Chicago-Style Giardiniera
By Bryan RoofPublished on March 3, 2025
Time
30 minutes, plus 22 hours refrigerating and brining
Yield
Makes about 1 quart
Ingredients
Before You Begin
In step 4, this recipe offers a choice of traditional or relish-style (finely chopped) giardiniera. Both styles work well in an Italian beef sandwich; it’s a matter of personal taste. Giardiniera should have a little heat to it. Occasionally, serrano chiles may lean toward the mild side; adjust the heat at the end with additional red pepper flakes to your desired taste. Distilled vinegar or white wine vinegar may be substituted for the cider vinegar.
Instructions
- Toss cauliflower, celery, bell pepper, carrot, serranos, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, oregano, basil, and pepper flakes together in bowl. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Drain and reserve any salting liquid that has accumulated in bottom of vegetable bowl (this will be used later). Stir olives into vegetable mixture, then transfer vegetable mixture to 1-quart jar.
- Bring vinegar, water, sugar, and remaining 1½ teaspoons salt to boil in small saucepan over high heat and cook, stirring often, until sugar has dissolved, about 1 minute. Pour brine over vegetables until vegetables are completely covered (you may have extra brine). Let vegetable mixture sit in brine at room temperature for at least 6 hours or refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
- Drain pickled vegetables in fine-mesh strainer; discard brine. (If you prefer relish-style giardiniera, transfer pickled vegetables to food processor and pulse until chopped into approximate ¼- to ½-inch pieces, about 6 pulses.) Return vegetables to now-empty 1-quart jar. Add reserved salting liquid to vegetables, then add oil to completely cover pickled vegetables. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Season with additional pepper flakes to taste. Serve. (Giardiniera can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.)
Time
30 minutes, plus 22 hours refrigerating and briningYield
Makes about 1 quartIngredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
To make Chicago-style giardiniera (the traditional condiment for Chicago Italian Beef Sandwiches), we begin by salting a mix of vegetables—cauliflower, celery, bell peppers, carrots—along with oregano, basil, serrano chiles, and garlic. The salting process seasons the vegetables and leaves them crisp-tender. We then stir in olives, transfer the vegetable mixture to a jar, and pour a hot vinegar-based brine over top. After pickling for 6 to 24 hours, the vegetables are drained, returned to the jar, then covered with vegetable oil (vegetable oil doesn't solidify when chilled in the refrigerator). We allow the giardiniera to sit for at least 4 hours so the flavors can meld, and then season to taste with pepper flakes––it should be slightly spicy––before serving.
Before You Begin
In step 4, this recipe offers a choice of traditional or relish-style (finely chopped) giardiniera. Both styles work well in an Italian beef sandwich; it’s a matter of personal taste. Giardiniera should have a little heat to it. Occasionally, serrano chiles may lean toward the mild side; adjust the heat at the end with additional red pepper flakes to your desired taste. Distilled vinegar or white wine vinegar may be substituted for the cider vinegar.
Instructions
- Toss cauliflower, celery, bell pepper, carrot, serranos, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, oregano, basil, and pepper flakes together in bowl. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Drain and reserve any salting liquid that has accumulated in bottom of vegetable bowl (this will be used later). Stir olives into vegetable mixture, then transfer vegetable mixture to 1-quart jar.
- Bring vinegar, water, sugar, and remaining 1½ teaspoons salt to boil in small saucepan over high heat and cook, stirring often, until sugar has dissolved, about 1 minute. Pour brine over vegetables until vegetables are completely covered (you may have extra brine). Let vegetable mixture sit in brine at room temperature for at least 6 hours or refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
- Drain pickled vegetables in fine-mesh strainer; discard brine. (If you prefer relish-style giardiniera, transfer pickled vegetables to food processor and pulse until chopped into approximate ¼- to ½-inch pieces, about 6 pulses.) Return vegetables to now-empty 1-quart jar. Add reserved salting liquid to vegetables, then add oil to completely cover pickled vegetables. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Season with additional pepper flakes to taste. Serve. (Giardiniera can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.)
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