If this is your first time pickling beetroot, then you'll love this juicy, sweet and tangy recipe. Pickled beetroot is our favourite way to preserve a glut as they're perfect in salads, sandwiches or side dish.
This sliced beetroot recipe includes a complete guide and has been carefully measured in grams and cups to be enjoyed all around the world!
With this year being the first time living on the Carpenter's Daughter farm, I've been growing nutritious Boltardy beetroot in an old bath tub with impressive results. (Pssst, they're SO easy to grow!)
Rich in vitamin C and other health benefits, I've been grating fresh beets in salads, in breakfast root vegetable röstis, making borscht soup, and now beet pickles.
They're so easy to make and customise, too, with the perfect balance of flavours. Just make sure you have 3 x 500ml (or 18oz) glass jars to sterilise closer to the time and you're ready to get pickling!
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✔️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
Here are just a handful of reasons why we're sure you'll think this is the best pickled beets recipe:
- Colourful beetroots have so many health benefits, such as dietary nitrates to help lower blood pressure, good source of folate, manganese, copper, vitamin C and iron. They're also help inflammation, digestion, and brain health
- The bold unami flavours are unforgettable and have been enjoyed for years. They're also a great way to create food hamper gifts for grandparents who enjoyed beetroot sandwiches as a classic wartime treat during rations!
- They make the perfect side to add tangy flavour and colour to most dinners, such as salad, meat or ploughman sandwiches, stews and charcuteries
- It's a budget-friendly side - especially if you are able to grow this low-maintenance root vegetable in a planter, or acquire some from an allotment friend
- It tastes far superior than store bought and remember that homemade pickled beetroot allows you to add your own infusion of flavours and you can make sure it is free from artificial additives.
- There's also no fancy culinary skills required. Just wash, boil beets, slice and pickle. And the best part? The taste is incredibly rewarding
- The good thing about this great simple recipe is that it's a fantastic way to preserve a glut of homegrown beetroot and avoid waste while enjoying them during harsh Winter months (AKA "the hungry gap")
🛒 Ingredient Notes
Please see the printable recipe card with exact ingredient quantities and preparation instructions at the bottom of this post.
Raw beetroot - try to make sure the size of the beets are the same. I picked the best beets from my garden (Boltardy) which is easy to find in grocery stores, but you can use other varieties, like golden beets, etc
Coarse sea salt - If using fine sea salt, opt for half the amount, as it may make it too salty. This is used to add flavour and help preserve my garden beets for longer, although you can skip if desired
White vinegar - I use white distilled vinegar as it has a high acidity level, making it difficult for microorganisms (such as bacteria, yeasts, and molds) to grow. Alternatively, you can use malt vinegar
Soft light brown sugar - this adds a sweet and balanced caramel flavour, but any can be used as the sugar dissolves in hot vinegar
Pickling spice - I use this Old India whole spice mix, which is a great addition to level up any beet recipe. It comes with a bay leaf selection, or you could make your own
📋 Instructions
1. Harvest your beetroots of a similar size, then trim and leave 1" of the beet greens.
Then scrub and wash them in water.
2. Add cold water to a large saucepan and bring it to a boil.
Now lower to a medium-high heat, and add the red beets to the boiling water, ensuring they are fully covered.
Place the lid on top and simmer for 1 hour until tender.
Note: towards the end of cooking time, sterilise your jars which I wash in hot soapy water, and finish in a low oven, excluding the rubber seals.
3. Run the cooked beetroot under a cold tap and remove the skins. Feel free to wear gloves.
Slice if desired and transfer into sterilised jars and add a teaspoon of salt to each.
Don't overfill as you'll need to allow 2-3cm of space at the top of the jar for the pickling vinegar.
Press down with the back of a small spoon if needed.
4. For the pickling vinegar, add the whole spices, except the bay leaves to a small saucepan.
Then toast them in a dry frying pan for 1-2 minutes while continuously stirring to avoid catching until you see the seeds just starting to smoke.
This should help release the flavours.
5. Now add the sugar and the vinegar and simmer until dissolved.
Now stir and bring to a boil and immediately take off the heat.
6. Pour the pickling liquid into the jars, to completely cover your thick slices.
Add the rubber seals to your glass jars and close them, leaving to reach room temperature.
Then try to leave the pickle to work its magic for at least 2 weeks if you can resist!
Alternative Beetroot Cooking Methods
Roasting Beetroot
Instead of cooking beetroot in a water bath, you could roast them on a baking tray, brushed with a little olive oil while covered with tin foil for 1 hour.
Microwaving Beetroot
If you have a microwave oven, add raw beets in a microwaveable dish, in a single layer and add water ¼ of the way up. Cover and microwave on full power for 12 minutes.
👩🍳 Substitutions
Depending on your dietary needs, here are a few simple swaps you can make:
- Beetroot - use any variety of beetroot you wish as the cook time will be exactly the same
- Vinegar - While white vinegar (with 5% acidity) is best used for long preservation times, if you plan on eating within a couple of weeks, you could use apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, etc for a little more sweetness
- Salt - you could use table salt, but I recommend using half or ⅓ of the amount to avoid an overpowering hot brine taste. Also, if preserving for a long time isn't a concern, you could replace it with soy sauce
- Sugar - for a lower sugar content, you can reduce the amount in your pickling brine if desired. Alternatively, use cans swap for ¾ cup of honey, or add a teaspoon at a time of natural sweetener to suit your tastes if following a slimming/weight loss club. Note: Sweeteners are less likely to extend their shelf life.
- Pickling spice - swap for any of your favourite seeds or spices. A starting point would be using the following:
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon pepper corns
- 10 whole cloves
- 2 bay leaves
⚖️ Variations
Here you can pick a different way to personalise or enhance the earthy flavour of your beets:
Beetroots - you can pickle any other traditional crops, such as cucumber, carrots, onions, gherkins, cauliflower, etc. Note the processing time will vary
Hot and spicy - add your own flavours, such as chilli flakes, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, etc - just experiment with what you have
Meaty - other countries add cooked meat such as beef or pork
Herby - add herbs such as a few sprigs of fresh thyme or sage
Mixed - pickle with a mix of other vegetables like this homemade piccalilli, like onions, cauliflower, gherkins, etc
🔪 Equipment
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- Colander
- Saucepan
- Chopping knife
- Chopping board
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring jug
- 3 x 500ml glass pickling jars*
*You can sterilise recycled screw top glass jars, or any clip-lid glass jars with rubber seals. I recommend having more at hand than you think you'll need
❄️ Storage
Storing - we prefer adding a teaspoon of salt to each sterilised jar and storing in a cupboard or pantry at room temperature for several months.
Refrigerating - if long-term storage isn't a concern and you don't want to sterilise jars, transfer them to a large container and store them as refrigerator pickles for up to 2 months.
💡Pro Tips
- Don't discard the beet water! I mix with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sriracha, salt, pepper and Greek yogurt for future use. It makes a super delicious and vibrant beet salad dressing!
- Pick the freshest beetroots you can and preferably organic where possible (note they're incredibly easy to grow with no pesticides)
- Wash, clean and trim the beetroot well, but leave 1" of the top stem intact to prevent bleeding during cooking
- For a more intense flavour, roast them, although boiling is quicker
- Avoid table salt where possible as the brine can taste too salty
- For a longer shelf life, choose a high acidic vinegar
- Opt for filtered water if you live in a high chlorinated water area
- Be patient during the beetroot marinating process and leave for at least 24 hours, but better still - 2 weeks for optimal flavour
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Grazing Board - enjoy as part of a charcuterie or graze board with an array of tangy cheeses, cold meats, crusty bread and olives
Sandwiches and burgers - sharp pickled beetroot is perfect in a homemade ploughman's sandwich for extra tang and colour instead of chutney, or slow cooker pulled pork
Salads - toss pickled beetroot into a vibrant green spinach salad for a pop of colour and crisp texture. It pairs well with fresh greens, goat cheese, cheddar and walnuts.
Coleslaw - pimp up your creamy coleslaw and stir smaller pieces into the mix
Quiches - a warm, crusty cheese and onion quiche is perfect with luscious tangy beetroot slices and leafy green salad
❓ FAQ
Opt for small, firm beetroots with a rich, deep red colouring and unblemished skin. Larger beetroots can be tough and woody.
Beetroot can be boiled, roasted, or microwaved. Once cooked, the skin can be easily peeled away, although you may want to wear gloves to avoid stubborn red stains!
Yes, you can creatively customise pickled beetroot to your liking! Just add whatever herbs and spices to suit your taste and make it your own.
Yes, you can pickle the beetroot leaves (the tops) as they are edible, or eat like spinach in a fresh salad, or stir fry similar to chard.
Indeed! If patience isn't your strong suit, try quick pickling by grating or very thinly slicing beetroot and pour the hot brine on top. Then refrigerate and it can be ready in hours, not days.
➕ Related Recipes
Looking for some new recipes similar to this? Why not check these out:
🍽️Pairing
Here are a handful of dishes and sides that team perfectly with pickled beetroot!
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📖 Recipe
The BEST easy homemade pickled beetroot recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Kg Raw beetroots 2lb 3oz (trimmed weight)
- 3 teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt (1 teaspoon per jar)
- 700 ml White vinegar 3 cups
- 100g Light brown soft sugar ½ cup
- 3 tablespoon Pickling Spice See Note 1 for substitue
Instructions
- Harvest your beetroots of a similar size, then trim and leave 1" of the beet greens. Then scrub and wash them in water.
- Add cold water to a large saucepan and bring it to a boil.Now lower to a medium-high heat, and add the red beets to the boiling water, ensuring they are fully covered.Place the lid on top and simmer for 1 hour until tender.Note: towards the end of cooking time, sterilise your jars which I wash in hot soapy water, and finish in a low oven, excluding the rubber seals.
- Run the cooked beetroot under a cold tap and remove the skins. Feel free to wear gloves.Slice if desired and transfer into sterilised jars and add a teaspoon of salt to each.Don't overfill as you'll need to allow 2-3cm of space at the top of the jar for the pickling vinegar.Press down with the back of a small spoon if needed.
- For the pickling vinegar, add the whole spices, except the bay leaves to a small saucepan.Then toast them in a dry frying pan for 1-2 minutes while continuously stirring to avoid catching until you see the seeds just starting to smoke.This should help release the flavours.
- Now add the sugar and the vinegar and simmer until dissolved.Then stir and bring to a boil and immediately take off the heat.
- Pour the pickling liquid into the jars, to completely cover your thick slices.Add the rubber seals to your glass jars and close them, leaving to reach room temperature.Then try to leave the pickle to work its magic for at least 2 weeks if you can resist!
Disclaimer
*This is an unofficial page and has no affiliation or endorsement from Slimming World. Slimming World's website can be found at https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/. Any syn values are personal estimates and not verified by Slimming World.
Video
Notes
- Pickling spice - swap for any of your favourite seeds or spices. A starting point would be using the following:
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon pepper corns
- 10 whole cloves
- 2 bay leaves
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