How to Pickle All Your Spring Vegetables

Food Network Magazine gives you the foolproof formula for pickling everything from radishes to fennel.

From: Food Network Magazine

One of the things we love most about warmer weather is all the fresh veggies that come into bloom. But if your garden is overflowing with rows upon rows of lush radishes, beets, turnips, green beans, tomatoes and carrots using them all up before they go bad can be a bit of a struggle. Quick pickling — or submerging your veggies in a briny mixture of vinegar, water, salt and other add-ins — is a great solution.

Thankfully, Food Network Magazine brined all sorts of veggie combinations. Pick your favorite from the list below to give your pickle jar some love this spring.

How To Make Quick Pickles

1. Combine 1 1/2 cups water and 2 tablespoons kosher salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.

2. Add vinegar, sugar and desired seasonings (see recipes for details) and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the salt and sugar.

3. Pack your vegetables into a 1-quart jar. Pour in the hot brine to cover completely (you might not use all the brine). Let cool completely. Cover the jar and refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 2 weeks.

Spiced Beets

Vinegar: 1 cup distilled white vinegar
Sugar: 2 tablespoons
Seasonings: 1 teaspoon juniper berries and 2 whole cloves
Vegetables: 1 pound beets, peeled and thinly sliced (halved if large)

Coriander Carrots and Celery

Vinegar: 1 cup apple cider vinegar
Sugar: 4 teaspoons
Seasonings: 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, 2 bay leaves and 1 smashed garlic clove
Vegetables: 3 carrots and 3 celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch-thick sticks

Chile-Orange Fennel

Vinegar: 1 cup white wine vinegar
Sugar: 3 tablespoons
Seasonings: 3 dried chiles de árbol and 1 smashed garlic clove
Vegetables: 1 fennel bulb, quartered and thinly sliced through the core, plus a few fennel fronds and 1 wide strip orange zest

Tarragon Radishes

Vinegar: 1 cup white wine vinegar
Sugar: 3 tablespoons
Seasonings: 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
Vegetables: 1 pound radishes, halved or quartered, plus 3 tarragon sprigs

Turmeric Turnips

Vinegar: 1 cup apple cider vinegar
Sugar: 4 teaspoons
Seasonings: 1 tablespoon coriander seeds and 1/2 teaspoon each turmeric and black peppercorns
Vegetables: 1 pound small turnips, peeled, halved and thinly sliced