These quick pickled beets recipe starts with tender roasted beets, soaked in a flavorful brine made with apple cider vinegar, sugar, and warm spices. Simple pantry staples like bay leaf and peppercorns transform this into a crave-worthy, zesty side you’ll want to keep on hand.
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Perfectly Pickled Beets!
- Flavor: Tangy, slightly sweet, and earthy with subtle spice from bay leaf and peppercorns.
- Skill Level: Beginner-friendly with simple steps and basic kitchen tools.
- Technique: Roasting brings out the beets’ natural sweetness before soaking them in a zesty brine.
- Prep Note: Wear gloves or use paper towels to easily rub off beet skins and avoid staining.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve pickled beets on salads, cheese boards, or alongside roast meats for a tangy punch.
Ingredients Tips for Pickled Beets
Beets: Naturally sweet and earthy, beets are the star of this recipe and develop rich flavor when roasted. For this recipe, use medium-sized red beets that are firm, smooth, and free of blemishes—these offer the best balance of sweetness, earthiness, and color when roasted and pickled.
Brine Base: Water, vinegar, sugar, and salt create a balanced pickling solution that’s tangy, slightly sweet, and preserves the beets beautifully.
Aromatics & Spices: Bay leaf, coriander seed, and peppercorns infuse the brine with gentle spice and aromatic depth.
Variations
For a twist, try using golden or Chioggia (candy striped) beets for a milder flavor and colorful presentation. You can also swap apple cider vinegar with red wine or white vinegar for a different tang.
Best Way to Store Pickled Beets
Store pickled beets in airtight glass jars in the refrigerator for up to 1 month, allowing the flavors to deepen over time. Be sure the beets are fully submerged in brine to keep them fresh and flavorful.
Freezing pickled beets isn’t recommended, as it can change their texture and make them mushy. For best results, enjoy them chilled.
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Quick Pickled Beets
Equipment
- Pot
- Jars (two 16 oz. canning jars with lids)
Ingredients
- 1 pound beets (about 3-4 medium beets)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Brine
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon coriander seeds (optional)
- 6 black peppercorns
Instructions
To Cook the Beets
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Scrub the beets and trim the top and bottom. Toss in olive oil.
- Add the beets to the center of a large square of aluminum foil and fold to seal well. Place the foil packet on a baking sheet.
- Roast the beets for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the beets are tender when poked with a fork.
- Open the packet and let the beets cool until they're cool enough to handle. Using rubber gloves or paper towels, rub the skin off the beets. Cut the beets in half. Cut the halves into ¼-inch thick slices.
To Make the Pickled Beets
- While the beets are cooling, in a medium saucepan, combine water, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, bay leaf, coriander seeds (if using), and peppercorns.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Transfer the beets to two 16-ounce jars. Pour the brine overtop and cool slightly.
- Close the jars and refrigerate for at least 7 days, turning the jars occasionally.
Notes
- Refrigerate up to 1 month.
- If using pre-cooked beets, you will need about 3 cups of beets.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American© LovePickles.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
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