Stop Serving Bland Side Dishes When This Spicy Chicago-Style Condiment Exists

If you feel like your side dishes are lacking flavor, you don't have to settle for a bland meal. Chicago-style giardineira will instill a tangy, spicy upgrade in all kinds of dishes. A blend of carrots, peppers, green beans, celery, and cauliflower pickled in a spicy vinegar solution, giardineira is first and foremost an Italian creation. Native Italians pickled vegetables in a combination of vinegar and olive oil to preserve the spring and summer harvest over the harsh winter months. During the great migration of Italians to the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Italian and Sicilian immigrants brought the recipe with them here, and to Chicago, in particular. 

Italian-American immigrants are therefore responsible for what is now a proud Chicago staple. However, slight differences between Italian and American giardiniera emerged over time. Unlike the vinegar and olive oil blend in traditional giardiniera, Americans drain the vinegar-pickling liquid and replace it with olive oil. American-style giardiniera also chops the veggies into much smaller pieces. But perhaps the biggest indicator of Chicago-style giardiniera is the addition of hot peppers, making it the spicy, tangy, and crunchy condiment that's been topping famous Chicago dishes like the Italian beef sandwich and Chicago-style hot dog for years. 

Of course, the rest of the nation has caught onto the craze too, with numerous brands of store-bought giardinieras lining grocery and convenience store shelves. Our favorite store-bought giardiniera is from Kitchen Garden Farm, an organic company from Massachusetts.

Chicagoans pile giardiniera onto Italian Beef sandwiches, hot dogs, and Chicago-style deep dish pizza, to name just a few. But there's truly no limit to this all-purpose condiment's applications. You can enjoy Chicago-style giardiniera the Italian way by making it an antipasto to serve alongside select meats and cheeses. Pair it with olives and fresh fruit to adorn your next charcuterie or cheese board. Add giardiniera to a muffuletta sandwich, turkey sandwich, or meatball sandwich for a crunchy, spicy upgrade. 

You can even use giardiniera instead of pepperoncini to sprinkle over salads or to bring a tangy, spicy kick to beef stew. Giardiniera is the bright, spicy addition that'll balance the richness of sausage. It's also the perfect topping for all kinds of hummus and creamy dips too. It'll bring a great texture and flavor boost to any potato salad or pasta salad recipe, like this zippy tuna pasta salad. You can even incorporate giardiniera into your next brunch party by adding it to an egg scramble, potato hash, or Bloody Mary bar. 

While picking up a store-bought bottle is convenient, you can always make your own giardiniera from scratch, especially if you want to control the heat level. Our recipe for Chicago-style giardiniera has jalapeños, Serranos, and bell peppers for an especially hot kick. But, if you'd prefer a milder version, you can always leave out the jalapeños and Serranos, relying on bell peppers and garlic for more moderate spice.