Best Homemade Giardiniera (Hot or Mild)

Giardiniera, pronounced “jar-din-air-ah”, is one condiment you don’t want to be without.  And once you’ve tried it you’ll understand why.

Originating in Italy, these pickled vegetables were introduced to Chicago in the late 19th century by Italian immigrants and took their place as arguably the city’s most popular condiment.  It’s used on practically everything!  You name it, giardiniera is just what you need to bring your hot dogs, burgers, sandwiches, nachos, antipasto platters and pasta salads to life.  In Chicago you’ll even commonly find it served on pizzas and, of course, no Italian beef sandwich is complete without it.

Have you been to New Orleans?  Giardiniera is the magical ingredient in those mouthwatering muffuletta sandwiches.

In short, giardiniera is the ultimate pickled vegetable relish!

The popularity of giardiniera has continued to explode in Chicago with more than a million pounds of it being sold annually.  Still it remains relatively unknown outside of the Windy City except among those with strong Italian roots.

So if you’ve never heard of or tried it before, now is your chance to make some absolutely delectable homemade giardiniera that will bring new life and flavor to your favorite foods!

I’m also including recipes for canning giardiniera so you can store it long-term to enjoy all year round.

You can chop the veggies however large or small you prefer.  In Italy the vegetables are usually left in fairly large pieces and that way it’s also more versatile.  Left in larger pieces you have the flexibility of serving the giardiniera with your charctuerie/antipasto platters and when you want to use it for sandwiches, hot dogs, pasta salads, etc, you can simply diced up the finished giardiniera into smaller chunks.

But left large or diced small, you are simply going to LOVE this giardiniera!

Let’s get started!

Chop up the veggies and place them in a large non-reactive pot or bowl.

If you’re wondering how to get the crinkle-cut carrots, use a mandolin slicer that has that ability.

Pour 1/4 cup kosher salt over the vegetables.

Pour enough water over the vegetables to cover them.

Let them soak in the salt water for at least 6 hours or overnight.  This step is critical for drawing out excess water from the vegetables which would otherwise dilute the vinegar brine and lead to spoilage.

To prepare the jars, place the spices into each of the jars.

I like to make some batches hot and some mild.  Do that by using or omitting red chili flakes.  For a true Chicago-style giardiniera you’ll want to make it hot!

Thoroughly rinse and drain the vegetables before dividing them up between the jars.  Pack the vegetables in as tightly as you can.

Place the garlic each jar.

Now we’re making a vinegar solution to pickle the vegetables.

To play it safe Cooperative Extension Service sources  recommend a 1:1 ratio of vinegar to water.  Some other recipes may have a lighter vinegar brine but if you’re planning on storing your giardiniera for more than 2 weeks, we recommend this ratio to create enough acidity to prevent the risk of unwanted bacteria.

Bring the water, vinegar and salt to a boil.

Pour the boiling brine over the vegetables leaving a little more than 1/2 inch headspace from the top.

Pour the olive oil over the top.

Wipe the rims with a wet paper towel and seal the jars.

If you plan on using the giardiniera within two weeks let the jars sit at room temperature for a day or two and then transfer them to the fridge.

If you’re canning the giardiniera for long-term storage, seal the jars with the lids and rims and prepare a boiling water bath.  Boil the jars for 10 minutes.  Carefully remove the jars and let them sit undisturbed for 24 hours before moving them.

Adjustments for high altitudes:

• At 1,001 to 6,000 feet (305 to 1,829 meters) above sea level: increase processing time by 5 minutes.
• Above 6,000 feet (1,829 meters) above sea level: increase processing time by 10 minutes.

If processed in the water bath, the giardiniera is best consumed within 6 months but will keep for at least a year.

**NOTE:  If you’re canning the jars for long-term storage it is critical to be sure you thoroughly wipe the rims of the jars to ensure no oil residue is on them, otherwise they will not seal properly.  Alternatively, you can omit the oil during canning and add it later to your giardiniera when you open the jar.

Enjoy!