Simple Pickled Beets
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 are one of my absolute favorite summer side dishes! Just stir the cooked beets with the vinaigrette and keep in your refrigerator all week long.
I originally shared this recipe on August 1, 2014. I have updated the images and some of the text today.
Table of contents
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
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. Read more about beets on Wikipedia or check out our Beet Guide with more beet recipes!
- Olive Oil: To make the vinaigrette, you’ll need olive oil. Since this is such a simple recipe choosing high quality ingredients makes a difference. Premium extra-virgin olive oil will give the best fruity flavor to the beets.
- Vinegar: I prefer to use red wine vinegar for quick picked beets because the clean bright taste of it pairs well with the earthy beets. You can read more about vinegars here. Cider vinegar, natural rice vinegar or white wine vinegar would be good substitutes.
- 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.
- Salt: to season the dressing
How To Make Pickled Beets
Step 1: 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. Try to make sure the beets are covered by the boiling water. Cook 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, make Pennsylvania Dutch-style pickled eggs with the beet water! 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. To protect your hands from getting stained by the beet juice you can wear disposable gloves.
- Then slice them into rounds. You can also cut them into a dice for a different look and texture.
Step 2: To Make The Dressing and Pickle The Beets
For the dressing: Whisk crushed clove of 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 your homemade pickled beets completely in the dressing. Toss them occasionally as they cool to help the garlic flavor them evenly. Then just refrigerate in canning jars, a resealable container or cover the bowl with plastic wrap. While we like to let the beets marinate for at least an hour, you can also serve them immediately. Use a slotted spoon to serve.
FAQs
They can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container 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.
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.
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, add a little more oil or stir in a little sugar to sweeten it if necessary.
What to serve with Pickled Beets
Homemade pickled beets are cheerfully acidic and balanced with sweetness and earthy beet flavor. Piar them with creamy foods, cured meats, grilled meats and poultry. Here are some ideas how to work this beet recipe into your menu:
- We love them with egg salad sandwiches or boiled eggs with a little salt and pepper.
- You can spoon them, and a little of the pickled beet juice, over a salad too. When we were in Germany this was very common! These salads were often accompanied with creamy cottage cheese and mustard dressing.
- They are a great sweet and sour pop of flavor on a charcuterie board!
- For dinnertime, serve on the side of grilled steak (try this Tomato marinated flank steak) or with this Grilled Greek Chicken Thigh Recipe.
- We bring them to potlucks in the summertime because they are also welcome at any picnic or barbecue!
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
More Beets and Pickled Recipes
- Try these Pickled Carrots from a recent cookbook review. They are a little tangy and spicy too!
- These Easy Pickled Red Onions are great on burgers or charcuterie boards.
- Beets are great in a salad like Spinach Salad with Maple Ranch Dressing and Bacon and Beets
- Try these Beets with Cranberries and Spiced Nuts or Beets with Tahini.
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
PrintPickled Beets
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
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
- 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
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- 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.
- 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
I’ve never pickled beets and I’m dying to try these. Your photos are just gorgeous too!
Hope you like them. Thank you so much about the photos Marcie! I really needed to update the old shots. Ha ha.
Pickled beets are my FAVORITE! With a recipe this easy I have no excuse not to make them at home!
They really are so easy to make. That’s probably why they are a go-to in the summer when most days I would rather be out playing than cooking.
I MUST do this this year! I love pickled beets but haven’t made them before! I would totally eat these right up from the jar.
Oh, you have to. They are so easy!
Just made these with a mix of Chioggia and Golden beets. Excellent! Your dressing perfectly compliments the lighter flavor of these beet varieties!
Love the beet greens cooked, been a long time since having them.
Thank you so much for stopping by Joni. I have grown to like beet greens myself, though it took some getting used to. Pickled beets however have been a love of mine since childhood. Have a great day!
Hi I was wondering if you can use this recipe for canning? If you can what kind of life shelf can you expect if you use this recipe?
Thanks so much!
Thanks for asking Amanda. This beet recipe doesn’t have enough liquid to cover them in the jar. Good luck in your quest for a good pickled beets recipe.
My grandparents grew beets in their huge garden and she made pickled beets every summer. She made them sweeter than your recipe but I think beets are sweet enough on their own. This recipe brings back so many memories! Thanks, Katie!
Yes, I have seen recipes with sugar added, and I never understood why. Beets are like natures candy. Oh wait that’s dates. Ha ha. Glad this struck such a nostalgic chord for you.
Love pickled beets and I love your photos. How long can the beets stay in fridge?
I would say about three or four days Jenny. Just be sure to toss them with the dressing every so often so they are evenly pickled. The garlic will get more and more intense as they sit.
Love the dark mood of your photos! I love beets and this is such an easy recipe to pickle ’em – thank you!
You do? At least you like them. I am still needing some convincing on them. But at least the beets we can agree on. Ha ha.
You don’t give yourself enough credit on the photography, Katie! Kudos to you for trying something out of your element. My wife loves pickled beets, but I’ve yet to try making them at home. Perhaps I should fix that!
Thank you David. It is a little clunky, but that is where I get better and learn new things I guess. Thank you for the compliment. Yes Jase loves pickled beets too. He loves this recipe.
I love beet, but usually raw or roasted. Never thought of pickling them. This is a fuss free and delicious recipe, Katie.
Thank you Angie. I love them this way. I hope you enjoy them.
Ohh definitely making these!!
With such an easy ingredient list and only 10 minutes of effort, what is not to love. That’s probably why I have been making this same recipe for so long.
I think the pictures are great. And I for one am glad that you posted this as I just picked all the beets out of my garden to pickle them and was going to google pickled beet recipes so you saved me a lot of time. Thanks so much!
That is so funny Sage! You’ll love these:)
Just made em…can not wait to try them
What?!?! I was thinking how pretty your beets looked when I first got here! I feel the same way when photographing anything white, ugh! I love pickled beets w asparagus 😉 will have to make my own!
Oh yes white food is so hard too. I have a bread to share, but I can’t bring myself to do it, because I don’t like the photos. I’ve never had beets with asparagus in them.
P.S. I think your photography is excellent in this photo. You really excel in this.
Ha ha! Thanks again!
Thank you for this recipe. I will be trying it this weekend. The beets are ready in our garden and I don’t have many so want a special recipe to honor them. I think this is it! Thank you so much Katie
That is such a nice compliment Bonda. My family loves this recipe so I am guessing you’ll enjoy it.