Have you ever been to a Mexican restaurant and been greeted with a vibrant, tangy dish of pickled vegetables alongside your chips and salsa? That, my friend, is likely escabeche, a staple of Mexican cuisine and a delightful way to enjoy a variety of Mexican Vegetables. This simple yet incredibly addictive dish typically features carrots, cauliflower, and jalapeños, all quickly pickled to perfection. It’s so good, you might find yourself reaching for it throughout the day, just like I have since perfecting this recipe. What’s so captivating about vegetables soaked in vinegar, you ask? Well, there’s just something about the crunchy texture and zesty flavor that truly hits the spot, making it an ideal mid-morning or afternoon snack.
Close-up of vibrant Mexican escabeche with cauliflower, carrots, radishes, and jalapenos
My version of classic escabeche elevates the traditional recipe by incorporating radishes, adding a slight peppery note and beautiful color contrast to the mix of Mexican vegetables. While some recipes call for onions, I’ve intentionally omitted them. Why? Because while the other vegetables retain their delightful crunch for weeks in the pickling brine, onions tend to lose their texture. For the best escabeche experience, we’re skipping the onions! Similarly, many recipes suggest sautéing the vegetables before pickling. However, I find this step unnecessary and even detrimental, often leading to soggy vegetables. We want crisp, vibrant Mexican vegetables, and skipping the sauté is key to achieving that perfect texture.
Jars filled with homemade Mexican escabeche showing layers of colorful pickled vegetables
The magic of escabeche lies not just in the selection of Mexican vegetables but also in the pickling liquid itself. Keeping it simple allows the natural flavors of the vegetables to truly shine. A base of vinegar and water is infused with bay leaves, peppercorns, garlic cloves, a touch of sugar, and salt. This straightforward brine perfectly complements the vegetables without overpowering them. It’s hard to pick a favorite vegetable in this mix! The carrots are wonderfully sweet and tangy, and the cauliflower, which I don’t typically crave, becomes incredibly delicious in its pickled form. Even the radishes are fantastic, though be aware they can impart a pink hue to the brine and cauliflower if left in. And of course, no Mexican dish is complete without a little spice! Jalapeños provide the necessary heat, but remember to remove the seeds unless you want an intensely spicy escabeche where the jalapeño flavor dominates all the other Mexican vegetables.
Serving suggestion of classic Mexican escabeche in a bowl ready to eat
Escabeche is incredibly versatile. Enjoy it straight from the jar as a healthy and zesty snack, or serve it as a vibrant side dish alongside your favorite Mexican-inspired meals. It pairs wonderfully with dishes like Jackfruit Taquitos or Mexican Street Corn, helping you easily incorporate more Mexican vegetables into your diet. With this classic escabeche recipe, you’ll be well on your way to meeting your daily vegetable goals in the most flavorful way possible.
Classic Escabeche Recipe
Yields: Approximately 6 cups
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes (plus chilling time)
Ingredients:
- 3, 16-ounce Mason jars (or any sealable glass jars)
- 1 cup carrots, sliced
- 2 ½ cups cauliflower florets
- 1 bunch radishes, sliced
- 2 jalapeños, sliced and seeds removed
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and whole
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon organic sugar
- 1 ¼ teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- 1 cup distilled vinegar
- 2 cups water
Instructions:
- Divide peppercorns and bay leaves evenly among the three Mason jars. Distribute whole garlic cloves among the jars. Layer sliced carrots, cauliflower florets, radishes, and jalapeño slices into the jars.
- In a saucepan, combine distilled vinegar, water, sea salt, and organic sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil on the stovetop, then reduce to a simmer and stir until the sugar is fully dissolved, about 30 seconds.
- Carefully pour the hot vinegar mixture over the Mexican vegetables in the jars, ensuring they are submerged. Allow the jars to cool at room temperature for one hour before sealing them tightly and transferring them to the refrigerator.
- Escabeche can be enjoyed as soon as it is chilled, but the flavors truly develop and deepen if allowed to sit for a full day in the refrigerator.
- Properly stored in the refrigerator, escabeche will keep for up to 3 weeks.
Recipe Notes:
- It is normal for garlic cloves to turn blueish in the vinegar solution due to a harmless enzymatic reaction. This does not affect the flavor or safety of the escabeche.
