The solid tangy, earthy, sweet summer snack takes a few minutes prep work and some fridge time – use up your garden veggies in this quick pickled apple cider beets recipe and amp up the flavor!

At Avdaye, we add lots of tips in all of our recipes – because we are a home cook without any formal training, and we find we are more confident making dishes when we understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. Our goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.

Quick and Easy Pickled Apple Cider Beets

Pickling beets results in a nutritional dense vegetable that is sweet and tangy. They are suited to salads, entree garnishes, and healthy snacks. And, once you've devoured your sweet and tangy beets, you can use the brine to then make pink pickled eggs!

With a combination of vinegar, and the right amount of salt and sugar to offset the acidity, these beets come out with an good flavor. The end result is good!

If you love beets, check out our Raspberry Beet Smoothieand our Easy Roasted Beets and Sweets recipe!

How To Make Pickled Apple Cider Beets

You only need 7 basic ingredients to make deliciously sweet and tangy beets. Here's what you need to get started:

Beets– This recipe works with canned, boiled, steamed, or roasted beets (see FAQS for directions)! Roasting the beets before pickling concentrates their flavor while boiling/steaming tends to be a bit easier and quicker. Feel free to do what works for you.
Water– The water helps the sugar dissolve into the brine.
Apple cider vinegar– we think apple cider vinegar creates the solid flavor combination, but you can use white vinegar, rice wine vinegar, or white wine vinegar as well.
Sugar– White granulated sugar enhances the natural sweetness of the beets. You can use raw or brown sugar as well.
Salt– we recommend using kosher or sea salt instead of table salt. Salt is important when pickling beets.
Mustard seeds and peppercorns– These spices add a bite to the beets. You can swap them out for any flavorings you prefer like dill or cinnamon.

If you are using fresh beets, you will need to first boil, steam, or roast them. If you are using canned beets, you can follow the steps below to pickle them!

First, chop or slice your beets to your desired size. Place them in an airtight container and set them to the side.
To make the brine, combine the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, and peppercorns in a saucepan over medium heat.
Bring the brine to a boil and cook until the sugar and salt have completely dissolved.
After the sugar and salt have dissolved, pour the brine over the beets. Make sure they are covered completely.
Seal the container and place the beet in the refrigerator to chill for at least 15-minutes.
Serve and Enjoy!

Kitchen notes

Use additional water if the brine doesn't cover the beets.
We recommend waiting until the beets are fully chilled to serve, but they will have a lightly pickled flavor after 15 minutes.

A few answers

What temperature should we cook the brine?

Unless you are using fresh beets, you won't need to cook them. But, you will need to cook the brine. The brine should be cooked over medium heat even after it reaches a boil.

How do we roast the beets?

To roast your fresh beets, wash them, and then remove any greens. Next, drizzle them lightly with olive oil and wrap them in foil. Put your beets on a baking sheet and bake them at 400? for 45-minutes. Let them cool, and then peel the skin and cut them. Then, follow the recipe above.

How do we boil beets?

If you prefer to boil your fresh beets, you'll need to bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Then, trim and wash the beets and add them to the boiling water. Cook them for 30-minutes or until a paring knife slides in and out easily. Next, remove your beets from the water and place them in a bowl of ice water. Peel the skin, cut, and follow the steps above to pickle them.

How do we store leftovers?

Once you have pickled your beets, you can store them in the same container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. This is a great way to keep beets fresh for a longer period of time.

How long does this recipe take to make?

It will only take you about 5-minutes to prep the ingredients, and 10-minutes for the rest of the process. Although the beets are ready in 15-minutes, you will want to allow them to chill so the flavors permeate the beets. The longer they chill, the more flavorful they will be. Plan to eat the beets no sooner than 30-minutes.

Serve it with

Pickled beets are good when added to a salad, but can also be a good addition to your charcuterie board deviled eggsor even eaten as a snack. Try them in our Creamy Broccoli Cauliflower SaladGarden Vegetable Greek Salador our Easy BLT Salad.

To find more salads and healthy dinner ideas, click here.

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Ingredients

2 cups cooked or canned beets, see notes
2 cups water
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
¼ teaspoon whole mustard seeds
¼ teaspoon whole black peppercorns, about 3

Method

Slice or chop the prepared beets to your desired size. Add them to an airtight container and set them aside while you make the brine.
Combine the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, and peppercorns in a small saucepan set over medium heat.
Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the sugar and salt have dissolved.
Pour the brine over the beets, making sure to cover them completely.
Seal the container and place it in the fridge to chill. We recommend waiting until the beets are fully chilled to serve, but they will have a lightly pickled flavor after 15 minutes.
Store the beets in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.