The Zesty Italian Veggie Mix That Instantly Upgrades Every Sandwich

When the same old sandwiches are starting to get old, I tend to prefer fresh, spicy peppers over hot sauce or other spicy condiments when I want a kick. If you're familiar with Italian cooking or you're from Chicago (or both), then you've likely already heard of giardiniera. If not, it's an Italian-style topping that can make your sandwich 10 times better, and it's got a hefty kick to it. The word giardiniera comes from the Italian word for garden, probably because it's a relish containing a medley of different chopped vegetables which can vary based on what's growing in your garden (or what's stocked in your supermarket).

There are different regional styles, but giardiniera's most common ingredients are cauliflower and bell pepper, with celery, carrots, and radish likewise being a common sight; all of which is marinated in oil and vinegar. In Chicago, you're more likely to find spicy versions of giardiniera made serrano chili peppers and other hot peppers. When you order an Italian beef sandwich in Chicago, the hot and spicy version of the sandwich will have giardiniera as a central ingredient. It goes with plenty more than just beef, though. Due to the pickled, mildly spicy, and crunchy qualities of giardiniera, it fits right into tuna salad or chicken salad sandwiches. Other folks enjoy putting it on New Orleans-style muffuletta sandwiches alongside Italian cold cuts, like prosciutto or salami.

If you try making a jar of giardiniera at home, remember to use a generous amount of olive oil and vinegar (white wine vinegar is common) because the marinade provides a lot of the flavor. You don't need to scoop the oil onto your sandwich since that can get messy quickly, but the peppers and other veggies should be properly soaked in the flavorful liquid in order to get the taste right. The giardiniera should ideally be drained before you add it to a sandwich, but if your sandwich still ends up with some liquid on it, you can assemble a sandwich that doesn't fall apart by toasting your bread more and using other condiments like mayonnaise as glue. Thankfully, mayo and giardiniera pair well.

Any mix of giardiniera, be it Italian or Chicago, is straightforward enough to scoop out of a jar and spread over your sandwich, but you can slice the veggies thinner to make sure they fit cleanly. If you've got one, you might even consider running it through a food processor to make it easier to spread evenly, so long as you don't turn it into a paste — giardiniera needs to have some crunch to it. If you have leftovers, feel free to whip up a Dijon giardiniera vinaigrette for that Chicago style flavor in salad form. It also works great on its own as an antipasto or side dish.