This ingredient combination follows the tested pickled-beet recipe from the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
👩🍳 How to Make Pickled Beets
1. Cook the Beets
Wash the beets thoroughly and trim the tops, leaving about an inch of stem and the roots attached.
Place similar-sized beets together in a large pot, cover them with boiling water, and cook until tender, usually around 25–30 minutes.
Drain the cooking water and allow the beets to cool.
2. Peel and Slice
Once they’re cool enough to handle, remove the roots and stems and gently slip off the skins.
Slice the beets into approximately ¼-inch slices.
If you’re adding onions, peel and thinly slice them as well.
3. Prepare the Pickling Brine
In a large saucepan, combine:
- Vinegar
- Water
- Sugar
- Pickling salt
Place the cinnamon sticks and cloves in a spice bag or cheesecloth and add them to the mixture.
Bring everything to a boil.
4. Add the Beets
Add the sliced beets and onions to the hot vinegar mixture.
Let everything simmer for about 5 minutes, allowing the beets to absorb the sweet and tangy flavors.
Remove the spice bag before filling the jars.
5. Fill the Jars
Carefully pack the hot beets and onions into clean, hot canning jars.
Leave about ½ inch of headspace, then cover the beets with the hot vinegar solution.
Remove any visible air bubbles and wipe the jar rims clean before applying the lids.
6. Process the Jars Safely
If you’re making pickled beets for shelf storage, don’t simply fill the jars and seal them.
Tested preservation guidance recommends processing pickled beets in a boiling-water canner. At elevations up to 1,000 feet, the recommended processing time is 30 minutes, with longer times required at higher elevations.
If you’re making a small batch intended for the refrigerator rather than long-term shelf storage, use a refrigerator-pickle recipe instead.
❤️ Why People Love Pickled Beets
Pickled beets combine several things people love about homemade food:
Sweet: The natural sweetness of beets pairs beautifully with a little sugar.
Tangy: Vinegar gives the beets their classic pickled flavor.
Colorful: Their vibrant red color makes them stand out on any plate.
Versatile: They can be served as a side dish, added to salads, or enjoyed directly from the refrigerator.
Beets themselves are also a colorful root vegetable containing betalain pigments, which are associated with antioxidant activity.
🥗 Ways to Serve Pickled Beets
Try adding your homemade pickled beets to:
- Green salads
- Potato salads
- Sandwiches
- Burgers
- Grain bowls
- Cheese boards
- Deviled eggs
- Grilled meat dishes
You can also chop them into small pieces and mix them with greens, goat cheese, walnuts, and a simple vinaigrette for an easy salad.
💡 Helpful Tip
For safe home canning, don’t change the vinegar-to-water ratio in a tested canning recipe. The acidity is an important part of making pickled beets suitable for preservation. Extension guidance specifically recommends using tested recipes with adequate vinegar rather than improvising the proportions.
Final Thoughts
Pickled beets are a simple way to give fresh beets a completely different personality. They’re sweet, tangy, colorful, and incredibly versatile.
Whether you’re making them for a family dinner, adding them to salads, or preparing jars for later, this classic recipe is worth trying.
Would you eat pickled beets straight from the jar? YES or NO? 🫙❤️
