Chow Chow Recipe
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Mar 30, 2026 
My chow chow recipe is the sweet and tangy relish I always make when I want to boost the flavor of southern sandwiches. I chop fresh cabbage, tomatoes, and bold spices, then simmer everything into a bright, flavorful condiment. This easy homemade relish is crisp, zesty, and perfect for sandwiches, hot dogs, or BBQ plates.
I first tried chow chow relish years ago, when I was visiting South Carolina, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Like my homemade pickles, this relish is the perfect pickled topper for so many dishes I love, from tender pulled pork sandwiches and sausages, to juicy burgers and even a classic cheese charcuterie board. If you’ve never had this southern dish, imagine if sweet relish and sauerkraut had a baby… Well, that’s pretty much what chow chow tastes like. The bulk of this recipe is made with cabbage, but you’ve also got a TON of flavor and color from those perky, unripe green tomatoes that are mixed with sweet onion, peppers, and a combo of bold spices. The best part is that it stays fresh and crunchy for weeks in the refrigerator, although I doubt it will last that long!
Olivia – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This is the best! It’s so delicious and tangy, and super easy to make. Will be saving this recipe to make again, thank you!
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Sweet and Tangy – This classic southern relish is the perfect balance of flavors and textures. Every bite is loaded with a burst of tanginess and subtle sweetness thanks to the medley of colorful cabbage, tomatoes, sweet peppers and crunchy onions.
Make-Ahead Friendly – Like my pickled vegetables recipe, I absolutely love making this recipe ahead of time, and I think it tastes even better the longer it sits.
Versatile – This relish is the perfect condiment because it pairs deliciously with just about anything and everything. From bbq sandwiches and grilled meats to your favorite protein-packed rice bowl, this relish delivers seriously bold flavors and texture!
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Green cabbage – This is the base of this relish recipe and what gives that signature crunch to every bite.
- Unripe green tomatoes – I love the pop of color and tanginess that these green tomatoes add to this dish. I always make sure to core and finely chop them before adding them in.
- Sweet onion – These add the perfect amount of sweetness and pop to the relish.
- Bell peppers – For some gorgeous color, I use green and red bell peppers. These add a perfect amount of freshness and crunch, too!
- Salt – Salt is sooo important here! It draws moisture out of the veggies and intensifies the flavors.
- White vinegar – The tangy acid from the vinegar is essential to quickly pickling these veggies.
- Light brown sugar – I always add a hint of light brown sugar because it adds a mellow sweetness that balances out the vinegar.
- Spices – You’ll need a mixture of celery seeds, dry mustard or mustard seeds, ground ginger, ground allspice, dried dill, and crushed red pepper flakes for some heat.
How to Make
Find the full recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Season and salt – To get started, I chop all the veggies and add them to a bowl. Then I add in the salt, mix that all up, and I let this veggie-salt combo soak for a minimum of four hours… Or even better, overnight.
Drain – When the veggies are done soaking in the salt, I drain off any excess liquid so that the relish doesn’t get watery.
Cook – Next, I pour the vinegar, brown sugar, and medley of herbs into a large pot, and I let that boil. When it’s bubbling, I lower the heat and let it simmer for a couple of minutes before adding the chopped, salted veggies. I let these cook altogether for about ten minutes, or until the cabbage is soft.
Jar it up – If I’m using the jarring method for this relish, I fill up my jars with the cooked veggies, making sure to leave about half an inch of space at the top. Then I seal the jars up tightly while the relish is still hot.
Or can it – If I’m using the canning method, I boil water in a large pot and add the jarred relish so that they’re totally submerged under water. I let them simmer for about 10 minutes, and then carefully remove the jars. I use the canning method if I’m looking to store these for a long time, like about a year.
Recipe Variations
- Spicy – If you’d like the chow chow to be a little more spicy, add in diced jalapeno peppers, whole peppercorns, or additional red pepper flakes.
- Turmeric – For a more striking color, add a teaspoon of ground turmeric.
- Spices – Other herbs and spices you can add or swap include garlic cloves, bay leaves, whole cloves (instead of allspice), mustard seeds, and tarragon.
Serving Suggestions
I love to use this relish as a zesty condiment on pretty much all of my favorite dishes. From sandwiches and grilled steak, to simple snacks, this southern relish is perfection. Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy it:
- Add it to this hamburger patty recipe.
- Load up these air fryer hot dogs with a serious scoop of relish.
- Try a scoop on this patty melt or on a classic grilled cheese.
- Serve it up with some bbq like these burnt ends, crockpot smoked pulled pork, and tavern-style fried chicken.
- Add to a plate of cheese and crackers.
- Top off a breakfast bagel with cream cheese and some relish.
Storing
If you plan to refrigerate the chow chow recipe soon after preparing it, the relish will keep for up to 2 weeks. Canned chow chow, when stored in a water bath, can last up to 4-5 years at room temperature. However, once it has been opened, the jar must be kept in the fridge and enjoyed within 2 weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is a delightful combination of tangy, tart, sweet, and spicy flavors here. The texture is similar to sauerkraut, and there is the same distinct cabbage taste. But where sauerkraut leans almost entirely to tangy/sour, this veggie relish has a sweet taste from the brown sugar – plus a nice kick of red pepper heat.
“Relish” refers to any pickled chopped veggies. So yes, this is a type of relish.
Yes, ripe tomatoes will just make the relish slightly sweeter and softer.
Yep! You can find these proper canning jars with sealing lids online. They are great for storing this relish safely at room temperature. Make sure to follow the proper canning procedures listed below… Botulism is rough.
More Fabulous Condiment Recipes
Chow Chow Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 small green cabbage finely chopped (8-10 cups)
- 5 unripe green tomatoes cored and finely chopped (6 cups)
- 1 extra-large sweet onion finely chopped (4-5 cups)
- 2 red bell peppers seeded and finely chopped (2 cups)
- 2 green bell peppers seeded and finely chopped (2 cups)
- ½ cup salt
- 4 cups white vinegar
- 2 ½ cups light brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon celery seeds
- 1 tablespoon dry mustard
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- ½ -1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Finely chop all the fresh produce. Set out a very large mixing bowl. Combine the chopped cabbage, green tomatoes, onion, bell peppers, and salt. Mix well. Then cover and allow the vegetables to season and soak for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- Once the chow chow vegetable blend has had time to soak, drain off the excess liquid.
- Set a 6 to 8-quart sauce pot on the stove top. Add the vinegar, brown sugar, and all herbs and spices. Bring the mixture to a boil. Then lower the heat and allow the liquid to simmer for 10 minutes. Carefully pour the chopped vegetables into the simmering liquid. Stir and simmer another 10 minutes until the cabbage and peppers are very soft.
- Pack the warm chow chow and liquids into 7 pint jars or 14 cup jars. Make sure to leave at least ½ inch of open space on top if canning. Screw the lids on tight while the chow chow is hot.
- If canning, set a large clean pot of water over the stovetop and bring to a boil. Once boiling, gently lower the jars of chow chow into the boiling water making sure they are fully covered by at least 1 inch of water on top. Simmer the jars for 10 minutes. Then use tongs to carefully lift the jars out of the boiling water. Allow them to cool to room temperature. Then label and store at room temperature for at least one year.
- If not canning, store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
This is the best! It’s so delicious and tangy, and super easy to make. Will be saving this recipe to make again, thank you!
My grandma used to make this all of the time but she passed and I couldn’t ask her how to make it. So I tried this one and it was a dead ringer for it! YAY! Thank you!
This is so tangy and super satisfying! I used this in making a chicken sandwich and it turned out so well! I had so much fun with this! I’m keeping this recipe!
I wasnt so sure about this at first, but once I made it and put it on a sandwich, I was hooked! thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!