These quick and easy pickled beets are a healthy snack or side dish you can make anytime. Tasty little morsels that will last in the 'frig for up to 6 weeks! So easy to make in any amount-- you can always have some on deck as a garnish or a quick bite!
Skip all the fuss and muss of those formal canning recipes— where you have to sterilize the jars, pack your beets into the jars, pour hot brine, process in a boiling hot water bath-- all so you can store at room temperature indefinitely. UFF!
Cook's choice! With these recipes you can cook 'em or not! Peel 'em or not! You choose! Any type of beet works – but of course, we recommend Sweet Dakota Bliss beets! 😉
Let's Start With-- Cooked Versions
To prepare the beets for pickling you can boil, steam, or pressure cook 'em. But roasting the beets really helps preserve all their wonderful flavor and color.
Begin by just scrubbing, rinsing, and popping them into a 400℉ oven in a roasting pan or dutch oven with a good fitting lid-- to help seal in the steam from their own moisture and to concentrate the flavors. Add 1/8-1/4" of water to the bottom of the pan if your beets have been in storage for a few months and have lost moisture. Roast for 50-60 min at 400℉.
After roasting, boiling, steaming or pressure cooking, let them cool. Decide whether to peel or not peel. To peel simply rub the skins off in a bowl of cold water or use a paper towel to rub and remove the skins. Rinse, trim and cut into wedges, slices, or cubes. Use a crinkle cutter (like in the cover photo) or even a french fry cutter for kid's fingers-- your preference!
I like to use cider vinegar for the brine. But you can use regular distilled white vinegar or even rice wine vinegar.
Play with the spices and herbs in the brine. For more traditional beet pickles-- add cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. For a more savory pickle-- use peppercorns, and ground mustard as another option. Add diced or sliced onions or crushed garlic! Or add other whole-leaf or whole-seed spices like bay leaf, Caraway seed or Bouquet dill seed! These recipes are so easy, you can make different batches and find your favorite combos!
Can I Reduce the Amount of Sugar?
This recipe calls for 1/3 cup sugar— much less than a lot of pickled beet recipes. The sugar balances with the vinegar. Cutting back any further on the sugar will make the pickles taste too vinegary. And you don’t wanna cut back on the vinegar or you won’t have a good acidic brine. Think of the brine as a preservative and a marinade— you don’t actually drink it.
For best results
Make sure all the beets are completely covered with the brine. This is important— the brine preserves the beets and keeps everything safe and yummy. You can even use a small plate to place on top to hold the beets under the brine surface.
I like to use wide-mouthed jars for easier access. But any glass jar with a tight fitting lid or a self-sealing jar will do. This recipe will fit in a 1 quart sized jar.
Sweet Dakota Bliss Refrigerator Beet Pickles ready to enjoy!
Ingredients
4 medium Sweet Dakota Bliss beets, roasted, cooled, peeled, and sliced
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup water
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard powder
5-8 whole black peppercorns
OR
4 medium Sweet Dakota Bliss beets, roasted, cooled, peeled, and sliced
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup water
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Steps
In a medium saucepan whisk together vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and powdered seasonings. Bring to a simmering boil over medium heat. Reduce to low heat, stirring until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool a bit.
In a clean glass jar with a tight fitting lid-- add beets, other veggies (like onions and garlic), whole-seed seasoning (like peppercorns, dill or caraway). Pour the brine over covering all the beets. Make sure the beets are fully submerged in the brine. This recipe fits nicely in a quart sized jar.
Fill the jar with the beets and brine, screw the lid on snug, and let them sit on the counter to cool. Then move ‘em to the refrigerator.
How Soon Can 'Ya Eat 'Em?
You can eat them right away, but the flavors deepen with a little time. Best to give them a couple days to marinate and absorb your flavor combo.
Mark, Store and Serve
Pickling is a preservation process and pickled beets will last in the fridge for up to 6 weeks. I like to write Refrigerator Pickles, date made, and the expiration date on the top of the jar— so I know when I need to use ‘em up! Use a slotted spoon to serve.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE— these are REFRIGERATOR pickled beets! They are NOT shelf stable like canned beets are. They have to be stored in the refrigerator. This is for the refrigerator, only.
Now Let's Do-- the Raw Pickled Beet Alternative
Another option I discovered is to skip the step of cooking the beets! Yup! Wow-- huh? Love this method! Just use raw beets, peeled or unpeeled. If you choose to peel before pickling, using a vegetable peeler to take as little as possible.
Slice them very thin with a mandoline slicer or a food processor. I like to use a food processor-- safer and if your beets are firm and crunchy-- a LOT less work!
Ingredients
2 cups thinly sliced beets, cut in halves or quarters-- depending on the size of your beets
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
2/3 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
¼ cup sugar
1 cup water
2¼ teaspoons kosher salt (kosher salt doesn't contain any trace minerals, iodine, or anti-clumping or anti-caking agents)
Steps
Combine the two vinegars with the sugar and set aside. Bring the water to a boil, remove from heat and add to the vinegar and sugar mixture. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the salt and stir well.
Place sliced beets in a jar that has a tight-fitting lid. Add 2 tsps of caraway seeds. Pour the brine over the beets and caraway. Again, make sure the beets are fully submerged in the brine, secure the lid, and cool. Refrigerate for at least 2 days if not 2 weeks before eating-- the longer option means better flavor. Use a slotted spoon to serve.
Click here for printable recipes of 3 variations. Then you can mark 'em up and customize 'em to your heart's content!
We hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we do!
Our best to you,
Theresa