Easy Pickled Beetroot Recipe

Love beetroot? Skip the canned beetroot available at supermarkets and make your own homemade Pickled Beetroot instead. You'll love it even more!

Jump to:

• Why make your own?
• How to choose the best beetroots for pickling
• Ingredient notes
• Variation ideas
• How to make pickled beetroot
• Pickled Beetroot

Why make your own?

Making your own homemade beetroot pickles is so satisfying and easy with this recipe.

Beetroot is great on salads, sandwiches or served as a bright addition on grazing plates. And for many people, a slice of beetroot is simply a MUST on a hamburger.

Homemade Pickled Beetroot is so, so much tastier than the canned variety. You'll want to eat more and more. Which is a good thing, since beetroot – also known as beets or garden beets – is a nutritious root vegetable that's high in many vitamins and minerals, and a good source of folate, manganese, and copper.

How to choose the best beetroots for pickling

Great beetroot pickles start with great beetroots.

To find the best beets, look for:

• Medium-sized or smaller beetroots that have a round or slightly oval shape (these are generally sweeter and larger or elongated beetroots may be tough or fibrous).
• Firm beetroots (older beetroots may be soft).
• Smooth-skinned beetroots that are free from blemishes.
• Fresh greens attached (these should be fresh, crisp, and vibrant rather than wilted or yellowed).
• Red beetroots should have a deep, intense red-purple colour while golden beetroots should be bright and vibrant. Avoid beetroots with faded or dull colours, as this can indicate poor quality.

Ingredient notes

When pickling beetroot, you'll also need:

• white vinegar – just ordinary white vinegar is what I use and recommend
• white sugar and some cooking salt
• spices – black peppercorns, whole cloves and ground allspice.

A full ingredient list and quantities can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Variation ideas

This recipe is wonderful as it is. But it's also extremely versatile. If you want to experiment, here are some ideas:

• Sugar: use brown sugar for a more caramel flavour
• Vinegar: try white wine, apple cider or malt vinegar for a sweeter and more complex flavour
• Spices: mustard seeds, coriander seeds, chilli flakes, bay leaves, cinnamon, thyme will all complement beetroot flavours and can be added or substituted for other spices.

How to make pickled beetroot

Prepping

Start by washing the beetroots.

If they still have stems attached, trim off, leaving a few centimetres attached to the beetroot. Use a soft brush to remove any dirt from the skin.

You'll also need to have a sterilised jar ready – find out the options for sterilising a jar here if you're unfamiliar with the process.

TIP: The easiest way to sterilise a jar is to place the jar, lid and any rubber seal in the dishwasher on the hottest cycle and then allow it to air dry on a clean paper towel.

Cooking

Place into a saucepan and cover beetroots with water.

Boil for about 30 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork.

The boiling time will depend on the size. Smaller beetroots might take closer to 20 minutes and large beetroots might take about 40 minutes or more.

Let beetroots cool to a warm temperature and then rub off the skins with your hands.

Slice beetroot, or cut into chunks if preferred.

TIP: Wear rubber kitchen gloves if you want to avoid stained hands. (I don't bother – it only lasts a day!)

Pickling

Place beetroot slices or chunks into a sterilised jar. Next, combine remaining ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil.

Simmer for 10 minutes and then pour through a sieve and into the beetroot jar.

TIP: Make sure the liquid fills the jar completely to better preserve the beetroot.

Seal the jar immediately.

You now have a whole jar of pickled beetroot slices or chunks. Lucky you!

Storage

Once the sterilised jar is sealed, store in the fridge for up to a couple of weeks.

There is the option of making canned beetroot to store on the shelf of your pantry, however you'll need to rely on your own knowledge of canning and preserving or read more about how to can and preserve vegetables.

Want more pickles?

If you love pickles, you might also like these recipes:

Made this recipe and love it? Please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. (And it really makes my day to hear how Nana Ling's recipes are being made, shared and loved all around the world! - Libby x)

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