Pickled Beets
Pickled beets are one of those ingredients that instantly make a salad feel special. Sweet, earthy beets soak up a lightly spiced apple cider vinegar brine that's bright enough to balance their natural richness.
I originally made these after harvesting a bumper crop from my garden, but they're just as worthwhile with farmers market or grocery store beets.
Yield: 1 (16-ounce) jar
Servings: About 8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: About 1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients
4–5 medium beets, greens removed and scrubbed
Olive oil
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Lightly coat the beets with olive oil, wrap them in foil, and place on a baking sheet.
Roast for about 1 hour, or until fork tender. Carefully unwrap and allow the beets to cool until comfortable to handle.
Wearing gloves, peel away the skins—they should slide right off. Trim away any tough stem ends and quarter the beets.
Place the beets and peppercorns into a clean 16-ounce jar.
In a small saucepan, combine the apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and cloves. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve.
Pour the hot brine over the beets until completely covered.
Let cool to room temperature before sealing the jar. Give it a gentle shake to distribute the spices.
Refrigerate until ready to enjoy.
Serving Suggestions
I especially love these:
Tossed into an arugula salad
With goat cheese and Granny Smith apples
On grain bowls
Alongside roasted meats
On a charcuterie board
Storage
Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
These are refrigerator pickles and are not shelf-stable.
Maddie's Tip
Wear disposable gloves when handling cooked beets. They'll save your hands—and your manicure—from turning bright pink for the next few days.
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