Pickled mustard seeds are a delicious homemade condiment that provide big flavor and a delightful textural contrast to a variety of different dishes. They make a particularly nice addition to a charcuterie board or a topping for sandwiches, pâté, cheese, eggs and other rich foods.
Once you have a batch of these pickled mustard seeds in the refrigerator, you'll never want to be without them! They add so much flavor to savory dishes. The good news is that they are really easy to make at home. Ready to get started? Let's pickle some mustard seeds!
Why This Recipe Works
- It's just SO easy: combine yellow mustard seeds with white wine vinegar, water, brown sugar and salt. Simmer for about 40 minutes. DONE!
- These little pearls of pungent mustard flavor add so much to savory dishes.
- These little pickled seeds have a delightful texture and pop in your mouth (a little bit like a vegetarian version of caviar) making them a fun topping for just about anything.
Ingredients
- Whole yellow mustard seeds are the perfect choice for this recipe.
- Water, white wine vinegar, brown sugar and salt form the pickling brine for the seeds. Feel free to substitute apple cider vinegar or champagne vinegar for the white wine vinegar.
How to Make This Recipe
- Place the mustard seeds in a fine mesh strainer and rinse them thoroughly. Transfer to a saucepan with the remaining ingredients.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce the heat to low. Continue to simmer until the seeds have absorbed most of the brine, have plumped slightly and have a pleasantly pop-in-your-mouth texture, about 35-40 minutes. If the seeds begin to dry out before the desired texture is achieved, simply add another tablespoon or two of water and continue cooking as directed.
- Remove from the heat and transfer to a jar. Cool to room temperature, cover and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them. They will keep tightly covered in the refrigerator for about a month!
Expert Tips
- Be sure to keep an eye on the seeds as they cook and stir them occasionally.
- If the seeds begin to dry out before the desired texture is achieved, simply add another tablespoon or two of water and continue cooking as directed.
FAQs
They are indeed mustard-y, pleasantly pungent but with a little sweetness and tang. The texture of pickled mustard seeds is just as delightful as their taste....they are a bit gelatinous, tender on the inside but with a bit of a "pop" when you bite into them, like caviar.
They are good with so many different savory dishes, especially those that are rich such as cheese, salami, ham, pâté, eggs, smoked or cured salmon and creamy salads (such as this shrimp salad). Pickled mustard seeds are also quite nice swirled into a simple vinaigrette and drizzled over cooked asparagus or green beans. Really, anywhere that mustard would be welcome, so would pickled mustard seeds.
Store them in an airtight container (I use a small mason jar with a lid) in the refrigerator.
Pickled mustard seeds will last up to a month in the refrigerator.
Yes! Feel free to use apple cider vinegar or champagne vinegar in place of the white wine vinegar.
The brown sugar is such a nice pair with the mustard, but you can also use granulated sugar, maple syrup or honey.
Related Recipes
Looking for more tasty Nordic-inspired condiments? Give these a try!
Recipe
Homemade Pickled Mustard Seeds
Ingredients
- ¼ cup yellow mustard seeds
- ½ cup white wine vinegar
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place the mustard seeds in a fine mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mustard seeds are gelatinous and have plumped slightly, about 30-40 minutes. Add more water (just one or two tablespoons at a time) if the seeds should begin to dry out during the cooking process. Transfer to a clean container to cool completely. Cover and refrigerate for up to a month.
Notes
- Be sure to keep an eye on the seeds as they cook and stir them occasionally.
- If the seeds begin to dry out before the desired texture is achieved, simply add another tablespoon or two of water and continue cooking as directed.
Nutrition
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Kristi says
Once you have a batch of these flavorful mustard seeds around, you won't want to be without them! They are the perfect savory condiment, especially paired with something rich like cheese or pate. So good!