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If you’ve ever wanted to make Pickled beetroot, this recipe is for you! It is so easy to make and leaves you with delicious pickled beetroot to use on salads, sandwiches, and more! As a bonus, they last for quite a while! If you love beetroot, my Beetroot Hummus is another easy way to use it up.
Pickled Beetroot at a Glance
James's tipWear gloves when peeling and let the jar sit for 3 days before eating. The flavour is far better.
Key ingredients
- Fresh beetroot
- White wine vinegar
- Brown sugar
- Coriander seeds
- Mustard seeds
- Black peppercorns
Why you'll love it
- No sealing or canning needed.
- Sweet, tangy and classic British.
- Lasts for weeks in the fridge.
Quick summary
This pickled beetroot steams fresh beetroot until tender, then slices it into a jar and covers it with a warm spiced white wine vinegar brine. It takes 15 minutes of prep, is ready to eat after 3 days in the fridge and keeps for up to 6 weeks. Naturally vegan and gluten free, with no sealing or canning.
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Why this recipe works
Whenever you can make a homemade version of a typically store bought item, you know you’re in for a treat! This pickled beetroot recipe is easy to make and healthier than what you can find at most stores because you’re in charge of the ingredients! I also love that you can adjust flavours to your own liking. If you don’t know how to pickle beetroot, I’ve got you covered!
One of the great things about making this quick pickle version is you don’t need to seal anything, you don’t need to purchase rubber seals, you don’t have to watch for that pop, and it’s way less effort!
Quick pickled beetroot can be used in so many things! You can make a beetroot salad, sandwiches, a wrap, alongside roasted root vegetables, or mix it in with some other vegetables. It’s even great as a snack on its own! If you haven’t tried pickled beetroot yet, I definitely recommend it!
Ingredients to make Pickled Beetroot
- Beetroot – I use red beetroot, but golden beetroot would also work.
- White Wine Vinegar – helps to pickle the beetroot.
- Water – just enough to cover.
- Brown Sugar – adds to the natural sweetness of the beetroot.
- Coriander Seeds – give a bit of a citrusy flavour to this quick pickle recipe.
- Mustard Seeds – bring a great depth of flavour.
- Black Peppercorns – are just a bit spicy with some sweetness as well.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions
- Cooked beetroot – Short on time? Use vacuum-packed cooked beetroot (not the type in vinegar). Skip Step 1 and go straight to slicing.
- White Wine Vinegar – You could also use an apple cider vinegar or another clear vinegar.
- Brown Sugar – Honey or maple syrup would be good substitutes, though you’ll need to adjust the vinegar to keep the consistency. You could also use a white sugar and molasses mixture.
- Seasonings – You could try some of your favourite spices to flavour the beetroot. Some examples are whole cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, sea salt, onion powder, garlic powder, etc
Variations
- Spicy – Add chilli powder or red pepper flakes for a nice spicy snack.
- Deluxe – Serve on fresh greens with feta, or add to my Rocket Salad.
- Kid friendly – Try adding a little bit more brown sugar if this is a new taste for your kids.
How to serve pickled beetroot
Use it in salads, sandwiches and wraps, on a ploughman’s or cheese board, with a Sunday roast or on a Boxing Day buffet.
- Pile it into my Smoked Salmon Salad for a quick lunch.
- Add a few slices to my Red Cabbage Slaw for colour and crunch.
- Stuff it into pitta with my Gluten Free Falafels.
How to make Pickled Beetroot
Step 1: Firstly, prepare the beetroot. Scrub and wash the beetroot and place it into a steaming basket.
Fill your pan with 5cm of water. Insert the steaming basket with the beetroot into the pan and cover with the lid. Steam for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on size, until a knife slides easily into the middle.
Step 2: Add the beetroot to cold water to cool. Once it is cool enough to handle, peel off the skin.
Hint: Wear gloves when peeling, as beetroot stains hands and wooden boards.
Step 3: Cut the beetroot into 5mm thick slices and add them to a clean jar.
Tip: Use a jar washed in hot soapy water and dried in a low oven (about 120C / 100C fan) for 10 minutes, so your pickle keeps longer.
Step 4: Make the brine: combine the white wine vinegar with water, brown sugar, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, and black peppercorns.
Heat until the sugar dissolves.
Step 5: Pour the mixture over the beetroot, leaving about 1cm empty at the top of the jar.
Allow to sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then refrigerate for 3 days.
Hint: When heating the brine, be careful of the fumes as the vinegar can be quite pungent.
Leftovers
One of the great things about this pickled beetroot is that leftovers will last up to 6 weeks in the fridge! Just keep in a sealed jar.
If the brine turns cloudy, fizzy or smells off, throw it away. Always use a clean fork to take slices out.
Got extra fresh beetroot? Turn it into my Beetroot Soup.
Recipe FAQs
It definitely can be! It depends on how much and what kind of sugar you add. The beetroot itself is great for you and has nutrients and antioxidants. It also has a natural sweetness, so you don’t need much extra sugar.
Pickled beetroot can last for up to 6 weeks in the fridge. It is not suitable for freezing, as freezing makes it soft and watery. Just watch for signs that it has gone bad.
I use white wine vinegar as it pickles the beetroot without overpowering its natural sweetness. Apple cider vinegar or any other clear vinegar works well too. I’d avoid dark malt vinegar for this recipe, as it can dominate the flavour and muddy the colour of the pickling liquid. Want the classic chippy flavour? Use half malt vinegar and half white wine vinegar.
You can, but it stays very crunchy and earthy. Steaming first gives the classic soft, sweet British pickled beetroot.
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Pickled Beetroot
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 medium beetroot
- 120 ml white wine vinegar
- 240 ml water
- 50 g brown sugar
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
Instructions
- Scrub and wash the beetroot and place it in a steaming basket. Fill your pan with 5cm of water, put the basket of beetroot in the pan and cover with a lid. Steam for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on size, until a knife slides easily into the middle.
- Add the beetroot to cold water to cool. Once it is cool enough to handle, peel off the skin.
- Cut the beetroot into 5mm thick slices and add them to a clean jar.
- Make the brine: Combine the white wine vinegar, water, brown sugar, coriander seeds, mustard seeds and black peppercorns. Heat until the sugar dissolves. Be careful of the fumes, as the vinegar is quite pungent.
- Pour the brine over the beetroot, leaving about 1cm empty at the top of the jar. Leave at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate for 3 days.
This worked really well, had the beetroot in salad today and it was delicious!
Yay 🙂 thank you Gina!
I am a great fan of this underrated vegetable but your recipe brings back memories of sliced beets soaked in malt vinegar! I like them honey roasted maybe with a bit of cumin or mint or warm with parsley sauce.
Looking foward to trying the air fried salmon with broccoli tonight.