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Haitian · Caribbean

Pikliz

Vegetarian

A fiery Haitian relish of shredded cabbage, carrot and Scotch bonnet chillies steeped in vinegar and lime. It sits on almost every Haitian table to cut through fried pork and plantains.

Pikliz is a Haitian condiment, ready in about 24 hours 20 minutes and made with cabbage, fresh red chilli and white vinegar. It serves 12 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
20 min
Cook
0 min
Rest
24 h
Total
24 h 20 min
Serves
12
Level
Easy
Calories
21

Ingredients

12 portions (about 1 large jar)

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Shred the cabbage (opens in a new tab) as finely as you can and toss it in a large bowl with the carrot (opens in a new tab), onion (opens in a new tab), pepper (opens in a new tab) (if using), sliced chillies and garlic (opens in a new tab).

    Food safety: Wear gloves or wash your hands well after handling Scotch bonnets, and keep them away from your eyes.

  2. Step 2

    Pack the vegetables into a clean 1-litre jar, tucking in the cloves (opens in a new tab), salt and peppercorns as you go.

    • 3 min

  3. Step 3

    Pour over the vinegar and lime juice (opens in a new tab) until the vegetables are fully covered, pressing them down. Close the jar and refrigerate for at least a day before using.

    • 2 min

About this dish

Origin
Haiti · Well documentedMore food from Haiti
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Condiments, chutneys & relishes · Pickles & ferments
Cooking method
Raw, Marinated / cured
Taste
spicy (chilli heat), sour, fresh
Diet
Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · Paleo-style · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Low-fat · DASH-style
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead · Budget-friendly
Cook more with
Cabbage · Fresh red chilli · White vinegar · Carrot · Onion · Garlic
Techniques
Marinating · Curing

Allergens

None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

21 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 79 g · recipe makes 12

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 14%
  • Carbohydrate 81%
  • Fat 5%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy21 kcal27 kcal
Protein0.6 g0.7 g
Carbohydrate3.5 g4.5 g
Net carbohydrate2.5 g3.1 g
Sugars1.6 g2.1 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre1.1 g1.4 g
Fat0.1 g0.1 g
Saturated fat0 g0 g
Trans fat0 g0 g
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium207 mg263 mg
Salt equivalent0.5 g0.7 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
96 mg
Calcium
19 mg
Iron
0.2 mg
Magnesium
6 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
86 µg
Vitamin C
14 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
14 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: green bell pepper.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Pikliz gets hotter and better over several days as the chillies infuse the vinegar.
  • The spicy vinegar itself is used as a seasoning — splash it over rice and beans.

Common mistakes

  • Cutting the cabbage too thick: fine shreds soak up the brine and stay crisp.

Serve with

  • Spoon over griot, fried plantains (bannann peze) or fried fish.

Storage

  • Keeps for 3–4 weeks in the fridge, always submerged in the vinegar.

Variations

  • With shallots: Many families use sliced shallots instead of onion for a sweeter bite.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Goes with

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Customise in Sauce & Drizzle

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

  • Cabbage, very finely shredded300 g
  • Carrot, julienned or coarsely grated2 piece · 120 g
  • Fresh red chilli, thinly sliced, seeds left in4 piece · 24 g
Used in step 1

Make it milder, swap ingredients for your diet, change the batch size or thickness — the original stays as it is.

Customise in Sauce & Drizzle

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