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 a tremendous golden shade—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 just’re used to sautéing. Maybe you’ve added it to a succotash recipe previously, or integrated it right into a pasta.
However what about turning summer time 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 currently.
Pickled…squash?
I obtained the inspiration for this recipe in July, after I was visiting a good friend upstate. We stopped into an off-the-cuff lunch spot that supplied a bunch of ready chilly salads.
One of many choices was pickled yellow squash, minimize 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 time produce favourite.
However wow, I wasn’t ready for the way a lot I’d just like the slices! They have been so tart and pleasantly tender, however with somewhat crunch.
I seen mustard seeds among the many slices, which I preferred. I often add a teaspoon of mustard seeds to my pickled cucumbers at house.
To play up the mustardy notes, I’ve added a giant pinch of turmeric to my batch.
Turmeric all the time
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 additionally dressings and seed-based pâtés, rice and oats, plant milk and granola.
Famously, the energetic compound in turmeric, curcumin, has anti-inflammatory properties. Anti-inflammatory meals is usually a highly effective ally in feeling higher and serving to to scale back the probability of some sicknesses.
So, whereas turmeric is a enjoyable ingredient for its skill to show something probably the most electrical yellow shade, it’s additionally a nutritionally powerfully spice to work with.
One fast word: curcumin works synergistically and turns into extra bioavailable within the presence of piperine, a compound in black pepper.
Because of this, 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’ll have seen the lengthy, tubular summer time 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 time) squashes.
Can I take advantage of zucchini as a substitute?
One other one among my favourite greens, zucchini, belongs to the identical household as summer time squash. (That household additionally consists of crookneck and pattypan squashes.)
You may positively use zucchini on this pickled squash recipe. Simply remember that the inexperienced coloured pores and skin received’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 value giving an excellent fast refresher on what makes a fast pickle fast. (Or a pickle, for that matter!)
Fast pickles are typically known as fridge pickles. They’re not made with a canning tub and sterilization, which implies they aren’t shelf-stable.
As an alternative, they’re made with a fast brine—often water, vinegar, salt, and sugar—after which allowed to marinate within the fridge. The longer they sit, the extra “pickle-y” they turn into.
That brine will be chilly or sizzling. I almost all the time 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 sizzling liquid.
How you can make fast pickled yellow squash slices
With all that stated, let’s stroll by means of the tremendous fast steps in making pickled yellow squash.
Step 1: slice the yellow squash
Your squash needs to be sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch / 6mm rounds. I take advantage of my trusty handheld slicer for this job.
As soon as the squash is sliced, switch it to a 1-pint / 480ml mason jar. Be sure you depart some room on the prime.
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 intensive assortment of selfmade 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, as a result of its mildness and impartial taste. Each apple cider and wine vinegar will be very, very assertive.
That stated, any of the vinegars I discussed is usually 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, lined, for about 5 minutes, or till piping sizzling. 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 somewhat, in order that every part will get submerged within the sizzling 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 house. These pickled yellow squash slices have been discovering their method 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 contemporary 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 time) 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 minimize 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 new vinegar combination over the squash and use a spoon to press the slices down into the new liquid. Stir or swirl the slices round, in order that the pickling liquid disperses evenly.
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Cowl the jar. Permit it to chill for half-hour at room temperature, then switch it to the fridge for storage. The pickled squash will preserve in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 2 weeks.
I can’t wait to listen to about a number of the methods during which you’ll use these slices. I hope they add sunny shade and zippy taste to a number of your upcoming meals!
xo
