Pickled beets are a sweet and sour addition to a crudité platter, salad, or even a sandwich!
Beets are great for a healthy snack or as a colorful addition to other pickled veggies! Serve these at a cocktail party with some crackers & small cubes of feta cheese.
Perfectly Pickled Beets
- We love this recipe because the beets come out tender, and mildly sweet and tart.
- This recipe is quick and requires no canning.
- It will last about 4 weeks in the fridge.
- This recipe retains a bright red color which makes them a pretty addition to any dish!
Ingredients and Variations
Fresh beets are sold year-round in supermarkets but they are also a great veggie for beginning gardeners!
VINEGAR Any kind of vinegar can be used, but apple cider vinegar will yield a sweeter result.
SUGAR Any kind of sugar to offset the vinegar will do, as long as it dissolves in the brine. We use regular granualted sugar.
CINNAMON A cinnamon stick slowly releases its flavor giving these pickled beets an extra touch warmth.
VARIATIONS Use pearl onions for a really colorful combination (boil them until tender first). Even hard-boiled eggs can be added to a jar of pickled beets! Black peppercorns can be added to the pickling juice for a little bit of a spicy flavor.
How to Pickle Beets
- Prepare beets & bake per the recipe below.
- Whisk together brine ingredients & bring to a boil.
- Cover beets with brine & refrigerate in an airtight container.
Tips
- Keep the beets the same size so they bake at the same rate.
- Avoid roasting them too long or they will not hold their shape when they are cut into slices.
- Once the beets are eaten, add a few boiled eggs to the jar and let them sit for a few days for a pickled egg.
How to Store
Pickled beets taste best when they are cold so keep them in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. Keep them in their brine and if the beets aren’t fully covered by the brine, simply add a 1:1 ratio of vinegar to water to the jar.
Ingredients
- 1 pound beets
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup water
- ⅔ cup white vinegar or cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar or to taste
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon table salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Cut beets in half if they’re large. Rub the skins with olive oil and place beets in a baking dish. Add ¼ cup water and cover tightly. Bake 45-60 minutes or until beets are tender.
- While beets are cooking, combine vinegar, water, sugar, cinnamon stick and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and let boil 1 minute. Remove from the heat, discard cinnamon stick.
- Once beets are cool enough to handle, rub the skins to remove and slice beets into ¼” slices.
- Place in a jar with a tight fitting lid and pour liquid overtop. Refrigerate at least 24 hours before serving.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 30 days.
Recipe Notes
Keep beets in the refrigerator up to 4 weeks.
