Chinese Pickled Mustard Greens

5 from 1 vote

Chinese Pickled Mustard Greens are salty, tangy and spicy. They’re easy to make and can be served on their own or with soups and stir fries!

Prep Time30

Resting Time9 6

Total Time9 6 30

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings: servings

Calories: 21kcal

Soak the greens in water for 5-10 minutes then rinse thoroughly to remove any dirt.
Tear into pieces about 4-5" long.
Blanch the greens in about 4 cups of salted water (use the 2 tablespoon of salt) for 30 seconds and remove.
Turn the heat off and add the garlic, ginger, Thai chilies and star anise to the salted water and let sit.
Place the greens in a very large bowl and sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of salt and the 2 teaspoons of sugar. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Stir the vinegar into the liquid and pour over the greens. Let it sit on the counter for 4-6 hours.
Place the greens in 2 sterilized jars and pour the liquid over the top. Ensure that the liquid is covering the greens fully and there are no air bubbles.
Place the lids on and let sit in a cool, dark place for 2 days. Then store in the fridge for 7 days and enjoy!

While I used curly mustard greens, you can use another type.
Make sure to tear the greens into pieces (about 4-5 inches long), so they fit into the jars.
Be sure to use sterilized jars. If you’re not sure how to do this, here is a quick tutorial on how to sterilize jars.
For food safety, make sure the greens and other ingredients are fully submerged in the brining liquid.
You’ll also want to make sure all the air bubbles are out of the jars. You may need to use a knife to move things around and help release the bubbles.
The pickled greens will last for a few weeks in the fridge, but make sure you use use clean fork or tongs when removing greens from the jar. You don’t want to contaminate and risk promoting mold growth.
I normally label the jars with the date on the day I start pickling and then again when I open them so I can keep track!