Make this authentic giardiniera recipe, Chicago style, at home — spicy, tangy pickled vegetables perfect on sandwiches, salads, and antipasto. Includes tips for texture, spice level, and storage.
Thank goodness for this simple giardiniera recipe! With a garden that was prolific in the jalapeno area, I needed something besides pickled jalapenos in my fridge!
Salsa is great, but the world does not live on salsa and chips, I keep telling Manservant.
Table of contents
Why I Love Chicago Giardiniera
Growing up South of Chicago meant eating lots of Vienna Red Hots. Just the sound of them makes me giddy! I love them prepared Chicago style, with lots of giardiniera. Oh, so good to have a greasy lip!
When eating a red hot, I often piled on this hot mix veggie relish, but it can easily be made to suit your own tastes!
Also no canning required for this giardiniera recipe. I am not a canner and because of the oil in this, it should not be canned.
Ways to Use Chicago Style Giardiniera
Being from the Chicago area, I can tell you giardiniera is great on subs, Italian beef and pizza! Tonight I made myself a grilled cheese with pepperoni and giardiniera and yes, it was so good, I might have to recreate it for you!
This crunchy relish is so versatile and is easily served as an appetizer with crackers and cheese or is fabulous on sandwiches or even mixed into pasta!
I make a great salad dressing with giardiniera.
Besides using on hotdogs, I'm not ashamed to tell you I use it on hamburgers, too.
No jalapenos for nachos? Blot this relish dry and use it on nachos. Or make a cream cheese dip for pita chips.
My other favorite way to use Chicago giardiniera is on a veggie sandwich I make with marinated artichoke hearts and feta. Don't miss out!
Giardiniera just calls me home!
Frequently Asked Questions About Giardiniera
Giardiniera actually means mixed pickles, and this condiment was an Italian way to preserve garden vegetables for the winter.
There are Chicago and Italian styles of giardiniera. IMO, this recipe is a combination of both. Chicago style giardiniera is usually finely chopped and can be spicy or mild with the addition of hot peppers like serranos or jalapenos.
Italian giardiniera is vinegar based and generally chopped into larger pieces. This style can be canned but it is not recommended to can the Chicago style which is packed in oil.
Italian style is served as part of an antipasto and Chicago style as a relish.
Apparently in Northern Italy the vegetables were just pickled with vinegar, but in Sicily, they were kept in oil.
As long as you use a clean fork every time you dig in, the giardinera lasts a long time. I've had mine for months in the refrigerator.
Repeat after me: Jar-din-air-ah! Yes, that's how this crazy word is said. Trust me. It's even harder to spell.
Ingredients You Need Plus Substitutions
This condiment sometimes contains spicy sport peppers, cauliflower, green beans and olives. My version for the day does not, but that does not mean you can't add them.
I used what I had, which meant lots of jalapenos, onions, celery, red and green peppers and carrots. What a gorgeous medley!
Peppers- Giardiniera is often made with serranos, which are spicier than jalapenos. Jalapenos will be spicier if you don't remove the pith in the pepper. Also brown wrinkles on the jalapeno usually mean a spicier pepper. If you want spicier, I would add in more serranos. Banana peppers can be sweet or spicy and also have a pretty color. Use what you find.
Green and red peppers are good for flavor and I like the red for its color.
Cauliflower is traditional but since I was using what my garden grew I didn't add it.
Carrots and celery may be diced or sliced.
Onions should be diced, not finely minced.
Morton's kosher salt is what I used. It is saltier than Diamond so rinse well.
The dressing consists of:
Minced garlic, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, celery seeds and fresh ground black pepper.
Apple cider vinegar and white vinegar were my choices for vinegar.
Extra virgin olive oil and canola oil are in the original recipe but if you want to use all olive oil, that's OK too!
Technique and Tips For Great Relish:
Make sure everything is cut uniformly in size so the vegetables pickle evenly. It's up to you to decide if you want this a finer dice or more of a rough chop!
The reason the vegetables are salted before pickling is because the salt draws the moisture from the veggies which keeps the veggies crisp and crunchy.
The heat is easily adjustable depending on the peppers you use. I had a lot of jalapenos so I used them. Some I removed the pith and some I left so that the giardiniera had more heat.
It may be hard, but let the giardiniera recipe rest in the fridge for two days to allow the flavors to meld together which brings out the savory and spicy notes of this addictive relish.
If you have never tried giardiniera and want to buy a jar first, be my guest. It is similar, but this hot giardiniera is much better. Just sayin'!
When the kids come home I always try to be stocked with this relish, pickled jalapenos and pickled onions.
How I Found This Recipe
Not that long ago I followed a blogger named Chicago John. He fed us incredible Italian recipes from his aunt and mother. He also left great comments on all the blogs he followed!
His blog, "From the Bartolini Kitchens" is still out there but I don't believe he is posting anymore, though his recipes are still there along with his great stories. Lucky me though, I bought his book published with all his favorite family recipes. It was there I discovered how easy this Italian vegetable relish is to make.
If you have lots of vegetables still awaiting use in your garden, I heartily recommend this. Perfect kept in the fridge and I know it would make a fabulous gift for any food lover.
Harvest time is here and it feels good knowing I'll have plenty to rely on all winter long.
I'd love to hear if you make this recipe!
Please share a review or rate the recipe,
and be sure to tag me on social!
Recipe
Giardiniera Recipe (Chicago Style)
- Prep Time: 30 Minutes
- Total Time: 30 Minutes
- Yield: 3 - 16 oz jars 1x
- Category: Condiment
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
This spicy, tangy condiment is a workhorse in the kitchen. Easy to make, you need this vegetable relish on your food!
Ingredients
8 - 10 jalapenos chopped or sliced (I left the seeds in, but if you want this condiment less spicy, take them out!)
½ large cauliflower, cut into florets (I didn't use this.)
2 carrots diced or sliced (I used 4 since I didn't use cauliflower)
2 celery stalks diced (I used 4 since I didn't use cauliflower)
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 sweet banana peppers, diced (I didn't use these, but I did add 2 more jalapenos)
1 large sweet onion, diced
½ c kosher salt
4 minced cloves of garlic
2 ½ t dried oregano
1 t red pepper flakes or to taste
½ t celery seeds
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
½ c apple cider vinegar
½ c white vinegar
½ c extra virgin olive oil
½ c canola oil
Instructions
Combine vegetables and salt in a large container. Add enough water to cover. Stir, cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours. I forgot about mine and left them in the fridge for 48 hours and they were just fine!
Strain vegetables from brine, rinse and set aside.
In the same bowl that you brined the vegetables in, add garlic and remaining seasonings.
To that bowl, add the vinegars and stir until well whisked. Whisk the solution while adding the oils. (At this point you have a whole lot of very good Italian dressing!)
Add back the strained vegetables and mix with the dressing until well coated.
At this point the giardiniera can be transferred to clean jars. Refrigerate for 48 hours before serving so flavors have time to meld together.
Notes
Feel free to try your own combination of vegetables. Next time I'm going to add in some olives.
Seasonings can also be played with. I think I might add some Bay leaf or fennel, but this is superb just the way it is!
Recipes To Use Giardiniera With
Dawn says
Can you use all olive oil instead of part canola oil? I’m not sure if the canola oil has a part in the chemical elements of this dish.
Abbe says
Absolutely! Just make it one you like the taste of as you will taste it. We eat this on everything!
Michele Wojcik says
This looks delicious, cant wait to make it! Do you save the brine and add the vinegars/oil to it or just discard it?
Abbe says
Hi Michele. You will love it. I eat it on everything! The brine is drained from the veggies and tossed before adding the other seasonings and oil mixture. Enjoy!
Doug says
Love this stuff. Love cooking and eating. What would the shelf or fridge life be, especially if the veggies are covered in oil?
Abbe says
I love it too and eat it on everything I can. It will keep for months in the fridge and I always top it off with fresh olive oil. Enjoy!
Rahul @samosastreet says
This recipe sounds absolutely amazing and I am excited to try it. I’m going to make this tomorrow. Prepping everything now. Nothing like a taste of home.
Abbe says
You are so right Rahul! We are eating this on everything!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Can't wait to make this Chicago version. We are huge pickle lovers and often make what we call a party plate for lunch which is essentially and antipasta platter. Looks so delicious, fresh and crispy.
Abbe says
I love this recipe and though I still have two jars in the fridge, the first one disappeared in a week!
John / Kitchen Riffs says
OK, maybe the world doesn't live on salsa and chips, but I'm willing to give it a shot. 🙂 Anyway, giardiniera is really good stuff. I've never made it -- always bought it. This looks like a terrific recipe, and one I should make. After I finish my salsa. 🙂 Really good post -- thanks.
Abbe says
Thanks John! I'll leave you and Manservant to the salsa and chips! Just leave me the giardinera!
Chef Mimi says
I actually printed John’s recipe a few years back. And happened to think about him recently. I wonder why he’s not blogging? This is a nice recipe - I always wondered what to do with this relish, how to serve it, but now you’ve helped me with that! I just always thought it was pretty!
Abbe says
Honestly, there isn't much I can't think to do with it. I also mixed it into pasta with some fresh basil pesto and roasted eggplant and wow! That was good, too! I see John on IG sometimes but maybe he just got tired of blogging!
Liz says
Gogeous photos, Abbe!! My dad grew up in Chgo, but I don't think his German family at giardiniera. I will though!!!
Abbe says
Definitely not a German thing, but I bet he saw it at the hot dog stands!
angiesrecipes says
So colourful and appetizing! And it would be great to serve with almost anything.
Abbe says
Thanks Angie. It is colorful which may be one of the reasons I love it!