9 Foods You Didn't Know You Could Pickle

We're so used to pickled cucumbers (i.e., pickles) with our juicy burgers, sandwiches, or just as a snack, that it's easy to forget all the other delicious foods that can be pickled. From proteins like eggs or pork, to fruits and vegetables, pickling adds a new dimension to your favorite foods and can be done in as little as ten minutes. You might even be overlooking great pickling options when you visit your local farmers market: giardiniera is a very popular Italian mix of pickled vegetables like carrots, celery and the all-important star, cauliflower.

Try pickled artichokes in this refreshing and delicious pickled artichoke salad — an elegant way to start a special summer dinner get-together. A fast, easy pickle gives these artichokes some extra flavor, while a mandolin makes quick work of them. Sliced thinly, these pickled artichokes will make for a show stopping presentation in this salad or even baked into your favorite vegetable tart! For the Pickled Artichoke Salad recipe, click here.

As a general rule, pickling should be done when the produce you're using is at its peak and is therefore not only best but cheapest. Try using pickled asparagus in pressed sandwiches or antipasto salads. For the Pickled Asparagus recipe, click here.

Enjoy these on their own, as part of a cheese plate, with a hearty game meat dish, in a fresh summer salad, or muddled in a cool gin cocktail. These pickled cherries are a great addition to all types of dishes and they add a punch of sweet and brine to a wide variety of meals.  For the Pickled Cherries recipe, click here.

Pickled eggs are hard-cooked eggs that are cured in vinegar or brine. Try pickled eggs in scotch egg recipes or try pickling them with beets for a beautiful, vibrant, pink color. Add them to Cobb or potato salads for a fun twist. For the Pickled Eggs recipe, click here.

A great sandwich has a fine balance between salty and sweet. Pickled figs add a bit of both to a ricotta and prosciutto sandwich. Top them on a galette with blue cheese and caramelized onions or add it to a salad with fried goat cheese. –Ali Rosen

For the Pickled Fig Sandwich with Ricotta and Prosciutto recipe, click here.

A favorite in Middle Eastern and Italian cuisines, pickled cauliflower is the hero vegetable of giardiniera mixes. Serve it with roasted meats, antipasto plates, and Mediterranean mezze appetizers like hummus and baba ganoush. For the Saffron Pickled Cauliflower recipe, click here.

Grapes are an easy choice for pickling, with their naturally sweet and tart flavor. They can liven up a cheese plate, be made into chutney, and even put on pizzas with pancetta and balsamic vinegar. They also add punch to salads like this one with watermelon and feta. Or add them to your favorite  cocktail as a garnish in place of olives or onions. For the Watermelon, Feta and Pickled Grapes recipe, click here.

Pickling green tomatoes will help extend the season for this delicious summer fruit, and pickled tomatoes shine in bright, flavorful chutneys for sandwiches, as part of an antipasto plate, or as a garnish or mixed into a bloody mary. They can even be combined with fresh red tomatoes in an unusual salad.  For the Tomato Salad with Pickled Green Tomatoes recipe, click here.

Pickled watermelon rind is the best of summer pickles, great with sandwiches or hot dogs in place of regular cucumber pickles — but you can pickle the actually melon itself, too, It marries well with heirloom tomatoes in an unusual summertime salad. For the Pickled Watermelon Salad recipe, click here.