Best Recipes - Spicy Winter Salad with Cucumbers, Bell Peppers and Onion
Best Recipes - Spicy Winter Salad with Cucumbers, Bell Peppers and Onion
This spicy winter salad is a straightforward preserved vegetable mix: crisp cucumbers, sweet bell peppers and tender onion in a balanced sweet-and-tangy vinegar brine. It’s the kind of pantry jar you’ll be happy to open on a busy evening—ready to serve alongside meat dishes, potatoes or simple grains. The method is practical, the ingredient list is short, and the flavor can be adjusted with your choice of spices.
Ingredients
- 1 kg cucumbers
- 1 large onion
- 0.5 kg bell peppers
For the marinade:
- 300 g water
- 200 g 9% vinegar
- 200–300 g sugar (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- Optional spices: peppercorns, bay leaves, dill, parsley, etc.
Preparation Time
About 1.5 hours.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Cook the marinade. Combine water, vinegar, sugar and salt in a pot. Add any spices you like. Bring to a boil and simmer briefly until the sugar and salt dissolve and the aromatics release their flavor.
- Strain if desired. Strain the hot marinade through a sieve to remove herbs and whole spices for a cleaner jar. If you prefer a stronger aroma, keep some peppercorns or dill in the pot.
- Chop the vegetables. Cut the peppers, cucumbers and onion into small pieces. Keeping the pieces similar in size helps everything cook evenly.
- Simmer the onion first. Add the chopped onion to the boiling marinade and cook for about 6–8 minutes, just until it softens slightly.
- Add cucumbers and peppers. Stir in the chopped cucumbers and bell peppers. Cook everything together for another 10–15 minutes, mixing occasionally, until the vegetables are heated through and lightly pickled.
- Jar and seal. Spoon the hot salad into 0.5-liter jars, distributing both vegetables and liquid evenly. Seal with metal lids. In this recipe, the jars are sealed without pasteurizing.
Tips
- Choose the sugar amount (200–300 g) based on your preference: less for a sharper, tangier profile; more for a milder, sweeter balance.
- Use firm, fresh cucumbers for the best texture after cooking.
- Bay leaf and peppercorns create a classic pickling flavor; dill and parsley add a brighter herbal note.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve as a quick side dish with roast or stewed meats.
- Pair with potatoes, buckwheat, rice or other simple staples.
- Add to a cold buffet table as a tangy, spicy accent.