Quick Pickled Beets

Name: Quick Pickled Beets
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 1 quart
Ingredients: 3 cups sliced or chopped cooked beets; 1 cup apple cider vinegar; 1 cup water; 3 tablespoons granulated sugar; 1 tablespoon kosher salt; ¾ teaspoon whole mustard seeds; ¾ teaspoon whole black peppercorns

User Reviews

4.5

210 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
15 mins
Servings
1 quart
Calories
57 kcal
Course
Side Dish
Cuisine
American

Quick Pickled Beets

Iris Warren

Report

There's no need for a long canning process to make these Quick Pickled Beets. Just pour a simple brine over cooked beets and let them chill in the fridge. Add them to salads, serve as a side dish, or enjoy straight from the jar!

Share:

I Made This!

157 people made this

Print

44 people printed this

Save this

126 people saved this

Ingredients

Servings

3 cups sliced or chopped cooked beets see notes
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
¾ teaspoon whole mustard seeds
¾ teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Add to Shopping List

Instructions

Slice or chop the prepared beets to your desired size - I usually chop into 1" cubes. Add them to a 1-quart jar and set aside while you make the brine.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, and peppercorns. Bring mixture to a boil and cook until sugar and salt dissolve.
Pour the brine over the beets, making sure to cover them completely. Let cool to room temperature.
Seal the jar/container and place it in the fridge to chill. I recommend waiting until the beets are fully chilled to serve, but they will have a lightly pickled flavor after 15 minutes.

Notes

For beets that are more tangy: When making the brine, use 1½ cups apple cider vinegar and ½ cup water.
To boil beets: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Trim and wash the beets, removing any greens. Add the beets to the boiling water and cook for 30 minutes, or until completely tender. A paring knife should slide in and out of the beets easily. Beets can vary greatly in size, and they are a very dense root vegetable, so size will definitely determine how long you need to cook them. Transfer the beets to a bowl of ice water and then peel away the skins with your fingers (very easy to do!) and cut or slice as desired.
To roast beets: Wash the beets and remove any greens. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap in foil. Bake on a baking sheet at 400° F for 45 minutes, or until completely tender. Again, the size of your beets will determine cook time, as I just mentioned above. A paring knife should slide in and out of the beets easily. Allow to sit for 10 minutes or so, then peel away the skin and cut or slice as desired.
To use packaged pre-cooked beets: I buy a box of whole peeled, cooked beets from Costco that includes 3 separate packages of beets that weigh 17.6 ounces per package. And one package is the PERFECT amount for this recipe! Just know that the texture of these beets is usually a bit softer than when you boil or roast fresh beets yourself.
Quick Pickled Beets will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.