Pickled Beet Recipe: Sweet-Tart Beets for Jars or the Fridge

By Aquarium Guides Editorial Team · Updated November 10, 2026

Last Updated: November 10, 2026

Pickled beets are earthy, sweet, and tangy, and they turn up on salads, sandwiches, and deviled eggs. This recipe cooks fresh beets until tender, then packs them in a spiced vinegar brine. It makes about four pint jars and includes both a refrigerator route and a boiling water bath route.

Canning Safety Note

Beets are a low-acid vegetable, so shelf-stable pickled beets depend on a correct vinegar brine and a full processing time. Use a tested recipe from the National Center for Home Food Preservation, USDA, or a university extension service. Keep to the stated beet quantity, vinegar strength (5 percent acidity), and jar size, and do not add extra vegetables or dilute the brine. If you do not want to can, use the refrigerator version, which needs no processing.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds small to medium beets (about 2 inches across), trimmed with 1 inch of stem left on
• 2 cups distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar (5 percent acidity)
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pickling or canning salt
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
• 6 whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
• Optional: 1 small onion, sliced thin, for the refrigerator version only

Instructions

1. Scrub the beets. Wash gently with a vegetable brush. Leave the root tail and a bit of stem so they do not bleed while cooking.
2. Cook. Place in a large pot, cover with water by 2 inches, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 25 to 40 minutes, depending on size, until a knife slides in with little resistance.
3. Cool and peel. Drain, run under cool water, and slip the skins off with your hands. Trim the stem and root. Wear gloves to keep your fingers from staining.
4. Cut. Leave small beets whole. Cut larger ones into 1/2-inch slices or wedges.
5. Make the brine. In a saucepan, combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes.
6. Pack the jars. Fill clean pint jars with beets, leaving 1 inch of headspace for canning and about 1/2 inch for refrigerator jars. Ladle hot brine over to cover, spices distributed evenly.

Refrigerator Version

Cool the jars, cap, and refrigerate. They are ready in 24 hours and best after 3 to 5 days. Use within about 3 to 4 weeks.

Canning Version

1. Wash jars and keep them hot. Prepare lids as instructed by the manufacturer.
2. After packing, remove air bubbles with a plastic spatula, adjust headspace to 1/2 inch if your tested recipe says so, and wipe rims.
3. Place lids and bands on to fingertip tight.
4. Process in a boiling water bath. Tested pickled beet recipes commonly list around 30 minutes for pints and about 35 minutes for quarts at elevations up to 1,000 feet, with additional time at higher altitude. Use the exact time from your source.
5. Turn off heat, wait 5 minutes, then lift jars out and cool for 12 to 24 hours. Check seals before storing.

Beet Size and Cooking Time

Tips

• Cook beets of similar size together. Mixed sizes finish at different times.
• Do not trim too close. Cutting off the root and stem before cooking lets color and sugar leach into the water.
• Keep the brine hot when packing. This helps prevent floating and keeps temperatures steady for canning.
• Use gloves and a cutting board you do not mind staining. Lemon juice or baking soda scrub helps lift beet stains on boards.
• Roasting is an option. Wrap in foil and roast at 400 degrees F for 45 to 60 minutes for a deeper flavor. Use roasted beets in the refrigerator version.
• Golden and Chioggia beets do not bleed and keep their color, which makes pretty jars. Pickle them separately from red beets.

Variations

• Dill-garlic beets: Replace the sweet spices with 2 cloves garlic and a sprig of dill per jar, and reduce the sugar to 1/2 cup in the refrigerator version.
• Ginger-orange: Add 3 slices of fresh ginger and a strip of orange peel to each refrigerator jar.
• Pickled beet eggs: Drop peeled hard-boiled eggs into the leftover refrigerator brine for 2 days. Keep refrigerated and eat within a week.
• Horseradish beets: Add a tablespoon of grated horseradish per jar in the refrigerator version.
• Less sweet: Cut the sugar to 1/2 cup in refrigerator jars. For canning, stay with a tested recipe.

Serving Ideas

• Toss with arugula, goat cheese, and walnuts
• Layer into sandwiches or grain bowls
• Serve alongside roasted meats or smoked fish
• Chop into potato salad or egg salad
• Blend a few beets with yogurt for a bright pink dip

Storage

Properly processed jars keep best quality for about a year in a cool, dark pantry. Let them sit for a week or two before opening so the flavors mellow. After opening, refrigerate and eat within several weeks. Throw out any jar with a bulging or leaking lid, mold, or an off smell.

Dealing With Beet Greens and Stains

Do not throw away the leaves. Fresh beet greens can be rinsed, chopped, and sauteed with garlic and olive oil, or added to soups, much like chard. Separate the greens from the roots soon after buying, since the leaves draw moisture from the beets and wilt quickly. Store them in a bag in the refrigerator and use within a few days.

Beet juice stains fabric, wood, and plastic. Work over a cutting board you do not mind discoloring, wear disposable gloves, and rinse spills with cold water right away. A paste of baking soda and water, or a bit of lemon juice, lifts most color from hands and counters. Stainless steel and glass wipe clean easily.

Pickling Pantry Checklist

• Pint canning jars with new lids and bands
• Large pot for cooking the beets
• Non-reactive saucepan for the brine
• Jar funnel and ladle
• Plastic bubble remover or chopstick
• Boiling water canner with rack, if canning

FAQ

Can I use canned beets instead of fresh?

For the refrigerator version, yes. Drain, rinse, and pack with the hot brine. Do not use store-bought canned beets as a shortcut in a home canning recipe, since processing times are based on freshly cooked beets.

Why did the brine turn dark red or purple?

That is natural beet pigment. It is normal and a sign the beets are infusing the brine.

How long should pickled beets sit before eating?

Refrigerator beets are good after one day but taste better after three. Canned jars improve after one to two weeks.

Can I reuse the brine?

You can reuse it once for another refrigerator batch, such as hard-boiled eggs. Do not reuse it for canning.

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