Delicious Pickled Beets Recipe

Let me show you how to make one of my all-time favourite pickles: Pickled beets! There have been many occasions when I was happy to have a jar of pickled beets in the fridge. As it can be a bit of a hassle to cook beets, it’s nice to have them ready to eat at your disposal. With beets being an absolute superfood, I love integrating them as much as possible into my diet. And a snack such as toasted rye bread with horseradish and pickled beet is quite an experience in itself. Compared to cooking beets fresh every time, pickling them is not even more difficult, it’s quickly done, and you can store them ready to eat for weeks! And, as a little bonus, they taste absolutely delicious. So, without further ado: My quick and simple recipe for pickled beets. 

Ingredients for Pickled Beets: 

You only need a handful of cheap ingredients for this pickled beets recipe. Let’s get them sorted so we can start cooking! 

• The beets of your choice. I am using red and golden beets today, but Chioggia beets are fantastic for pickling too. They look stunning!
• Sugar
• Salt 
• Ginger
• White wine vinegar
• Water

I like to add ginger to this recipe, the sharp taste works well with the beets, and it’s super healthy too. But this spicing is optional, and you can try any other spices of your liking. For example, dill and black pepper taste amazing with beets too.

Pickled Beets Recipe: 

It’s super simple! For this pickled beet recipe, we only need to prepare the beets to the shape of our liking and make a pickling liquid. 

I want to use the beets as a topping for dishes and sandwiches. For this purpose, I like to leave the beets raw and slice them thinly. The pickling liquid will soften them slightly and make them easier to digest. Also, they preserve a fantastic crunch. But, if you want to snack on the pickled beets right away or go for another, thicker shape than thin slices, you will want to cook the beet soft before pickling them. 

Once you have decided if you want soft beets or leave them raw, peel them and bring them into your desired shape. I am slicing them using my mandoline, which gives nice and equal slices. You can, of course, also use a regular kitchen knife instead. Thinly slice the ginger as well if you are adding some. 

Next, we want to get our pickling liquid ready. Boil your water for this recipe, and some extra so you can sterilize your jar of choice. Next, add the water and white wine vinegar to a pot. Also, add your sugar, salt and thinly sliced ginger. Let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes so the ginger can infuse the pickling liquid. I like to take the ginger slices out before pickling the beets, but you can also leave them in. 

Put your beets into the jar, and cover them with the pickling liquid. Seal the jar, allow it to cool, and then transfer it to your fridge. 

How Long do they Keep: 

You want to keep the pickled beets in the refrigerator, as they aren’t canned. Also, there should always be enough pickling liquid covering the beets. You can top them with additional white wine vinegar if you need more liquid. If stored appropriately, they should easily keep well for weeks, if not months. And as always, if anything starts smelling or tasting weird, discard them. But that rarely happens, as they are tasty and go well with so many dishes. You may finish them in no time! 

Are Pickled Beets good for you? 

Beets are a superfood packed with vitamins A & C, iron, and calcium, providing vital micronutrients. Furthermore, red beets contain betalain and nitrates, which contribute to heart health and have anti-inflammatory properties. Also, because of the nitrates, athletes like to use beet juice as a performance enhancer for certain types of exercise. So, as long as you don’t overeat them, beets may make a healthy addition to your diet. When you pickle the beets yourself, you can also ensure to keep the calories low, as this pickling recipe works with little added sugar. Also, the vinegar in the pickling liquid can be beneficial for gut health. These are a few of the reasons why I love homemade pickled beets as part of my diet! 

I hope you like this recipe! Let me know what you think.

• Wondering what to do with these beets aside from snacking them or putting them on sandwiches? They make an absolutely fantastic topping for this delicious beet soup!
• This simple beet salad with grapes is delicious
• Vegan beet cream cheese is a fantastic spread, dip, or garnish for salads!

Other Fantastic Pickle Recipes:

• The delicious classic: Dill pickled cucumbers will never disappoint.
• This beet salad with grape and walnut is such a great summer dish.
• These crunchy pickled onions are a staple in my fridge!
• Pickled red cabbage makes a fantastic addition to so many dishes. For example, it makes these vegan fusion tacos incredible!
• Pickled jalapeños are a delicious classic!
• Ever tried pickled garlic?
• Do Chua & Vegan Banh Mi are a match made in heaven!