Pickling Beets (Easy Refrigerator Pickled Beet Recipe)

If this Is your first time preparing pickled beets then this is one of my favorite beginner-friendly canning recipes. Refrigerator pickled beets have a processing time of less than an hour and with only six ingredients. This is my grandmother's old-fashioned easy quick pickled beets recipe.

Keep this small batch pickled beets recipe in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks and enjoy them as a healthy snack, on a salad as a great side dish or straight out of the jar whenever you like!

This pickled beet recipe has two variations. The refrigerator pickling technique can be made simply by making the pickling brine and pouring it over steamed beets, then storing in the refrigerator. Or to make your pickled beets shelf-stable, there is a water bath canning option where you sterilize the mason jars, process in a boiling water bath, and store at room temperature. The choice is yours.

My family loved beets so much, that we are planting beets in the garden. Fresh beets are SO GOOD! Be sure to plant some banana peppers as well because you are going sure to want to make pickled banana peppers. 

Don't think that beets are just for pickling! You can make beet juice, roasted beets (my personal favorite!) and don't forget that the beet greens can be sauteed and served like a side dish just like mustard greens. So many delicious ways how to cook beets.

Ingredients:

• fresh beets - red beets are the ones I use but beets come in a variety of colors and sizes.
• sugar - white sugar
• white vinegar, 5% acidity. The acidity needs to be 5% to ensure you get a proper pickle. Apple cider vinegar may be substituted.
• steamed beet liquid - saved from steaming the beets
• salt - kosher salt
• cinnamon sticks - whole
• pickling spice - pickling spice - a mixture of crushed cinnamon stick, bay leaves, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, dill seeds, allspice berries and cloves

🧊 How To Make Refrigerator Pickled Beets (Basic Instructions)

1. Clean and steam the beets until knife tender, saving some of the liquid in the pot for the brine.
2. Make a brine with the remaining ingredients, bringing the liquid to a boil to dissolve the sugar.
3. Add cooked, peeled, sliced beets to clean jars and pour the hot brine over the beets.
4. Close the jars and allow them to return to room temperature.
5. Store in the refrigerator for 24 hours before enjoying.
6. Use within 6 weeks.

📷 Making Pickled Beets (photo instructions)

1. Thoroughly wash the beets. Cut off the leaves but save the stems.
2. In a wide-bottomed pot, place the beets and the beet stems in a single layer and add 1 ½ cups of water or until the beets are submerged halfway in the water.
3. Turn the heat to high and bring a large pot of water to a boil and steam the beets until paring knife tender.
4. Remove the beets from the pot and allow them to cool until able to be handled. Reserve the steam liquid to add to the pickling liquid.
5. While the beets are cooling, in a small saucepan combine sugar, vinegar, steamed beet liquid, salt, cinnamon sticks, and pickling spices. Bring to a boil and turn off the heat once a boil is reached. 
6. Once the beets are cooled enough to handle, slice off the root and the stem end. TIP: The skin of the beet should peel right of with a bit of rubbing with your thumb or scraping with a butter knife.
7. The skin of the beet should peel right of with a bit of rubbing with your thumb or scrape with a butter knife.
8. Slice larger beets to fit into pint jars (or whatever size jars you have available) and leave smaller beets whole. Fill each jar with sliced beets or whole beets, if they are of similar size.
9. Pour the cooled brine over the cooked beets, tapping the jar to remove any air bubbles.
10. Place a clean lid and ring/ screw bands on the jar and finger tighten.
11. Store in the refrigerator overnight and taste the next day for pickling.
12. Use refrigerated beets within a month.

How to can pickled beets:

1. Sterilize jars and lids by boiling them in water for at least 10 minutes. Learn more on canning with my canning 101 lesson.
2. Add peeled and sliced beets to each clean jar.
3. Bring the pickling brine to a simmer and pour the hot brine over the beets in the jars, leaving ½" of head space in each jar.
4. Wipe jar rim and place on a new, clean lid and finger tighten a ring onto the jar. 
5. Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water.
6. Bring the canning pot to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a jar lifter.
7. Leave space between the jars and add more boiling water until the water level is at least 1 inch above the top of the jar.
8. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.
9. Remove the jars from the water bath canner and allow the hot jars to cool to room temperature. Be sure to use a canning jar lifter to keep your finger safe.
10. Store the pickled beets in a cool, dry, and preferably dark place and use within a year.

👩‍🍳 Chef Tip

The sugar can be reduced in this recipe to as low as ⅓ of a cup of sugar. But keep in mind the sugar balances out the tartness of the vinegar so adjust to your liking.

📝 Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:

📖 Recipe

Pickled Red Beets

Sarah Mock

With just six ingredients, this simple recipe comes together in less than an hour and is ready for it first tasting in 24 hours. These red beets are perfect for topping on a salad, serving as a side dish or taking to a summer picnic.

4.82 from 22 votes

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Note From Sarah

There is more to a recipe than just the recipe card. Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!

Prep time for the recipePrep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook time for the recipeCook Time 1 minute min

Cool TimeAdditional Time 1 day d

total time to prep and cook the recipe.Total Time 1 day d 21 minutes mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark, toggle to button to the right to turn GREEN

Course Canning Recipes

Cuisine American

Makes 2 quarts

Per Serving 137 kcal

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 6-8 medium fresh beets
• ▢ 1 cup sugar
• ▢ 1 ½ cup white vinegar (5% acidity)
• ▢ 1 cup steamed beet liquid
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 cinnamon sticks
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons pickling spice

Instructions

 

• Thoroughly wash the beets, cutting off the leaves but saving the stems.
• In a wide-bottomed pot, place the beets and the beet stems in a single layer and add 1 ½ cups of water or until the beets are submerged halfway in the water.
• Turn the heat to high and bring the water to a boil and steam the beets until knife tender.
• Remove the beets from the pot and allow them to cool until able to be handled. Reserve the steam liquid to add to the pickling liquid.
• While the beets are cooling, in a small saucepan combine sugar, vinegar, steamed beet liquid, salt, cinnamon sticks, and pickling spices.
• Bring to a boil and turn off the heat once a boil is reached.
• Once the beets are cooled enough to handle, slice off the root and the stem end. TIP: The skin of the beet should peel right of with a bit of rubbing with your thumb or scraping with a butter knife.
• Slice larger beets to fit into jars and leave smaller ones whole. Fill each jar with sliced beets or whole beets, if they are small.
• Pour the cooled brine over the beets, tapping the jar to remove any air pockets.
• Place a clean lid and ring on the jar and finger tighten. Store in the refrigerator overnight and taste the next day for pickling.
• Use refrigerated beets within 6 weeks.

Notes

Do you peel beets before pickling?

I have always taken off the stems and leaves as well as removed the outer skin of the beet before pickling. I am sure you can scrub the beets very well, but I like to be sure all the dirt is removed and the beets are super smooth, by removing the outer skin.

Should pickled beets be served hot or cold?

I serve pickled beets cold. Refrigerator cold is how I like to serve them. I think you are able to taste all the spices in the pickling better when the beets are cold. 

Can you reuse pickled beet juice?

After enjoying pickled beets, there is usually leftover pickled beet juice. Steam another batch of beets and pickle them in the leftover brine. BUT only reuse the brine one time. I use any extra pickle juice to make red beet eggs.

How long do pickled beets have to sit before eating?

Pickled beets have to sit and pickle for a minimum of 24 hours but up to a week in the refrigerator for the best flavor. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 137kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 1gSodium: 188mgFiber: 2gSugar: 31g

Nutrition Disclosure

Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

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👩🏻‍🍳 Sarah Mock

CEO/Owner/Founder/Culinary Blogger

Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 14 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.

originally published: Jul 26, 2012