These fast pickled yellow squash slices are tangy and pleasant! Summer season squash is fast pickled with floor turmeric and mustard seeds, which lend a touch of mustardy taste—and an incredible golden coloration—to the pickles. Use the slices as a zesty and colourful addition to salads and sandwiches.
Yellow squash could also be a vegetable that you simply’re used to sautéing. Maybe you’ve added it to a succotash recipe previously, or included it right into a pasta.
However what about turning summer season squash into pickles?
I’m now accustomed to creating batch after batch of fast pickled cucumber slices, carrot ribbons, and pickled purple cabbage.
However pickled yellow squash—a vegetable that I’ve by no means thought to make pickles with—has been a revelation these days.
Pickled…squash?
I obtained the inspiration for this recipe in July, once I was visiting a good friend upstate. We stopped into an informal lunch spot that supplied a bunch of ready chilly salads.
One of many choices was pickled yellow squash, reduce into spherical slices. I’d by no means seen this earlier than, so I requested one of many individuals who labored on the eatery about it. “Oh, they’re good!” she exclaimed to me.
I shrugged and figured I’d give them a attempt. I like most pickled veggies, and yellow squash is a summer season produce favourite.
However wow, I wasn’t ready for a way a lot I’d just like the slices! They had been so tart and pleasantly tender, however with just a little crunch.
I seen mustard seeds among the many slices, which I preferred. I normally add a teaspoon of mustard seeds to my pickled cucumbers at dwelling.
To play up the mustardy notes, I’ve added an enormous pinch of turmeric to my batch.
Turmeric at all times
This isn’t the one recipe to which I add that pinch of turmeric, a flowering plant within the ginger household that may be dried right into a golden, versatile spice for cooking.
I add turmeric to so many dishes. Not solely soups or stewed legumes, but in addition dressings and seed-based pâtés, rice and oats, plant milk and granola.
Famously, the lively compound in turmeric, curcumin, has anti-inflammatory properties. Anti-inflammatory meals generally is a highly effective ally in feeling higher and serving to to scale back the chance of some diseases.
So, whereas turmeric is a enjoyable ingredient for its capacity to show something essentially the most electrical yellow shade, it’s additionally a nutritionally powerfully spice to work with.
One fast be aware: curcumin works synergistically and turns into extra bioavailable within the presence of piperine, a compound in black pepper.
For that reason, I like to recommend having turmeric-spiced meals together with some supply of black pepper. I don’t embody black peppercorns on this pickle recipe, however you may add a pinch of black pepper to no matter dish you benefit from the pickled yellow squash slices with.
Summer season squash vs yellow squash
Summer season squash, yellow squash: you might have seen the lengthy, tubular summer season vegetable go by each names.
And in reality, each names are right. I have a tendency to make use of them interchangeably. For the aim of this recipe, you’ll want two medium-sized yellow (summer season) squashes.
Can I exploit zucchini as an alternative?
One other one in every of my favourite greens, zucchini, belongs to the identical household as summer season squash. (That household additionally consists of crookneck and pattypan squashes.)
You possibly can undoubtedly use zucchini on this pickled squash recipe. Simply remember that the inexperienced coloured pores and skin gained’t have fairly the identical fairly, daring yellow visible impact as yellow squash.
That is solely an aesthetic matter—the style would be the similar.
What are fast pickles, once more?
I make a variety of fast pickles, and I publish a variety of recipes to that impact, so it’s price giving an excellent fast refresher on what makes a fast pickle fast. (Or a pickle, for that matter!)
Fast pickles are typically referred to as fridge pickles. They’re not made with a canning tub and sterilization, which suggests they aren’t shelf-stable.
As a substitute, they’re made with a fast brine—normally water, vinegar, salt, and sugar—after which allowed to marinate within the fridge. The longer they sit, the extra “pickle-y” they develop into.
That brine might be chilly or scorching. I practically at all times heat mine, and I feel it’s particularly helpful to carry the brine to a boil for pickled yellow squash.
The slices are firmer than thinly sliced purple onion or cucumber, in order that they profit from the tenderizing impact of scorching liquid.
The best way to make fast pickled yellow squash slices
With all that mentioned, let’s stroll by the tremendous fast steps in making pickled yellow squash.
Step 1: slice the yellow squash
Your squash ought to be sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch / 6mm rounds. I exploit my trusty handheld slicer for this job.
As soon as the squash is sliced, switch it to a 1-pint / 480ml mason jar. Remember to go away some room on the high.
Add the turmeric and mustard seeds to the jar with the yellow squash slices.
Step 2: Make the brine
The brine for these pickles consists of:
- water
- distilled white vinegar
- sugar
- salt
I’ve made my in depth assortment of do-it-yourself fast pickles with a number of vinegars: white wine, purple wine, rice vinegar, and distilled white.
More and more, distilled white vinegar is my favourite for pickling, resulting from its mildness and impartial taste. Each apple cider and wine vinegar might be very, very assertive.
That mentioned, any of the vinegars I discussed generally is a substitute on this recipe.
As for the sugar, I feel it’s actually important to a balanced fast pickle. However you may change the proportion or omit when you really feel very strongly about it.
Warmth the water and vinegar in a saucepot, or simply nuke them, coated, for about 5 minutes, or till piping scorching. Then, stir within the salt and sugar.
Step 3: pour the brine over the squash slices
Lastly, pour your pickle brine over the squash slices and seasonings. Push the slices down just a little, in order that every little thing will get submerged within the scorching liquid.
Let the squash slices sit at room temperature for about thirty minutes, then cowl them and switch them to the fridge. They are often saved in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as two weeks.
Pickled greens will hardly ever final a complete two weeks in my dwelling. These pickled yellow squash slices have been discovering their manner into a variety of dishes round right here.
I’ve added them to my vegan tandoori spiced cauliflower bowls, pickled vegetable and smoky tofu sandwiches, quinoa beet bowls, and recent spinach pasta salad.
And I’m simply getting began.
Fast Pickled Yellow Squash Slices with Turmeric and Mustard Seeds
Writer –
Yields: 1 pint
- 2 medium yellow (summer season) squash, trimmed and sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch / 6mm rounds
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 1 1/4 cups distilled white vinegar (300ml; substitute unseasoned rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
- 1 cup water (240ml)
- 2 tablespoons cane sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
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Place the reduce squash, turmeric, and mustard seeds right into a 1-pint / 480ml mason jar, leaving about an inch of head area.
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In a small saucepan, carry the water and vinegar to a simmer over medium-high warmth. (Alternatively, microwave the liquid in a heatproof liquid measuring cup for 3-5 minutes on excessive.) Stir within the salt and sugar.
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Pour the recent vinegar combination over the squash and use a spoon to press the slices down into the recent liquid. Stir or swirl the slices round, in order that the pickling liquid disperses evenly.
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Cowl the jar. Enable it to chill for half-hour at room temperature, then switch it to the fridge for storage. The pickled squash will maintain in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 2 weeks.
I can’t wait to listen to about among the methods by which you’ll use these slices. I hope they add sunny coloration and zippy taste to numerous your upcoming meals!
xo
