Spiced Pickled Beetroot

Pickled beetroot doesn’t have to be heavy or overly sweet. This homemade version is light, zippy and full of flavour. Apple cider vinegar and just a touch of sugar keeps the beets fresh-tasting and naturally vibrant. A hint of spice adds gentle warmth and brings an aromatic lift. Brightens up salads, grain bowls and sandwiches or simply adds a splash of colour and flavour to your plate.

There’s something so satisfying about pickling your own produce. I’m delighted that I’ve finely managed to grow beetroot in our, not so new, garden. I never had a problem growing it until we moved here and I really missed it.

CT is not keen on beetroot, so I find pickling it is a good way to go. I can add it to my meals as and when without having to eliminate it from my diet. And not only do I really like beetroot, but it’s good for my blood pressure too.

Dive Right In

• Why You’ll Want To Make My Spiced Pickled Beetroot
• Health Benefits of Beetroot
• Pickled Beetroot
• Pickle Liquor Top Tip
• Ingredients, Additions And Substitutions
• How To Make Pickled Beetroot
• Pickled Beetroot Serving Suggestions
• Other Pickle Recipes You Might Like
• Keep In Touch
• Pin It
• The Recipe

Why You’ll Want To Make My Spiced Pickled Beetroot

• Full of flavour – warm spices like chilli, clove and cinnamon give depth without overpowering.
• Healthy twist – made with apple cider vinegar and just a little sugar, for a lighter, fresher pickle.
• Long-lasting – keeps well in the fridge, ready to brighten up meals whenever you need it.
• Naturally vibrant – beetroot’s rich colour makes every plate look more appealing.
• Quick and easy to prepare – no complicated preserving skills required.
• Versatile – delicious with salads, sandwiches, cheese, crackers or even as a side to hearty mains.

Health Benefits of Beetroot

Beetroot is particularly high in nitrates. The body turns these into nitric oxide which can increase the size of blood vessels. This in turn improves the flow of blood both to the brain and through the body. And this is why regular consumption of beetroot can reduce blood pressure. (Ref: Michael Mosley)

Boiling beetroots, as I do here for this spiced pickled beetroot recipe, means that some of the nitrates will leach out into the cooking water. That’s ok as long as you use the water. Some of it goes into the pickling liquor anyway. And I always manage to use the rest in soups, stews or gravies.

Beets have quite an astonishing nutritional profile. They contain a wide array of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre. They’re anti inflammatory, promote good gut health and may slow the division and growth of cancer cells. (Ref: Healthline)

Pickled Beetroot

Homemade pickled beetroot is a wonderful way to enjoy this earthy, vibrant vegetable all year round. My version keeps things on the healthy side, using just a little sugar to balance the sharp tang of apple cider vinegar. The result is a pickle that’s more tart than sweet, with a subtle warmth from dried chilli, clove, and cinnamon.

For an extra layer of flavour, you can add a star anise to the jar, giving the beets a fragrant aromatic twist.

My beetroot pickle recipe includes a touch of sugar to balance the sharp tang of apple cider vinegar. I’m not too keen on pickles that are made with vinegar only. But it does mean the beetroot’s shelf life isn’t as long as it might otherwise be. It’s a type of quick pickle which nonetheless will keep in the fridge for a good couple of months.

These jewel-like slices are perfect with salads, sandwiches or alongside cheese and crackers. My favourite way to eat it is either with hummus or cheese – both dairy and homemade vegan varieties.

Once I’ve nearly finished my jar of beetroot, I often top it up with more cooked beetroot as the liquid doesn’t go down much. I keep it in the fridge and I’ve never had a problem with it going off. The acidity ratio is fairly high.

Ingredients, Additions And Substitutions

You’ll be pleased to know you don’t need many ingredients to make a delicious jar of spiced pickled beetroots. And you’ll probably have most of them stocked in your pantry – hoorah!

Beetroot

Use fresh raw beetroot for this recipe rather than buying ready cooked. You’ll get better flavour as well as more health benefits.

Spices

Chilli works really well with beetroot. I’ve used a whole dried chilli, so it gives a subtle warmth rather than a burning heat. You can use dried chilli flakes instead, but the heat levels will be higher.

Sweet cinnamon and clove also work well in this recipe. Again, I’ve gone with whole spices. I quite like a few aniseed notes in there too, so I’ve used a small star anise. This is entirely optional, as it’s a bit of an acquired taste.

Although I’ve used a whole half teaspoon of salt, it goes into the cooking water rather than the pickle liquor. Having said that, some of the cooking water is incorporated into the pickle liquor, but nothing like a whole half teaspoonful. A touch of salt helps to bring all the flavours together.

I like to use grey sea salt as it’s the least processed salt you can buy.

Sugar

As I like to keep my spiced pickled beetroot recipe as healthy as possible, I use coconut sugar rather than cane or beet sugar. If you don’t have coconut sugar, use an unrefined dark cane sugar such as rapadura or muscovado instead.

You don’t need much, just a touch to temper the extreme sourness of vinegar.

Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is my preservative of choice. Its acidity level is high enough (5-6 %) to inhibit the growth of bacteria, yeasts and moulds, but it’s not nearly as harsh as malt or wine vinegar. It also has nice flavour notes of its own as well as health benefits.

If you have any blackcurrants going spare, try this blackcurrant vinegar recipe. It works really well with pickled beetroot. Just add a couple of tablespoonfuls to the liquor.

How To Make Pickled Beetroot

Although hands on time is minimal, it takes a while for the beetroot to cook and then you’ll want to leave them to pickle for at least twenty four hours.

Please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for cooking temperatures and quantities of ingredients used.

Step 1. Prepare Beetroot

If you have beetroot with leaves and stems attached, cut the stems off, but keep about one centimetre (⅓ inch) above the root itself. If you cut into the beetroot directly it will bleed and you’ll lose some of the colour as well as the nutrients. Likewise, keep the tail intact.

Don’t throw the stems and leaves away, you can cook and eat them as you would Swiss chard or spinach.

Give the beets a really good scrub in cold water, making sure you remove any grit and dirt around the stem and tail.

Step 2. Cook Beetroot

Place the cleaned beets in a suitable sized pan with lid. Add enough water to almost cover them, then add the salt.

With the lid on, bring the pan to the boil. Then reduce to a simmer and cook for thirty to forty minutes. How long it takes will depend on how big your beets are.

As soon as they’re tender, drain the cooking water into a jug. You’ll need it later, so don’t throw it away.

Step 3. Process Beetroot

Allow the beetroot to cool a little before going any further or you will burn your fingers. You might want to wear gloves when processing it as the juice will stain your fingers and fingernails. I don’t bother as it only takes a few hours to come off.

Whether you want to remove the skins from the beetroot is up to you. The skins are nutritious, but they’re also very thin and easy to remove. Just rub them off with your fingers if you don’t want them.

Top and tail the beetroot. Do this before peeling them. Then cut them into slices. The thickness is down to personal preference. Make them as thin or as thick as you like, but the thinner they are, the more the pickling flavours will penetrate.

I like them at about four millimetres (an eighth of an inch). This thickness works for sandwiches and burgers, but also as a side for lots of other things.

Place the slices in a clean sterilised jar. I have a post on how to sterilise glass jars if you need help.

Step 4. Prepare Pickling Liquor

Place the cinnamon stick, clove, dried chilli and star anise, if using, into a small saucepan. Pour in the vinegar and beetroot cooking water. Add the sugar.

Bring the pan slowly to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. As soon as the liquor starts to boil, turn off the heat.

Step 5. Pickle

Pour the hot pickle liquor over the still warm beetroot slices in the jar. Leave to cool, then seal.

Leave to pickle for a minimum of twenty four hours, but three days is much better.

Store in the fridge where it will keep for a couple of months if unopened. Once opened, continue to keep it in the fridge. It should be good for three to four weeks. Just make sure the beetroot is covered with liquid and not exposed to air.

Pickled Beetroot Serving Suggestions

• With salads – add slices of pickled beetroot to leafy salads or grain bowls for a pop of colour and punch. They’re good in this black bean and bulgur wheat salad.
• Alongside cheese and crackers – a classic pairing as the sweet-tart flavour cuts through rich cheeses.
• In sandwiches and wraps – tuck into cheese, hummus or egg sandwiches for extra flavour. For example, I use it in my vegan ‘cream cheese’ sandwich.
• As a side dish – serve with curries or grilled and barbecued foods, for a vibrant contrast. Works particularly well with grilled or pan-fried halloumi.
• Blend with hummus – to create a vibrant zingy dark pink vegan dip.
• On toast – try with avocado, soft cheese or grilled cheese.
• In burgers – layer with veggie or bean burgers for a tangy, spiced kick that cuts through the richness.
• Part of a ploughman’s lunch – a traditional British favourite, with bread, cheese and pickles.

Other Pickle Recipes You Might Like

• carrot pickles
• easy pickled cherries
• rhubarb pickle: Indian style

Keep in Touch

Thank you for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make this spiced pickled beetroot, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Do you have any recommendations or tips for pickling?

Please rate the recipe too. And do tag me @choclette8 on Instagram with your images, I love to see your take on my recipes.

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If you’d like more beetroot recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious and nutritious, of course.

Choclette x

Spiced Pickled Beetroot. PIN IT.