Pikliz

Name: Pikliz
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 1460 min
Yield: 16 servings
Cuisine: Haitian
Ingredients: 500 g Cabbage, white, very finely shredded; 2 medium Carrot, coarsely grated or in fine matchsticks; 3 piece Shallot, thinly sliced; or half a red onion; 0.5 medium Bell pepper, red or green bell, in fine strips; 3 piece Scotch bonnet, thinly sliced, seeds in; wear gloves; 2 clove Garlic, sliced; 6 piece Cloves; 1 tsp Peppercorns, black, whole; 2 tsp Salt; 500 ml Vinegar, white, 5 percent; or enough to cover; 2 piece Lime, juiced

Haitian pickled cabbage, carrot and scotch bonnet in vinegar and lime — the sharp, very hot relish that goes on griot and everything fried.

Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.

Start cooking

Prep: 20 min
Cook: —
Rest: 24 hr
Total: 24 hr 20 min
Difficulty: Very easy
Spice: Extra hot
Cost: Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price

Know it before you cook it

About

Pikliz is a raw pickle of finely shredded cabbage and carrot with sliced shallot or onion, bell pepper, whole cloves, peppercorns and a serious quantity of scotch bonnet, all packed into a jar and covered with white vinegar and lime juice. It is ready after a day in the fridge and better after three. It is hot. Not warm, not spicy, hot, and that is the point: it cuts through fried pork, fried plantain and fried anything. This version uses three scotch bonnets for a litre jar, which Haitians would call moderate. Use gloves to slice them. It keeps for months and gets hotter as it sits.

What you'll need

11 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.

0 of 11 ready

16 servings

Ingredients

Servings

Cabbage, white, very finely shredded500 g
Carrot, coarsely grated or in fine matchsticks2 medium
Shallot, thinly sliced; or half a red onion3
Bell pepper, red or green bell, in fine strips (optional)½ medium
Scotch bonnet, thinly sliced, seeds in; wear gloves3
Garlic, sliced2 clove
Cloves6
Peppercorns, black, whole4.9 ml
Salt9.9 ml
Vinegar, white, 5 percent; or enough to cover500 ml
Lime, juiced2

Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.

Steps

Step 1
Shred the cabbage as finely as you can. Put it in a large bowl with the carrot, shallot, bell pepper, scotch bonnet, garlic, cloves and peppercorns and toss with the salt.
15 min
Watch: Wash your hands and the board after the scotch bonnets. Do not touch your face.
Step 2
Pack the mixture tightly into a clean 1 litre jar, pressing down so there are no air pockets.
3 min
Step 3
Mix the vinegar and lime juice and pour over to cover the vegetables completely. Top up with more vinegar if needed. Seal.
2 min
Tip: Everything must stay under the liquid. A small weight or a folded cabbage leaf on top helps.
Step 4
Refrigerate at least 24 hours before eating. It is better from day three and keeps for several months in the fridge, getting hotter and softer.

Nutrition

Per serving · estimate

Calories: 25 kcal
Protein: 0.8 g
Carbs: 4.7 g
Fat: 0.1 g
Saturated fat: 0 g
Fibre: 1.5 g
Sugar: 2.1 g
Sodium: 258 mg

Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.

Allergens

Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.

No major allergens flagged in the structured ingredients.

Vegan
Vegetarian
Dairy-free
Gluten-free
Nut-free

Adapt this recipe

The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.

Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 13 November.

Substitutions

Scotch bonnet → Habanero
Nearly identical heat and a similar fruitiness. Other chillies change the character.

Tips

Haitians would use more scotch bonnet than this. Add a fourth if you are brave, or seed them if you are not.
The pickling liquid is a hot sauce in its own right. Spoon it over rice or fried fish.
Do not use iodised salt or a metal lid without a liner; both can discolour the pickle.

History & culture

No Haitian table serving griot, tasso, fried fish or bannann peze is without a jar of pikliz. It sits on the table like salt. Every household has a jar in the fridge, topped up and never quite finished. Haitian restaurants abroad put it on the table before you order, and visitors learn about it quickly.

Vinegar pickles came to Haiti with the French, and the Haitian version took on the scotch bonnet and the shredded cabbage of the island kitchen. The name is from the French piquant and pickles by way of Creole. It belongs to the family of Caribbean hot pickles that includes Jamaican escovitch dressing and Trinidad pepper sauce.

Traditional

Provenance: Editorial adaptation.

Questions about this recipe

Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.

How long does Pikliz take?

24 hr 20 min all in — 20 min prep, 24 hr rest. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.

How many does it serve?

The recipe is written for 16 servings. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.

How hard is it?

Very easy.

How spicy is it?

Extra hot.

Does it fit a diet?

The published recipe is labelled Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Nut-free.

What does it cost to cook?

Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.

7 more questions

What equipment do I need?

Chef's knife, Cutting board, Mixing bowl.

How much salt do I put in?

The recipe lists Salt at 2 tsp.

How much vinegar?

500 ml (white, 5 percent; or enough to cover) of Vinegar.

What can I use instead?

Scotch bonnet → Habanero. Nearly identical heat and a similar fruitiness. Other chillies change the character.

What should I watch for?

Wash your hands and the board after the scotch bonnets. Do not touch your face.

Any tips from this recipe?

Haitians would use more scotch bonnet than this. Add a fourth if you are brave, or seed them if you are not. The pickling liquid is a hot sauce in its own right. Spoon it over rice or fried fish. Do not use iodised salt or a metal lid without a liner; both can discolour the pickle.

Can I use an air fryer?

This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.