Refreshingly crunchy, slightly sweet and sour with a hint of salt. What a fabulous way to enjoy the abundance of fresh summer vegetables. Our garden is currently overflowing with cucumbers, cabbage and celery so I find myself making this easy summer salad frequently. It’s become a family favorite. You can use a variety of vegetables, mixing and matching or use just one vegetable. The vegetables I use depends on what’s around. I’ve used carrots, cabbage, cucumbers, onion, peppers (sweet and hot), and celery. The amount of vegetables doesn’t really matter. You just want to have enough brine to cover them. If I have a mountain of vegetables, I’ll usually double the brine recipe. If you use purple cabbage or red onion, it will give the brine a reddish tint.
Pickled Summer Vegetables
Ingredients
Brine
1 ½ cups white vinegar
1 ½ cups water
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
Salad
1 small head of cabbage, red or green, thinly sliced, about 1 pound
4 cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
Directions
Mix the brine ingredients in a large glass bowl and stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Add the vegetables to the brine. Toss until combined. The brine should come close to the top of the vegetables but it does not have to cover them. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Stir the vegetables once or twice. You will notice that the vegetables will shrink and the brine will eventually cover the vegetables. This salad will last several weeks in the refrigerator.
Note: You can make this pickled salad using a mixture of different veggies or just one vegetable. I use cucumbers with fresh dill, red onion, or red cabbage most often. I love pickling sliced jalapeno peppers too!
Judymatusky.com
Judy Matusky, RDN, LDN 
2 Comments Add yours