Easy Pickled Beetroot
Easy Pickled Beetroot is a traditional kitchen favourite with its bright colour, earthy sweetness, and zesty kick. Pickled beetroot is the ideal accompaniment to many dishes and you won’t believe how easy it is to make.
Why make Easy Pickled Beetroot?
Pickling is an age-old way of keeping food delicious and safe to eat, long before fridges came along. And beetroot is one of the stars of the pickling world, thanks to its gorgeous colour and unique flavour.
One of the best reasons to pickle beetroot is to make it last longer. Properly pickled beetroot can live happily in jars for ages, always ready to spice up your next meal. And If you’ve got a garden full of beetroots or spot a great deal at the market, pickling is a perfect way to save the extras from going to waste.
Just how easy is it to make pickled beetroot?
Don’t worry if you’re new to pickling, making pickled beetroot is simple and fun. All you need is a pot, some jars, and a few everyday ingredients. And you can play around with different vinegars, spices, or levels of sweetness to create your perfect batch.
What ingredients do I need to make Easy Pickled Beetroot?
You only need two ingredients to make this recipe for Easy Pickled Beetroot. Here is what you need:
- Beetroot
- Spiced Pickling Vinegar
A full list of quantities and cup conversions is located in the recipe card at the bottom of this article.
What kind of beetroot should I use?
Use fresh red beetroot that is firm and not wrinkled. Wash any dirt from the beetroot and twist off the leaves. This is important as the red colouring will ‘bleed’ out of the beetroot if you cut the leaves off with a knife.
Beetroot is a really versatile vegetable that comes in red, yellow and a lovely pink and white striped variety. For this recipe I use the deep purple-red but you can pickle any colour of beetroot.
If you like beetroot then why not try my Beetroot Chutney?
Can I use pre-cooked beetroot?
Ready to eat cooked beetroot is more expensive than fresh beetroot. However, if you don’t want to cook it yourself you can certainly use ready cooked beetroot. Just make sure that it is not already preserved in vinegar.
What kind of vinegar should I use?
I use my homemade Spiced Pickling Vinegar which is really quick an easy to make and let’s you decide which spices and how much spice you want to add. However, if you don’t want to make your own you can buy ready made spiced pickling vinegar.
You can also use fruit vinegars like my Blackcurrant vinegar which will add a sweet, fruity note to your pickled beetroot.
Can I increase the quantities?
This recipe makes one large jar of pickled beetroot. It is an easy recipe to increase, simply cook more beetroot and pack as many jars as you can then top up with the pickling vinegar.
How should I store Easy Pickled Beetroot?
Store the pickled beetroot in sterilised glass jam jars with lids. Keep the jars of chutney in a cool dark place and once opened keep the jar in the fridge.
How long can I keep the pickled beetroot?
It’s best to keep the pickled beetroot for at least a month preferably two before you use it. The flavour does improve with time with the vinegar becoming less harsh.
If stored correctly the pickled beetroot will keep for up to 9 months without any deterioration in quality. After that the colour may fade but the beetroot will still be good to eat for up to a year
How do I sterlise the glass jars?
Find out why you should sterilise your glass jars and about the different methods you can use to sterilise bottles and jars in this article.
Vegetarian
This recipe is suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
Gluten Free
There are no wheat products in this recipe, and it is suitable for a GF diet. As always you should check every ingredient to ensure that it meets your dietary requirements.
For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.
How should I serve Easy Pickled Beetroot?
Pickled beetroot is full of flavour. It mixes natural sweetness with a sharp tang, and a hint of spice. This makes it very versatile in the kitchen.
- Serve pickled beetroot sliced or diced, to add a lively splash of colour and flavour to salads. It pairs well with green salad, nuts, and cheese. It’s also delicious with my Smoked Mackerel Pate.
- Just a few slices of beetroot can make sandwiches, burgers, or wraps extra special.
- Traditional recipes such Scottish Stovies are often served with pickled beetroot and oatcakes.
- Scandinavian smørrebrød simply wouldn’t be the same without some pickled beetroot.
One of my childhood memories of pickled beetroot is a corned beef and beetroot sandwich. The rich salty meat is the perfect foil for the sweet and sharp pickle. I’m sure you will find your own favourite ways to serve this tasty preserve.
Easy Pickled Beetroot
Ingredients
- 300 g (10½ oz) raw beetroot
- 350 ml (¾ pt) spiced pickling vinegar
Instructions
To cook the beetroot
- Wash any soil off 300 g (10 ½ oz) beetroot and twist off any leaves. Do not cut because the colour of the beetroot will bleed out.
- Wrap the beets in foil.
Cook the beetroot in the oven
- Roast in the oven at 200℃/180℃ (fan) 400℉/375℉ (convection) for between an hour and an hour and a half, depending on the size of the beetroot.
Cook the beetroot in an air fryer
- Roast in an Air Fryer at 180℃/375℉ for 40-50 minutes.
Cook the beetroot in the slow cooker
- To cook in a slow cooker, place the foil covered beetroot on a heatproof plate (or on some crushed foil) in the pot of the slow cooker. Cook on High for 2 hours or on Low for 4 hours.
- Note: the length of time that the beetroot take to cook will depend on their size. You can check whether the beetroot is ready by squeezing it, there should be 'give' when you do. Please be careful as it will be very hot.
Prepare the pickled beetroot
- Once cooked, let the beetroot cool a little. Then take them out of the foil and while still warm, slip off the skins (I usually wear rubber gloves, otherwise you end up with purple hands).
- You can also use ready cooked vacuum packed beetroot if liked.
- Thinly slice the cooked beetroot.
- Pack the sliced beetroot into a large sterilised glass jar or two smaller glass jars.
- Pour over 350 ml cold pickling vinegar or as much as you need until the jar or jars are filled to the top. Use a fine knife of a skewer to make sure any air bubbles are removed.
- Cover and seal with waxed paper and a either a cellophane top or a metal lid.
- Store the Easy Pickled Beetroot in a cool dark place for at least a month before using. It will improve if you leave it longer. Use within 6 months.
- Serve Easy Pickled Beetroot with salads and on sandwiches. It's great on traditional Scandinavian open sandwiches too.
My nan will also be getting some of these for Xmas along with the pickled eggs – its smelling good so far and really easy to put together.
Hope your Nan enjoys the beetroot.