Quick Pickled Rainbow Chard
Turn your homegrown rainbow chard into something delicious with this quick and easy pickle. The colourful stems stay beautifully vibrant while the tangy pickling liquid adds a delicious sweet and sharp flavour.
Perfect for adding to salads, sandwiches, burgers, grain bowls or serving alongside your favourite meals. It’s a brilliant way to make the most of a fresh harvest and give your chard a longer life in the kitchen.
Makes: 1 x 600–700ml jar
Ingredients
1 bunch rainbow chard (stems only)
250ml white wine vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
250ml water
2 tbsp caster sugar
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp mustard seeds
10-12 whole black peppercorns
Optional additions
Choose one or two of your favourite flavours, or mix and match to create your own combination.
Thinly sliced red onion or shallots
Fresh dill
Fresh coriander
Fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, lightly crushed
Chilli flakes or fresh chilli
Lemon zest
Method
Wash the rainbow chard thoroughly.
Cut the leaves away from the stems (Don't throw away the leaves! Use them in stir-fries, soups, curries, pasta dishes or simply sauté them with garlic and olive oil as a tasty side dish.)
Cut the stems to suit your preference:
Leave them as batons.
Slice them into thin strips.
Dice them into small pieces for a quicker pickle.
Bring a pan of water to the boil and blanch the stems for 2 minutes. Drain and cool under cold running water.
Pack the stems tightly into the jar.
Heat the vinegar, water, sugar and salt until dissolved.
Remove from the heat and allow the brine to cool for about 5 minutes.
Pour the warm brine over the stems until completely covered.
Leave to cool to room temperature, seal the jar and refrigerate.
Pickling Time
The thickness of the stems affects how quickly they pickle.
Thin stems (5–10mm): Ready after 24 hours, best after 2–3 days.
Medium stems (10–15mm): Best after 2–4 days.
Thick stems (15mm+): Best after 4–7 days.
For a quicker pickle, slice or dice the stems into smaller pieces before blanching.
Storage
Without fresh herbs
Best enjoyed within 3–4 weeks.
With fresh herbs (dill, coriander or parsley)
Best enjoyed within 1–2 weeks.
The fresh herbs gradually soften, lose their flavour and can shorten the shelf life slightly.
To help them last longer
Store them in a clean, sterilised jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Keep them refrigerated at all times.
Always use a clean fork or spoon to remove the vegetables.
Make sure the vegetables stay completely submerged in the brine.
WANT TO GROW YOUR OWN FRESH RAINBOW CHARD?
There’s something incredibly rewarding about growing Rainbow Chard and watching those vibrant stems appear in shades of red, pink, yellow and orange. Alongside its beautiful colour, it produces delicious green leaves that can be harvested throughout the season.
Perfect for pots, raised beds or garden borders, Rainbow Chard is easy to grow and wonderfully productive. Pick the outer leaves as you need them and the plant will continue producing fresh new growth, giving you a steady supply for the kitchen.
The leaves can be cooked like spinach, added to soups, stir-fries and pasta dishes, while the colourful stems bring extra texture and flavour to your meals.
Whether you're growing your first leafy crop or looking to add more colour to your garden, Rainbow Chard is a brilliant choice for autumn growing.
Ready to grow your own?
Get your Rainbow Chard seeds today and start your journey from Pot to Plate with Seed Folk.
Let's Grow Together.
Check out our step-by-step guide to growing Rainbow Chard
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