🫙 Healthy Pickled Beets Recipe
These easy refrigerator pickled beets are tangy, naturally sweet, and lower in added sugar than many store-bought versions. They don’t require traditional canning, so keep them refrigerated.
Ingredients
- 4 medium cooked beets, peeled and sliced
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar or white vinegar (5% acidity)
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup — optional
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds — optional
- 1 small garlic clove, sliced — optional
Instructions
- Cook the beets: Roast, steam, or boil until fork-tender. Let them cool, peel, and slice.
- Make the brine: Combine vinegar, water, honey/maple syrup, salt, peppercorns, and mustard seeds in a saucepan.
- Heat: Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer for about 2–3 minutes, stirring until the salt dissolves.
- Pack the jar: Place the sliced beets in a clean glass jar. Add garlic if using.
- Pour in the brine: Carefully pour the warm brine over the beets until they’re completely covered.
- Cool and refrigerate: Let the jar cool, cover it, and refrigerate.
- Wait for flavor: They’re tasty after about 24 hours, but the flavor improves after 2–3 days.
🥗 How to enjoy them
Add pickled beets to salads, grain bowls, sandwiches, or serve them alongside grilled chicken or fish.
Important food-safety note
This is a refrigerator pickle, not a shelf-stable canned product. Keep it refrigerated and use a tested canning recipe if you want to preserve beets at room temperature. Don’t reduce the vinegar or water ratio when adapting a tested canning recipe.
Also remember that pickled beets can contain a meaningful amount of sodium, depending on how much salt you use.
Tip: For a naturally sweeter version, use roasted beets and skip the added honey altogether.
