How to Pickle Beetroot at Home (Gran's Easy Tested Recipe!)

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Gran's pickled beetroot recipe is the stuff of legends in our family! Melt in the mouth tender, perfectly sweet, and WAY better than anything you can buy. And the best part? It's so much easier to make than you might think! Plus, you don't need any special equipment. Here's how to make it!

A jar of beets and slices on a plate with a fork and linen napkin.

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Why you'll love it 💛
Do you need to cook beetroot before pickling?
How long before pickled beetroot is ready to eat?
Ingredient notes
Emma's top tips
Not sure how to sterilise jars?
Timings
Step by step picture recipe
How to store
FAQs
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How to Pickle Beetroot at Home
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Why you'll love it 💛

My Gran pickled her own beetroot all her life. It was SO good, my family used to argue over who was getting a jar!

She always made sure it was melt in the mouth tender, and thinly sliced. (Not like the awful, thick, crunchy, shop bought stuff!) And she sweetened things up a little by adding sugar to the pickling vinegar. I'm not sure if this was an old fashioned pickled beetroot method, or just the way she made it. But it was delicious all the same!

A few years ago, she kindly shared her recipe with me. Since then, I have NEVER bought another jar from a shop. It's honestly the BEST pickled beetroot recipe in the world, and I can't imagine my fridge without it!

A bunch of raw beetroot with their leaves still attached.

Do you need to cook beetroot before pickling?

Yes, you do. The best pickled beetroot always comes from boiling whole, raw beetroot first. I've tried it using precooked beetroot before, and it didn't work well at all. It needs to be hot when you seal it, and I just couldn't achieve this as well as you can when you boil your own. And a bad seal, means a short shelf life.

But don't worry, you can always do other things while it's boiling! Just make sure you set a timer so you don't forget about it.

A fork on a plate of Gran's sliced pickled beetroot.

How long before pickled beetroot is ready to eat?

Most people say to leave your pickled beetroot sealed in a jar for at least 2 weeks before opening and eating. Personally, I've opened a jar within 1 day, and it's still tasted absolutely delicious!

I see no valid reason why there should be a time limit. If you want to eat it, open it and enjoy! You can always make more!

A hand reaching over a plate of beets with a fork.

Ingredient notes

Confused about what ingredients to buy? Not sure about a substitution? Here's everything you might need to know when pickling beetroot...

Beetroot - Ideally, you need whole raw beets that are similar in size so they cook evenly. I try to use beetroot that's roughly between 8-10cm in diameter. If yours are smaller or larger, you may need to adjust the cooking time.
Vinegar - My Gran SWEARS by using malt (brown) vinegar, as opposed to white. I trust her completely, as it always works out really tasty. (And I've tested this hundreds of times myself now too!)
Sugar - Soft light brown sugar gives a slightly more caramelised flavour here, but if you don't have that - most sugars will work just fine. I've also used caster sugar and granulated sugar before, and both were great.

Sliced pickled beetroot on a plate sat over a wooden board with a linen napkin.

Emma's top tips

Here are a few tips you may find helpful when making home pickled beetroot.

Use a toothbrush to wash your beetroot before cooking. It's gentle enough that it won't break the skin, but does a perfect job of removing all the dirt! (Especially around those tricky tops!)
Make sure your beetroot is nice and tender before you slice it. This is what sets this pickled beetroot apart from the shop bought versions.
Remove the skins while the beetroot is still hot, as they slide off much more easily.
You may wish to wear rubber gloves while peeling/slicing your cooked beetroot. Not only can this help you handle them while they're still hot, but it will stop you getting purple fingers too!
Fill your jars while the beetroot and vinegar are both still hot. That way, they will seal properly.
Don't forget to remove any rubber seals before sterilising your jars in the oven! (I've done this before and trust me, it's messy and STINKS!)
Fill the jar as close to the top as you can. This helps the beetroot keep better over time.
Do NOT put hot glass jars on a cold surface or they will smash. (Gran said she did this once, and never again!)

Someone moving a linen napkin under a tray of raw whole beetroot.

Not sure how to sterilise jars?

Download your free printable guide, which includes helpful Do’s and Dont's so you can preserve safely and confidently.

Someone forking a slice of beetroot off a plate.

Timings

Have limited time? Struggle with recipe timings? Or juggling around other things? Here's some time managing info to make your life easier!

Boiling your beetroot will take about 45 mins for small beets, 1 hour for medium beets, and 1 hour 15 mins for large beets.
Sterilising your jars will take 20 mins. But don't forget you will need to allow about 10-15 minutes for the oven to preheat too.
Slicing the cooked beetroot will take about 5-10 mins (depending on your batch size).
Making the sweetened vinegar pickling juice will only take a few minutes.
Jarring/canning should only take about 2-3 minutes.

NOTE: Try and time it so your hot sterilised jars will come out of the oven at the same time as you've just finished slicing your beetroot, and the sweetened vinegar is hot too. Ensuring the jars, beetroot and vinegar are all hot when you put the lids on is imperative for a proper seal.

Pickled beetroot on a white plate with a bowl of green leaves and crusty bread.

Step by step picture recipe

(For a printer friendly version, see the recipe card at the end of this post)

Please note, this recipe includes both UK metric and US Cup measurements.

Ingredients

Here is what you will need to fill approx 1 x 500ml Jar. (There may be enough for a 250ml jar too, depending on the size of your beetroot.)

550g (19.4 oz) of Raw Whole Beetroot
200ml (¾ Cup + 1 tbsp) Malt Vinegar
3–4 tablespoon Soft Light Brown Sugar

Essential equipment

Large Saucepan with a Lid
500ml Preserve/Glass Jar
Small Saucepan
Sharp Knife

Beetroot cooking instructions

First, trim the beetroot stems (550g | 19.4 oz raw whole beetroot) to about 1″ and give them a good wash. I like to use a toothbrush as it’s perfect for getting into all those nooks and crannies!

Washed whole beetroot with the stems trimmed on a chopping board with a knife.

Now place them into a large saucepan (that you have a lid for).

Washed whole beetroot with the stems trimmed in a large saucepan.

Then cover them with cold water to about an inch above the tops, and place over a high heat. Bring it to the boil.

Washed whole beetroot with the stems trimmed in a large saucepan covered with water.

Whole beetroot in a large saucepan of boiling water.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and pop a lid on. Leave to simmer for 1 hour, so the beetroot gets nice and soft. Check it every now and then to make sure it's not bubbling over.

Whole beetroot simmering in a large saucepan with a lid on.

Jar sterilising instructions

Preheat your oven to 190°C/Fan 180°C/374°F and wash your jar(s) in hot soapy water.

When there is about 15-20 minutes left on your beetroot timer, place your jar(s) onto a baking tray with the lids off/open. Don’t forget to remove any rubber seals!

Clean jars on a baking tray ready to be sterilised in the oven.

Place them into the centre of the preheated oven for 20 minutes. This is all you need to do to sterilise your jars.

Just make sure you don’t touch the inside of the jars with anything other than the beetroot/vinegar, or it will no longer be sterile.

Pickling vinegar instructions

When there is about 5-10 minutes left on the timer, pour the vinegar (200ml | ¾ Cup + 1 tbsp) into a small saucepan and set it over a low heat.

1 tablespoon at a time, add around 3-4 tablespoon of sugar and stir until it’s dissolved. If you can brave it, have a taste to check the sweetness is to your liking. Although, brace yourself – it might tickle your throat a bit!

Keep the pickling vinegar hot (but not boiling) until you’re ready to jar your beetroot.

Vinegar and sugar being heated gently in a small pan over a low heat.

Preparing the cooked beetroot

When the hour is up, drain the beetroot.

Whole cooked beetroot in a large saucepan.

Then, as soon as you can handle them, remove the beetroot from the pan and peel the skins off. They should slip off very easily.

Whole beetroot having their skins peeled off on a chopping board.

Now thinly slice the beetroot using a sharp knife.

Sliced cooked beetroot on a chopping board with a sharp knife.

Jarring instructions

While everything is still hot (the beetroot, vinegar and jars), fill your jar(s) as full as you can with sliced beetroot.

Sliced cooked beetroot in a sterilised jar.

Then pour over the hot vinegar and fill it as close to the top as you can.

All that’s left to do is seal the lid and allow it to cool.

Everything needs to be hot when you do this because they expand when hot. Which means, that when things cool, they shrink. This is how the jars seal.

Sliced cooked beetroot covered in sweetened vinegar in sterilised jars.

How to store

Unopened and properly sealed, your beetroot will keep well in a cool dark place for up to 1 year. Once opened, store in the fridge and use within 3 months.

Sliced pickled beetroot on a white plate with a fork, and a jar of beetroot to the side.

FAQs

How easy is it to pickle beetroot?

It’s so much easier than you’d think! Simply boil, peel and slice beetroot. Then sterilise jars, heat up your pickling liquid – fill and seal them up! Easy peasy.

Is pickled beetroot good for you?

Beetroot itself is very good for you. And this recipe for pickled beetroot doesn’t add any salt either, which is also good. But it does have sugar, which isn’t very healthy. As with everything, enjoy pickled beetroot in moderation, as part of a healthy balanced diet.

Does pickled beetroot go off?

Yes. Despite its lengthy shelf life, pickled beetroot can go off. If it wasn’t sealed properly in the first place, or if it’s been open for too long in the fridge, beetroot will go off and won’t be suitable for consumption.

Which vinegar is best for pickling?

According to Gran, it has to be malt vinegar. Over the years she’s tried various vinegars, and this is the one she always comes back to. I’ve also tried different varieties, and I have to agree!

Someone holding a piece of crusty bread near a plate of sliced pickled beetroot.

What jars are best for storing pickled beets?

Any glass jar with a metal lid. Both myself and my Gran wash and reuse pasta sauce jars that we like the shape and size of. We also both like these Kilner jars with metal screw on lids. As, when the lids rust over time, you can simply buy new ones to replace them. Rather than throwing the whole jar away!

Can you pickle beetroot quickly?

I don’t personally know of a way to make quick pickled beetroot. In my experience, the best results are achieved when you boil raw beetroot, which takes time. Good things come to those who wait!

How to pickle beetroot without sugar

Simply make this easy pickled beetroot recipe as is, but don’t add the sugar into the pickling vinegar.

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Someone forking a plate of sliced pickled beetroot on a wooden board.