Do I have to cook the vegetables first?

We don't! We prefer slightly crunchy vegetables, so we leave ours raw. If you'd prefer to cook yours first, boil them until they reach your desired level of done-ness, and then follow the directions as written.

Can I use different vegetables?

Absolutely! This would also be great with bell peppers, radishes, okra, onions, or whatever other vegetables you generally like pickled.

Does escabeche taste better the longer it sits?

Yes! The longer it sits, the more pickled the vegetables taste, and the more flavor the dressing gets. I don't like to let it sit longer than 48 hours, though, because the vegetables start to lose their crunch. 24 hours is the sweet spot, in my opinion.

Escabeche Vegetable Salad

Name: Escabeche Vegetable Salad
Prep time: 2 h 10 min
Total time: PT-476185H34M35S
Cuisine: Salad
Ingredients: 5 mini cucumbers, sliced a quarter of an inch thick; 1/2 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced; 2 cups cauliflower florets; 1 cup white or red cabbage, shredded; 1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, sliced with seeds removed; 1 cup white vinegar; 3/4 cup olive oil; 1 tablespoon honey; 1 teaspoon dijon mustard; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon salt

Description

This escabeche vegetable salad is a Cheesecake Factory copycat, made at home in a few minutes with no cooking time. It's loaded with lightly pickled cucumbers, carrots, cauliflower, cabbage, and peppers, and tastes great as a fresh, healthy side to any meal.

Ingredients

Scale

For the vegetables:

5 mini cucumbers, sliced a quarter of an inch thick

1/2 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced

2 cups cauliflower florets

1 cup white or red cabbage, shredded

1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, sliced with seeds removed

For the dressing/marinade:

1 cup white vinegar

3/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

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Instructions

Combine white vinegar, honey, olive oil, dijon mustard, black pepper, and salt in a mason jar or bowl with a lid and shake or whisk to combine.
Add the cucumbers, carrots, cauliflower florets, cabbage, and peppers to the jar or bowl with the dressing and shake (or mix) to combine everything. The vegetables should be mostly submerged in the dressing.
Refrigerate the vegetable and dressing mixture for at least 2 hours, and up to 48 hours. The longer it marinates, the more pickled the vegetables will taste. Serve in a bowl alongside tacos, chicken, shrimp, or anything else that sounds tasty to you!

Notes

Serrano peppers are hotter than jalapeños, so choose which pepper you use based on your heat tolerance (and availability).

Nutritional information is only an estimate and includes the marinating liquid.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Marinating Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Sides
Cuisine: Salad

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories: 443
Sugar: 10.3 g
Sodium: 72.1 mg
Fat: 42.4 g
Carbohydrates: 16.9 g
Protein: 2.6 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg