Curry Pickled Cauliflower

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This curry pickled cauliflower, with its bold, tangy flavors, is ultra delicious, versatile and legit addictive!
Team it up with your sandwiches or add it to your salad bowl for an extra kick of flavor- it’s amazing either way.

All you’ll need is a few pantry staples and a few minutes of kitchen time to put this insanely delicious refrigerator pickle together.

In case you haven’t guessed that already- I’m all about pickling and preserving foods. My salt preserved limes and my Persian mixed vegetable pickle recipe still remain among the most popular recipes, and when I ended up with some extra cauliflower in my refrigerator, I thought of using it up in a way I love the most- pickling it!

What's So Great About the Recipe?

My favorite part about this pickled curry cauliflower recipe is the fact that it is actually a great way to use up any leftover cauliflower you might have, and transform it into a delicious condiment that you can refrigerate and use for weeks.

Plus, the recipe is super easy! If you’ve been confused about how to make refrigerator pickles, this no-fail recipe is going to be just perfect!

Ingredients For the Curry Pickled Cauliflower Recipe

Ready to make this quick pickled cauliflower? Here’s all you’ll need.

Cauliflower: Start off with a fresh, unblemished and firm white cauliflower. Cut the cauliflower into florets.

Bell pepper: This one’s optional, but I had an extra red bell pepper in my refrigerator, so I added it in too! It just adds such a nice pop of color to the pickle.

Aromatics: Adding in some sliced ginger and garlic can really take the flavors of the cauliflower pickle to the next level.

Seasonings: To season the pickled cauliflower, I used some salt and sugar. I would recommend using kosher salt or pickling salt for this recipe.

Spices: For spices, you’ll need some curry powder, red pepper flakes, turmeric powder and whole spices like mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and some bay leaves.

Vinegar: I used white vinegar to make the brine for the pickle. You can choose to use apple cider vinegar if you want to.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Curry Pickled Cauliflower

Ready with all your ingredients? Here’s what you’ll need to do to make the curry pickled cauliflower.

Using a sharp knife, cut the cauliflower into small florets, and chop the bell pepper into squares.

In a large saucepan, combine vinegar with a cup of water and add in the aromatics, bay leaves, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, red pepper flakes, salt and sugar and

Now add in the rest of the seasonings and bring the brine up to a boil.

Next, add in the cauliflower florets and bell peppers and simmer for a few minutes. Then take it off heat.

Allow this to get to room temperature and then transfer it to a glass jar.

Cover it with a lid and refrigerate for up to 10 days.

Substitutions & Variations

If you don’t have the whole mustard and fenugreek seeds that the recipe calls for, it is okay to skip them.
You can also add other whole spices of your choice. Coriander seeds and cumin seeds are both great choices.
Whole black peppercorns are another great addition to this cauliflower pickles recipe.

💭Top Tip

Also remember to leave a little space on the top of the jar before you put the lid on. Leaving this headspace at the top will again, help with the preservation.

Equipment

How to Store the Pickled Cauliflower

I’ve used a simple quick pickling method for this recipe, because we tend to finish up the pickled cauliflower pretty quick.

If you want it to last longer, you’ll need to follow the traditional canning method.

Another way to extend the shelf life is to prepare the brine separately and add all the spices and the cauliflower into the jar, pour the hot brine over the cauliflower and then can it. Doing this will make it last for a month.

If you’re doing this, remember to sterilize your canning jars first.

curry pickled cauliflower served in a small bowl

Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe

The cauliflower pickle gets its bright yellow color from the curry powder. Since all curry powders are different, I would recommend starting out with just a little to get the right color, and then adding more if needed.
Make sure all the cauliflower florets are submerged in the pickling liquid. Doing this will help it stay fresh for a longer time.
While the pickled cauliflower is ready to eat right away, I would recommend letting it stay for a day or two before you serve it. Doing this will help the veggies soak all of the pickling liquid, and turn slightly soft too.

How to Serve the Curry Pickled Cauliflower

Serving the curry pickled cauliflower is an absolute no brainer.

These pickles are perfect for snacking - team them up with some of your favorite snacks and appetizers on a board, and enjoy it as a part of a snack board that you can serve at a party or a get-together.

You can also make this a part of a relish tray with some other pickled foods like Russian pickled mushrooms, preserved Italian peppers and pickled shredded carrots.

You can also add them to your salads and rice bowls, or use them in your sandwiches and wraps for a bit of extra flavor.

FAQs

What Other Veggies Can I Add?

This easy and healthy recipe works for almost all kinds of veggies. Onions, carrots, cucumbers, beet and even jalapenos!

Print Recipe

Curry Pickled Cauliflower

This easy curry pickled cauliflower is unlike any other pickle you've ever come across. It is the perfect way to preserve some extra cauliflower!

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: Asian, Indian

Keyword: curry pickled cauliflower

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 cauliflower
¼ cup red bell pepper diced
4 garlic
1 tablespoon ginger sliced
1 cup white vinegar
¼ cup sugar
2.5 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon mustard
½ teaspoon fenugreek
2 cups water
2-3 bay leaves

Instructions

Using a sharp knife, cut the cauliflower into small florets, and chop the bell pepper into squares.
In a large saucepan, combine vinegar with a cup of water and add in the aromatics, bay leaves, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, red pepper flakes, salt and sugar and
Now add in the rest of the seasonings and bring the brine up to a boil.
Next, add in the cauliflower florets and bell peppers and simmer for a few minutes. Then take it off heat.
Allow this to get to room temperature and then transfer it to a glass jar.
Cover it with a lid and refrigerate for up to 10 days.

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