Sometimes it’s easy to forget about all the different varied produce that’s available in early autumn, especially these days with such a strong focus on pumpkin online. There is a new pumpkin recipe coming next week, but also potatoes and carrots – and in the meantime, an excellent way to enjoy beetroot with this recipe for pickled beets. This recipe is lightly adapted from my cookbook.

This is a quick pickle recipe and not meant to be canned or preserved for any length of time. I grew up with my aunt Joyce’s pickled beets and, while they’re delicious, I know most people aren’t all that into water bath canning. Quick pickled beets are a good bridge recipe. You have the flavour of a canned pickled beet but it’s much quicker and easier to make, with no need for a specific type of jar or any canning knowledge.

Recipe Rundown: Pickled Beets

• Texture: fairly soft with a slight bite, it’s essentially the same texture as cooked beetroot.
• Flavour: a fairly strong vinegar taste (don’t make these if you don’t like vinegar) but mostly beet after that. The honey takes much of the edge off of the vinegar.
• Difficulty: very easy. Roast the beets, slice, and pour the pickling liquid over top. These aren’t sealed or placed in a water bath as they’re refrigerator pickles.

Ingredients

• Beets: choose small, firm beets for the best taste and texture. Any colour of beetroot will be delicious but note that yellow will darken slightly with the darker colour of the vinegar.
• Vinegar: apple cider vinegar is easy and fairly neutral. White wine vinegar is a good alternative. White pickling vinegar is too strong.
• Honey: of course you can use sugar if preferred. For this recipe honey is not used due to added flavour – you won’t notice it in the beetroot – but only because it’s the lowest environmental impact sweetener.
• Spices: for basic pickled beets, the spices pictured will boost the flavour without adding a really noticeable spice taste. If you want something stronger try adding cumin seeds (toasted or raw), hot pepper, ginger, and so on.

Step by Step Photos

Step 1: roast the beetroots until fork-soft. Roasting makes for a better, sweeter flavour than boiling or steaming.

Step 2: slice the beets and pour the pickling liquid over top. Refrigerate before serving.

How to Store

Refrigerate for up to two weeks, maybe longer. If you see any sign of mould or the beets start to smell funny, toss them. Make sure you use a clean glass jar for the best storage.

Expert Tips

• Don’t can this recipe: this is a quick pickle, or refrigerator pickle, and are not safe to preserve for longer periods outside of the refrigerator. I would not recommend trying to can these.
• Do a fork test: the best way to see if your beets are cooked is to poke them with a fork. If the tines easily pierce all the way through the beetroot, they’re ready to take out of the oven. Timing will vary based on the size of the roots.
• If substituting sugar: honey is generally twice as sweet as sugar. If you’re going to use plain sugar, double the amount by volume for the same level of sweetness.
• Roast, don’t boil: roasting the beets increases caramelisation and makes for a sweeter end result. This, combined with the sharpness of the vinegar, is the best way to make pickled beets.
• No need to peel: cut off any really gnarly thick bits of skin but otherwise don’t bother peeling the beets. It’s a waste of time and food, and you won’t notice that it’s left on.

More Staple Recipes

How to Make Pumpkin Puree
Homemade Vanilla Extract
Unsweetened Applesauce
Homemade Peanut Butter