Pickled Beets
These quick pickled beets are so easy. They only take a few minutes to prepare and are a great accompaniment to lots of dishes.
We use pickled beets on salads, charcuterie boards, sandwiches, burgers, and more. They are so versatile, adding a bit of tang to just about anything.
They are incredibly delicious, even straight from the jar.
What you Need
- Beets: We love how red beets taste and look but yellow beets would be a great alternative for something different.
- Water: Water forms the base of the brine.
- Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar both work well. Be sure the vinegar that you use has 5% acid.
- Sugar: Optional but tasty, it dials down the tanginess just a bit.
- Pickling spice: Use store-bought or homemade pickling spice.
- Salt: Kosher salt or canning salt are the best to use. Do not use table salt.
How to Make it
For roasting, cut the ends off of the beets.
Peel the beets.
Cut them into bite-sized chunks or slice them for burgers and sandwiches.
Place them in a medium bowl. Drizzle them with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Spread them out on a parchment-lined or foil-lined baking sheet. Roast them in a 350°F oven until they are very tender, about 45 minutes.
Add the ingredients for the brine to a medium saucepan. Heat the brine over medium-high heat to boiling.
Place the hot beets into your clean, sterilized canning jars.
Pour the hot brine over the beets. Leave ½-inch headspace. Cool the jars to room temperature. Then, refrigerate for a few days
If you’d prefer to boil the beets, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Scrub the beets well and remove the tops. Add them to the water carefully and reduce the heat to a low boil. Boil for 20-40 minutes, depending on their size, until a fork can pierce them easily.
Place the cooked beets in an ice water bath until they are cool enough to handle. Peel the skins with your fingers.
Pro Tips
- Always use gloves when you’re handling beets. They will stain your fingers.
- Either boil or roast the beets until they are very tender.
- If you’re using canning jars, don’t use a metal lid. (I know there is a metal lid in the photo.) Instead, use a plastic storage lid. The acid from the vinegar can break down the metal and ruin your beets.
- Canning jars must be cleaned and sterilized before adding the pickles since they aren’t processed.
- These pickles are not shelf-stable. They need to be refrigerated. See this recipe for shelf-stable beets.
- Wait at least 24 hours for the beets to soak up the pickling brine for the best flavor.
- Pickled beets will last at least 6 weeks in the refrigerator. Do not freeze them.
- Save the beet juice in the jar to make beautiful pickled eggs.
If you love beets, try these easy honey-roasted beets.
More Pickle Recipes
- Pickled Peppers
- Pickled Cauliflower
- Sweet Pickles
- Pickled Garlic Scapes
- Pickled Red Onion
- Kosher Pickles
- Pickled Green Tomatoes
- Pickled Radishes
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I hope you enjoyed the recipe today.
Enjoy. And have fun cooking!
Quick Pickled Beets
Ingredients
- 1 pound beets
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1½ teaspoons pickling spice
- ½ teaspoon canning salt
Instructions
To Boil the Beets
- Wash the beets well. Remove the green tops. Save them for salads or sautéing.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the whole beets to the boiling water.
- Turn the heat down and simmer until they are very tender and can easily be pierced with a fork, 20-40 minutes, depending on their size.
To Roast Beets
- Cut the ends off of the beets. Peel them.1 pound beets
- Cut them into bite-sized chunks. Place them in a medium bowl. Drizzle them with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.2 teaspoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- Spread them out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast them in a 350°F oven until they are very tender, about 45 minutes.
- Add the ingredients for the brine to a medium saucepan. Heat the brine over medium-high heat to boiling.¼ cup water, ½ cup cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1½ teaspoons pickling spice, ½ teaspoon canning salt
- Place the hot beets into your clean, sterilized canning jars.
- Pour the hot brine over the beets, leaving ½-inch headspace. Cool the jars to room temperature, and then refrigerate for a few days.
See all of my favorite tools and gift ideas on my New Amazon Store!Check out Binky’s Amazon Store!Notes
- Always use gloves when you’re handling beets. They will stain your fingers.
- Either boil or roast the beets until they are very tender.
- If you’re using canning jars, don’t use a metal lid. (I know there is a metal lid in the photo.) Instead, use a plastic storage lid. The acid from the vinegar can break down the metal and ruin your beets.
- Canning jars must be cleaned and sterilized before adding the pickles since they aren’t processed.
- These pickles are not shelf-stable. They need to be refrigerated. See this recipe for shelf-stable beets.
- Wait at least 24 hours for the beets to soak up the pickling brine for the best flavor.
- Pickled beets will last at least 6 weeks in the refrigerator. Do not freeze them.
