Refrigerator Pickled Beets are a sensory explosion of vibrant color and tangy, sweet, earthy, and warm flavors. Combining a simple process with only a handful of ingredients, this pickled beet recipe will find its way to your charcuterie boards, lunch salads, as well as just a fork straight from the jar.
I grew up loving beets. They’re one of those foods that instantly makes me think of my grandma. We enjoyed them in all forms from pickled beets like these spiced pickled beets to just boiled beets seasoned up simply with a little salt. These easy pickled beets are a delicious treat all on their own but also perfect for topping off a beet and citrus salad. They are easy enough to make they’re sure to become a staple in your refrigerator!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy Process – There’s nothing complicated about either roasting the beets, or making the quick spiced brine for the roasted pickled beets. There is even instructions if you would rather boil your beets instead. Because these are refrigerator pickles there is no need to go through the canning process.
- Meal Prep – These beets get better and better as they refrigerate. Make them on a weekend and enjoy snacking on them for a couple of weeks…if they last that long!
- Simple Ingredients – Aside from the beets themselves this easy pickled beet recipe uses pantry staples like apple cider vinegar and spices like whole peppercorns, bay leaves, and cloves.
How to Make Refrigerator Pickled Beets
- Prepare your foil pack. Scrub the beets clean and trim off the top and bottom of the beets. Toss them with olive oil and add them to a large piece of foil or foil pan along with rosemary sprigs, whole garlic cloves, and a tablespoon of water.
- Roast your beets and allow them to cool. Roast the beets in a 400-degree oven for about 40 minutes, or until fork tender. Let them cool enough to handle and then peel off the skin. Slice them into about 1/4″ rounds.
- Prepare your brine. Add the water, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and salt to a small pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar and turn off the heat.
- Layer the beets and onions in a wide mouth jar. Place the peppercorns, allspice, and cloves in the bottom of the jar. Build layers of alternating sliced beets and red onions. Add your bay leaf and sprigs of fresh dill if using.
- Pour the warm brine over the beets. Seal the jar and allow it to cool to room temperature.
- Refrigerate the pickled beets. Allow the beets to refrigerate for at least a couple of hours before enjoying them.
Variations
- For slightly sweeter pickled beets use 1/3-1/2 cup of sugar.
- Swap out the apple cider vinegar for white vinegar or rice wine vinegar.
- Add a garlic clove or two to the jar with the beets and onions.
- Use golden beets instead of red beets.
- Bump up the spice flavor and add a piece of broke cinnamon stick.
- Use white sugar or honey instead of brown sugar.
- Make these a little spicy and add a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Instead of roasting the beets you can boil the beets. Add the cleaned and trimmed beets to a large pot and fill it with water with enough to cover the beets by an inch. Bring the pot of water to a boil and then cover it. Allow them to cook until fork tender, about 30 minutes.
Tools
- Gloves. Trust me on this one, unless you don’t mind your hands being stained Muppet fuchsia, wear gloves when peeling and slicing your beets as well as layering them in the jars.
- Foil/Foil Pan. I like using a foil pan, especially if I’m roasting my beets on the grill, but creating a foil pack allows the beets to steam and roast.
- Largemouth jar. Pick a jar that is wider than your beets if you slice them into rounds. Stick with glass because the beets will stain plastic.
Storage
Because these are refrigerator pickles they’ll need to be kept refrigerated unless being served. They will last for up to two weeks in the fridge.
Tips From the Beach
- The beets can be roasted on the grill. Preheat your grill to between 400-425 degrees. Make sure you are set up for indirect cooking. Place the foil pack on the cooler side and close the lid. Allow the beets to roast for around 40 minutes or until fork tender, rotating them at the halfway mark.
- For the most flavorful beets pick small to medium sized beets. The beets used in this recipe were quite small and bought in a bunch. There were around 4-5 beets per bunch.
Looking for more pickle recipes? Make sure to check out Refrigerator Dilly Beans.
PrintRefrigerator Pickled Beets
Refrigerator Pickled Beets are a sensory explosion of vibrant color and tangy, sweet, earthy, and warm flavors.
- Prep Time: 15
- Refrigeration: 120
- Cook Time: 40
- Total Time: 2 hours 55 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
- Category: Vegetable
- Method: Pickling
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Roasted Beets
- 8 small beets or 6 medium sized beets
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon water
- 3–4 rosemary sprigs
- 4–6 whole garlic cloves
Pickled Beets
- 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 5 whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
- 1 bay leaf
- 2–3 fresh dill sprigs, optional
Instructions
Roasted Beets
- Preheat the oven or grill to 400 degrees.
- Scrub the beets. Trim off the top stem and bottom root.
- Place the beets in a large piece of foil, or foil pan. Drizzle them with the olive oil and make sure they’re fully coated. Add the water, rosemary sprigs, and garlic cloves. Seal the foil pack tightly or cover the pan tightly with foil.
- Place the foil pack in the oven. If making these on the grill place the foil pack on indirect heat and close the grill.
- Allow the beets to roast for 40 minutes or until they’re fork tender. You will want to rotate the foil pack once if doing these on the grill.
- Let the beets cool enough to handle. Peel off the skin. Slice them into about 1/4″ rounds.
Pickled Beets
- Add the peppercorns, allspice, and cloves to the bottom of a jar. Layer the beets and red onions. Add the bay leaf to the side of the jar along with the dill sprigs if using.
- Add the water, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and salt to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar. Turn off the heat.
- Pour the warm brine over the beets making sure they’re fully covered.
- Seal the jar and allow it to sit out and come to room temperature.
- Transfer the beets to the refrigerator and let them refrigerate for at least two hours for the best flavor. They will keep for two weeks in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Instead of roasting the beets you can boil them. Place them in a pot with enough water to cover them by an inch. Bring the water to a boil and cover the pot. Let them cook until fork tender, about 30 minutes.