Instant Pot Pickled Vegetables

Instant Pot Pickled Vegetables

Instant Pot Pickled Vegetables

 

This is a reminder that just about any vegetable—from cucumbers to beets to cauliflower—can be pickled quickly and used to brighten up otherwise humdrum meals. What you’re doing here is making a super-fast but potent pickling liquid (a strong brine) in the pressure cooker, then pouring it over cleaned and trimmed vegetables that have been packed into glass jars. The pickling happens fast in the intimate quarters of the jars, with a little extra time to cure in the refrigerator. Use this quick-pickling trick throughout the seasons (if opting for beets, steam and peel them first)

 

2 cups distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar

½ cup sugar

2 T. pickling spices, such as whole cloves, allspice berries, black peppercorns, or mustard seeds

2 bay leaves

1½ T. kosher salt

1 or 2 sprigs fresh herbs, such as dill, rosemary, or cilantro, plus more for serving

1½ pounds fresh vegetables, trimmed, such as whole green beans, cauliflower florets, small carrots, or pickling cucumbers, halved lengthwise

 

Combine 8 cups water with the vinegar, sugar, pickling spices, bay leaves, salt, and herbs in the inner pot of the pressure cooker. Lock on the lid and Pressure Cook on high pressure for 7 minutes. Release the pressure manually and open the lid. Pack the vegetables into two clean 1-pint canning jars or airtight containers and fill with the brine, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Discard the extra brine (or use it to quickly pickle a sliced red onion). Let the jars cool completely before refrigerating for up to 1 month. Serve cold or at room temperature, adding fresh-chopped herbs, if desired, before serving. Note: For a little heat in your pickle add a jalapeno pepper, sliced in rounds to the pickling liquid before cooking.

Comments are closed.