Whenever I work on a recipe, my focus is always on coaxing as much flavor as possible out of the ingredients I’m cooking with… and these refrigerator pickles are literally bursting with flavor!
The beets are kept raw for maximum crunch
Here raw beets are sliced super-thin and pickled with fresh ginger, toasted coriander seeds and whole peppercorn. Because these pickles are not cooked in any way, the beets retain their crunchy texture – making them not only super-flavorful, but also incredibly refreshing to the palate.
Make a batch, then enjoy for weeks to come
It takes only minutes to assemble the pickles, and they’ll happily live in your refrigerator for several weeks. (It’s a joy to have them on hand at a moment’s notice!) They can liven up salads and sandwiches, and they make a delectable condiment. But they’re also delicious as a finger food or nibble. Whichever way you end up serving them, I know these colorful and flavorful pickles will thrill you.
Here are more delectable pickles
Pickled cauliflower with fresh turmeric and curry leaves
Pickled asparagus with pink peppercorn and mustard seeds
Pickled shallots with fresh thyme
Pickled beets with fresh ginger
makes 1 1/2 cups (without the pickling juice)
active time: 20 min
- 1 lb (455 g) red, pink or golden beets (6 small)
- 1 oz (30 g) fresh ginger root
- 1 cup Champagne vinegar
- 1/2 cup spring water
- 1/2 cup organic sugar
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds – toasted (see Viviane’s tip)
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorn
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1-quart (32 oz) (95 cl) wide-mouth Mason or Weck jar
- Step 1: Peel the beets. Using a mandoline, slice the beets crosswise in paper-thin slices (1/16″). Place the beet slices in the Mason jar and set aside. Peel the ginger root. Again using the mandoline, slice the ginger in paper-thin slices (1/16″). Place in a small bowl and set aside.
- Step 2: Place the vinegar, water, sugar, coriander seeds, peppercorn, salt and sliced ginger in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Once boiling, reduce heat and fast-simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and pour the hot mixture over the beet slices. Push the beets down so that they’re submerged in the hot liquid, then set the jar aside to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, seal the jar and refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours, up to 1 month. To serve, place the pickled beet slices into a sieve to drain, then place on paper towels to remove excess liquid.
Viviane’s tip
- Toasting the coriander seeds will intensify their flavor, so it’s a worthwhile step. Fortunately, it only takes a couple of minutes to do it!
- Heat a small heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the coriander seeds and cook until they turn a darker shade and are fragrant – about 2 minutes – shaking the pan continuously and taking care not to burn them. Transfer to a bowl… and voilà!
Hi Viviane, I am a newbie pickler. The community garden near me just produced a load of beets so think I’ll try your recipe. Feels like the result should have some delicate flavours (which is not something I usually associate with pickles), so am looking forward to trying them. Am hoping to keep the result and some other ‘experiments’ for Christmas dinner (if they prove successful). Do you know how long the results will keep? Is one month the maximum for beets prepared this way?
Hi Martin, Thank you so much for your comment. Yes, the flavor of these pickles is very delicate, and the beets have a lovely crunch. For an even more delicate flavor, make sure to use a good quality vinegar, one that’s not too harsh. As for keeping the pickles longer than 1 month. I have kept mine a little long in the refrigerator. But because food safety is always my number one concern, I’d say stick to 1 month. Fortunately, beets are in season all year long (even at Farmers’ Markets), so you should be able to make these pickles in early December for your Christmas dinner. Last but not least, I find that when I make a batch, they go fast! Have fun making your pickles and let me know how they turn out.
Welcome to California! You picked a beautiful part of this vast state!
I’ve been on a beet kick lately, they add so much flavor and color to winter salads. I really like the idea of pickling the beets and having them ready for salads later in the week, just fantastic!
Thank you so much, Deb! We’re over the moon to be finally settled in Northern California. Enjoy these pickled beets… I’m totally addicted to them!
Can the champagne vinegar be substituted with white balsamic, or would that be too strong?
Hi Bonnie, I would recommend substituting the Champagne vinegar with white wine vinegar. White balsamic vinegars vary greatly in their intensity. It would be best to use a lighter vinegar for this recipe. Enjoy!
Thank you! Champagne vinegar it will be. I’ll be gathering my ingredients to try this.
You are most welcome, Bonnie. Let me know how it turns out and have a great time making your pickles!
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My mom would can the beets harvested from our family’s garden—such a heavenly treat. But since I’m not into canning, I love this pickling method that doesn’t require any special equipment. I’d need one jar of yellow and one of red! Then I’d make another batch of each 🙂
I’m there with you, Liz! What I love most about this pickling method is that the beets don’t cook at all… so they preserve all their crunchiness and fresh taste. Yum!
love pickled beets, and these are great!
can the sugar be skipped?
Micha, I’m afraid not… Your pickles will be quite unpalatable if you skip the sugar. Just remember that you do not consume any of the pickling liquid and therefor you don’t consume very much sugar at all. I even recommend draining the pickles on paper towels to remove the excess liquid.
I can’t believe that I have never made pickled beets! The golden and pink beets are so beautiful.