Giardiniera

published Jul 13, 2024
overhead shot of giardiniera in 2 small mason jars on a marble surface.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Kelli Foster

There’s loads of tangy flavor and it’s the perfect texture.

Serves8 to 10

Makes7 cups

Prep15 minutes

Cook10 minutes

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overhead shot of giardiniera in a small white bowl.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Kelli Foster

Visit any Italian market and, tucked among the olives, capers, and roasted red peppers, you’ll find giardiniera. To Italians, giardiniera (pronounced jar-din-AIR-ah) is a way of saying pickled vegetables. The condiment is also known as verdure sott’aceto, which translates to “vegetables under vinegar.” The vegetables are usually eaten with salads or as an antipasto, often accompanied by cheeses or cured meats, but it’s also delicious stuffed into an Italian beef sandwich.

Like many Italian dishes, there’s a traditional and an Italian-American version of giardiniera. The latter is referred to as “Chicago-style.” Italian-style giardiniera includes cauliflower, bell peppers, carrots, celery, and sometimes gherkins, and the vegetables are marinated in olive oil, red or white wine vinegar, herbs, and spices. Chicago-style giardiniera adds hot peppers to the mix, and the marinade contains little or no vinegar. This recipe falls squarely in the middle of these two iterations: It’s got lots of vinegary tang, plus the added heat of pepperoncinis.

Why You’ll Love It

  • There’s loads of tangy flavor and it’s the perfect texture. As it should be, this giardiniera is bursting with so much vinegary flavor, and the vegetables have a crisp-tender texture.
  • It’s easy to make at home. There’s less than 30 minutes of prep and cooking involved, and no fancy ingredients. On top of that, don’t worry about being overly precise when measuring the vegetables — the recipe is very forgiving. 
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Kelli Foster

Key Ingredients in Giardiniera

  • Cauliflower. Cut the florets into small, bite-size pieces so they’re easy to eat. 
  • Carrots. It looks especially nice when you cut the carrots into slices on a slight diagonal.
  • Bell pepper. Remove the seeds and stem from a red bell pepper, and cut into thin strips. 
  • Pickled pepperoncinis. If you really love pepperoncinis (I do!), add the whole jar. It’s a little more than what’s called for in the recipe, and it will work just fine.
  • White wine vinegar. This is really what gives the giardiniera its super-tangy flavor. You need 2 cups for this recipe.

How to Make Giardiniera

  1. Prep the vegetables. Trim, peel, and cut the cauliflower, carrots, celery, and bell pepper.
  2. Simmer the vegetables. Simmer the cauliflower and carrots in the vinegar mixture for a few minutes, then add the celery and bell pepper and simmer a bit longer.
  3. Steam the vegetables. Add the pepperoncinis, cover, and let steam for 5 minutes. 
  4. Marinate and cool the vegetables. Drain the vegetables, add to a large bowl with the olive oil marinade, and toss to coat. Cool and refrigerate.

Helpful Swaps

  • The recipe calls for red bell peppers, though yellow or orange peppers would work just fine. 
  • If you want to add a little extra heat to your giardiniera, you could add some red pepper flakes to the olive oil marinade. Anywhere from a pinch to a 1/2 teaspoon is a good amount.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips 

  • You can get a head start by cutting the vegetables up to one day in advance. Refrigerate them in an airtight container. 
  • Store the giardiniera in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Giardiniera should not be frozen. 

How to Eat Giardiniera

Giardiniera Recipe

There’s loads of tangy flavor and it’s the perfect texture.

Prep time 15 minutes

Cook time 10 minutes

Makes 7 cups

Serves 8 to 10

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 1/2

    medium head cauliflower (about 12 ounces)

  • 2

    medium carrots

  • 2

    medium stalks celery

  • 1

    medium red bell pepper

  • 2 cups

    white wine vinegar

  • 1 cup

    water

  • 1 tablespoon

    plus 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 1 tablespoon

    granulated sugar

  • 2

    dried bay leaves

  • 16

    whole pickled peperoncini (about 1 (12-ounce) jar)

  • 1/4 cup

    extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2 teaspoons

    fennel seeds

  • 1 teaspoon

    dried oregano

Instructions

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  1. Cut 1/2 head cauliflower into bite-sized florets (about 2 1/2 cups). Peel 2 medium carrots and thinly slice crosswise on a slight diagonal (about 1 cup). Thinly slice 2 medium celery stalks crosswise on a slight diagonal (about 1 1/4 cups). Cut 1 medium red bell pepper into 1/4-inch-thick strips (about 1 1/2 cups).

  2. Place 2 cups white wine vinegar, 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and 2 bay leaves in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, add the cauliflower and carrots, and simmer for 3 minutes. Add the celery and red bell pepper, and simmer until all the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes more. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

  3. Add 16 whole pickled peperoncini and stir to combine. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 teaspoons fennel seeds, and 1 teaspoon dried oregano in a large bowl.

  4. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the liquid in the saucepan to the bowl and whisk until combined to make the marinade. Drain the vegetables, then add them to the marinade. Toss well to combine. Let cool until room temperature, about 20 minutes.

  5. Cover (or transfer to an airtight container) and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. Serve cold or at room temperature. Toss again before serving.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: The vegetables can be cut up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container.

Storage: The giardiniera can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.