How to Make Pickled Vegetables

This quick pickled vegetables recipe is so easy – no cooking required! These Vietnamese Bahn Mi inspired vegetables are a great addition to sandwiches, lettuce wraps, and more. Come learn how simple it is to make these quick and easy Asian pickles.

This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

What I Love About these Asian Pickled Vegetables

We made this recipe for quick picked vegetables several times over the summer and Madeline especially loves it. So, I’m making this recipe for tonight to serve with dinner alongside some Grilled Asian Pork Tenderloin and rice.

I love that this recipe is SO EASY but it seems like it is a specialty food since it isn’t something that we tend to eat all the time.

I love how fresh and colorful it is, and that we usually have some leftovers so I get to enjoy it the next day with lunch!

Related: You might also like these quick pickled red onions.

Tools to Make This Pickled Vegetables Recipe

I recommend thinly slicing the vegetables – it eliminates the need to cook the vegetables prior to pickling.

• A julienne peeler works great for the Daikon, Carrot, and English Cucumber.
• For the onion and jalapeno, use a sharp knife to make thin slices.
• Weck Jars are some of my favorite jars for storing things like these Asian pickled veggies in. I love that they stack well, the lids are glass and can be reused and sterilized, and they have a variety of shapes and sizes. However, any glass jars with a lid will do.

Quick Pickled Asian Vegetables Ingredients

For the veggies this recipe quick pickled veggie recipe, I used:

• daikon
• carrot
• jalapeno
• red onion
• english cucumber

For the quick pickling brine, you’ll need:

• Rice Wine Vinegar
• Water
• Kosher Salt
• Sugar

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to make this simple recipe for quick pickled vegetables, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

Pickled Vegetable FAQs

Got questions about how to make this recipe? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.

Can I Leave Out the Jalapeño?

Feel free to adapt this according to your taste preferences!

To enjoy the flavor of the jalapeno without the heat, simply remove and discard the seeds of the jalapeno before pickling this recipe.

Or, if you’d prefer this recipe to be completely mild, simply omit the jalapeno.

What Can I substitute for Daikon?

Daikon is so great because it is like the flavor of a radish, but sized like a large carrot so it is really easy to slice thin using a julienne peeler.

If you can’t find Daikon in your local grocery store, you can always try an Asian Market.

If you don’t have one in your area or you need to make a substitute in a pinch, I would just use regular radishes and use a knife to cut them in thin rounds.

Can I Add Other Vegetables?

This recipe is easily adaptable using a variety of vegetables.

For vegetables that take a similar amount of time to pickle and don’t need cooking beforehand, I recommend a variety of other peppers. Try red bell peppers, banana peppers, or serrano peppers if you’d like. Just make sure then are sliced thin.

Vegetables like cauliflower, beets, or green beans, as are occasionally seen in pickled vegetable recipes, would require blanching before hand.

Can I use Another Type of Vinegar?

What you want when preparing this recipe for pickled vegetables, is a mild flavored and colorless, or nearly colorless vinegar. I personally recommend using Rice Wine Vinegar in this recipe for its mild flavor.

You could probably get away with using Apple Cider Vinegar, White Wine Vinegar, or White Vinegar in a pinch.

Of those three substitute options, regular White Vinegar would be the strongest in taste. White Wine Vinegar would be the most color-less and mild in taste.

I would definitely steer clear from Red Wine Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar, or any other strongly flavored vinegar.

The flavors of those vinegar varieties would overpower the flavors of the vegetables, and because they are dark in color, the vegetables would not stay their nice, bright colors as they will when using a clear colored vinegar.

How Long Do Quick Pickles Last

For recipes that have not been water bath canned, quick pickles typically last up to 3 weeks when kept refrigerated.

I think they taste best up to 1 week, store refrigerated, because they will continue to get stronger the longer they are stored in the pickling brine.

Always use clean utensils when serving the vegetables from the jar. 

Using dirty utensils or unwashed hands to remove the vegetables from the jar can potentially introduce contaminants and can shorten the shelf life of the pickled veggies.

Uses for These Asian Pickled Vegetables

This recipe for Asian Pickled Vegetables is so versatile! Here are some fun ways to use it. As always, check out the Recipe Index if you’re looking for something you don’t see here!

I use these Pickled Vegetables in my recipe for Bahn Mi Inspired Lettuce Wraps, a healthier, low-carb, gluten-free version of the classic Bahn Mi Sandwich Recipe.

Add these Asia pickled vegetables to a salad with chicken or shrimp for a fun Asian salad.

Put them inside rice paper wrappers to make a pickled veggie spring roll. Use this recipe for Vietnamese Summer Rolls as a guide.

Make an Asian Pork Sandwich (also known as a Bahn Mi). These veggies are classic on this style sandwich.

Use these Asian Pickled Veggies as a topping on these Gluten-Free Black Bean Burgers, then add mayo and sriracha.

Add them as a topping on tacos, like these pressure cooker pork tacos for an Asian take on tacos.

Bake up some Wonton Cups and Make an Asian Wonton Cup Appetizer.

Get More Recipes via Email

Did you love this recipe? Sign up to receive Good Life Eats Email Updates and never miss another recipe!

Have you ever made quick-pickled vegetables before?