickles
Break the cauliflower into small florets.
Place these in a baking dish and then sprinkle with ⅔ of the salt.
Pour in enough water to cover the cauliflower florets and then set aside to rest overnight.
Roughly chop the onions and place into another baking dish.
Sprinkle with the remaining salt and also set this dish aside to rest overnight.
Note that you are NOT adding water to the onions – only to the cauliflower.
Day 2: Making Cauliflower Pickles
The next day, you'll also need these ingredients:
- 2 cups cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup cornflour / cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne powder.
Drain the cauliflower and then rinse both the cauliflower and onions in cold water. Drain well.
Place the cauliflower and onion in a saucepan along with the cloves and vinegar.
Bring to the boil and then simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
Next, add the remaining ingredients. Stir over low heat to dissolve the sugar and combine.
Bring to the boil again and then simmer for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture starts to thicken.
Remove from heat and pour mixture into sterilised jars. Seal immediately.
Allow to cool and then store in fridge.
If you're confident in techniques used in canning/preserving food you may be able to store these in the pantry.
Love pickles?
I also have recipes for Zucchini Pickles, Pickled Beetroot, Green Tomato Pickles, Choko Pickles, and Bread and Butter Pickles.
Cauliflower Pickles
Equipment
- 2 sterilised medium jars with lids
Ingredients
- 1 cauliflower
- 2 onions
- ⅓ cup salt
- 2 cups cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup cornflour cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne powder
Instructions
Day 1
- Break cauliflower into small florets. Place in a baking dish and sprinkle with ⅔ of the salt. Pour in enough water to cover the cauliflower florets and then set aside to rest overnight.
- Roughly chop onions and place into another baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining salt and set aside to rest overnight. (No water added to the onions)
Day 2
- Drain cauliflower and then rinse both the cauliflower and onions in cold water. Drain well.
- Place cauliflower and onion in a saucepan along with the cloves and vinegar.
- Bring to the boil and then simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir over low heat to dissolve the sugar and combine.
- Bring to the boil again and then simmer for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture starts to thicken.
- Remove from heat and pour mixture into sterilised jars. Seal immediately.
- Allow to cool and then store in fridge (or on shelf if you are confident in techniques used in canning/preserving food).
Annie says
made this recipe with cauliflower grown by my granddaughter's in her vegie garden. instead of the cayenne pepper I added a little shake of chilli powder, yes it was a bit bitey however it was so delicious.
unfortunately it didn't last the week out as my husband demolished it all off before I could have anymore.
thankyou for the recipe. I shall keep it to hand on to my granddaughter to make.
Libby Hakim says
So pleased you loved the recipe, Annie! How lovely that you made it with cauliflower from your granddaughter's garden - but, yes, unfortunate that your husband found it so delicious lol!! Happy cooking!
Annie says
made this recipe with cauliflower grown by my granddaughter's in her vegie garden. instead of the cayenne pepper I added a little shake of chilli powder, yes it was a bit bitey however it was so delicious.
unfortunately it didn't last the week out as my husband demolished it all off before I could have anymore.
thankyou for the recipe.
Libby Hakim says
So pleased you loved the recipe, Annie! How lovely that you made it with cauliflower from your granddaughter's garden - but, yes, unfortunate that your husband found it so delicious lol!! Happy cooking!
Jan Sekula says
fantastic recipe, I'm really happy with the taste. yum. Thank you
E Allan says
The recipe calls to let the cauliflower/onions rest overnight, exactly when do you start/stop. Or how many hours should it be in the salt.
Libby Hakim says
Hi. About 12 hours - give or take 4 hours.
Yvonne Whaley says
can I water bath these? I like to keep them in a cupboard.
sounds like a great recipe.
Thanks.
Libby Hakim says
Hi Yvonne - yes, you can. I will add this in the recipe. You'll just need to rely on your own knowledge of preserving. Happy cooking!
Michele says
I found the cornstarch made it gloopy and not liquidy. Is this normal? The flavor of it all was really good, but I didn't the like the texture. What am I doing wrong? I'm going to try making it without the cornstarch next time.
Libby Hakim says
Hi Michele - yep, make it with less or no cornflour/cornstarch next time if you prefer pickles to be more liquidy. Thanks for the feedback and happy cooking! Libby
Jan Sekula says
make a slurry for the cornflower with water or some vinegar. works so much better.
Jane MacCallum says
I’m going to make mustard cauliflower pickles with no other vegetables using my regular mustard pickle sauce. Vinegar white or half white half cider, white sugar, flour, mustard powder, mustard seeds, turmeric and celery seed. Really my mom’s recipe. I plan to soak cauliflower overnight and just barely bring to a boil after changing water the next morning. Drain and Mix it with premade sauce. Bottle and water bath 10 minutes. I’m nervous about over cooking the cauliflower! Any suggestions or dies this sound wise?
Carolyn says
Hi Libby, I used to make this a lot but my recipe has too much vinegar so I'm certainly going to make your recipe, i'll be looking for the cauli tomorrow lol, I adore pickles like this, I grew up in a family that used to make pickles regularly.
I enjoy your recipe so glad I found you
Narelle says
can I use white vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar?
Libby Hakim says
Yes, you can. It may change the flavour slightly, but they'll still be delicious!