With just 10 minutes of prep and only 5 ingredients, you can transform earthy beets into tangy tender slices of absolute goodness. These Quick Pickled Beets one of my absolute favorite summer side dishes! Just stir the cooked beets with the vinaigrette and keep in your refrigerator all week long.

overhead of pickled beets in a bowl

I originally shared this recipe on August 1, 2014. I have updated the images and some of the text today.

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Why We Love This Pickled Beets Recipe

While we love roasted beets in the winter, in the summertime this recipe for pickled beets is a staple in my refrigerator.

These pickled beets are so good! So good, you may just find yourself standing at the counter, eating them straight out of the bowl!

  • This is the classic way my mom always prepared pickled beets with garlic and an easy olive oil and vinegar salad dressing
  • They last for a whole week in the fridge- the vinaigrette helps to preserve the beets
  • They are delicious in their simplicity. Tangy, earthy and meltingly tender.
  • They are just about as simple as you can make them: Just boil them, peel and slice them and then toss them in a super simple vinaigrette and you’re done!

Love these beets! I made them and we loved them so much as soon as there getting low; I make another batch. Thanks so much for this recipe!

~Camie
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Ingredient Notes For This Recipe

Beets:

When you purchase beets (or choose from your garden) look for those that are relatively the same size. This will help them cook at the same rate. 

Garlic:

To give this recipe flavor, I added in a clove of crushed garlic. The flavor of the garlic seeps into the dressing and adds lots of flavor without leaving big chunks of raw garlic in it. 

Vinegar:

I prefer to use red wine vinegar to make this recipe because the clean bright taste of it pairs well with the earthy beets. You can read more about vinegars here. Cider vinegar or white wine vinegar would be good substitutes. 

How To Make Pickled Beets

Cook, Peel and Slice The Beets

For a recipe like this, I find it is easiest and hands-off to boil them and then peel them.

  • Simply place the beets in a 3-quart saucepan and cover with cold water.
  • Then bring them to a boil over high heat.
  • Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer them gently until the beets are tender and a fork inserted into the beets comes out easily. This can take from 40 to 55 minutes, depending on the size of your beets.
  • Once you have boiled the beets, and thy are tender, set a colander in the sink. Drain and cool beets until cool enough to handle. (Tip: when you drain them, keep the beet juice to make Pennsylvania Dutch-style pickled eggs! Like this recipe.)
  • To peel them, simply slip the skins off under cool running water. If there are any areas that are tough to peel, you can use a paring knife.
  • Then slice them into rounds. You can also cut them into a dice for a different look and texture. 

To Make The Dressing and Pickle The Beets

For the dressing: Whisk garlic, oil, vinegar and salt in a medium bowl.

To Marinate the Beets in the Dressing: Add the sliced beets to the dressing, and toss to coat. It is okay if they are still hot, this will help them absorb the pickling marinade.

To Get Great Flavor When You Pickle/Marinate The Beets: Cool beets completely in the dressing. Toss them occasionally as they cool to help the garlic flavor them evenly. Then just refrigerate or serve immediately. Use a slotted spoon to serve.

pickled beets in a blue metal dish

FAQs

How long do they last?

They can be kept in the fridge for up to 1 week. Sore in the refrigerator in a resealable container, and stir together with the dressing every day or two to redistribute the pickling solution.

Can they be canned?

No this is a quick refrigerator pickled beets recipe (with oil) and are not meant be be canned. There is not enough liquid to cover the beets. Canning requires a precise ratio of acid and salt for safely preserving the food. This recipe is more of a “quick” pickle recipe! They can be stored for 1 week in the refrigerator.

How do you fix pickled beets that are too vinegary?

You may not have added enough salt. Vinegar and salt balance each other, so try adding a pinch of salt to see if that helps. After that, stir in a little sugar to sweeten it if necessary.

What to serve with pickled beets.

We love them with egg salad sandwiches or boiled eggs with a little salt and pepper. You can spoon them over a salad too. When we were in Germany this was very common! They were softened accompanied with cottage cheese and mustard dressing. For dinnertimme, serve on the side of grilled steak (try this Tomato marinated flank steak) or with this Grilled Greek Chicken Thigh Recipe.

Variations To Try

  • Instead of red wine vinegar you can use white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar or rice vinegar.
  • Add in finely chopped shallot instead of the crushed garlic
  • If you like you can also mince the garlic and mash it with salt to make a paste
  • Add in sugar if you like sweeter beets
  • Make with all gold beets or a blend of gold and red beets for a different look
  • Season the pickling liquid with a cinnamon sitck
  • Roast the beets instead of boiling them. Leave the skins on and wrap them in foil. Then roast for 1 to 2 hours depending on the size of the beets. (Check that they are fork tender before removing them.)
  • Add on fresh herbs for serving

Nutritional Benefits Of Beets

  • They are high in B-9 or folate which is vital for good emotional and mental health
  • Chock full of Vitamin C which helps boost your immune system
  • Naturally occurring nitrates in beets may help lower blood pressure
  • Beets are a unique source of betaine, which is a nutrient that helps fight inflammation, protects internal organs and improves stamina
pickled beets in a wheck jar

More Beets and Pickled Recipes

Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!

Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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overhead of pickled beets in a bowl

Pickled Beets

★★★★★

5 from 10 reviews
  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 cups 1x
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Description

With just 10 minutes of prep and only 5 ingredients you can transform earthy beets into tangy tender slices of absolute goodness. These Simple Pickled Beets are a gluten free, paleo-friendly, vegetarian side dish that will make all of your Summer grilling dishes sing!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound beets, about 2 bunches greens removed, and trimmed
  • 1 large clove garlic, crushed and peeled
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • ¾ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Place beets in a 3-quart saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the beets are tender and a fork inserted into the beets comes out easily, 40 to 55 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. Drain and cool beets until cool enough to handle.
  2. Whisk garlic, oil, vinegar and salt in a medium bowl. Peel and slice beets. Add to the dressing, and toss to coat. Cool beets completely in the dressing. Refrigerate or serve immediately.

Notes

To peel the beets, simply slip the skins off under cool running water. If there are any areas that are tough to peel, you can use a paring knife.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 130
  • Sugar: 7 g
  • Sodium: 500 mg
  • Fat: 10 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 10 g
  • Fiber: 3 g
  • Protein: 2 g

Keywords: Easy Pickled Beets Recipe,Pickled Beets

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