Tested and Perfected by Food and Wine
Cider-Vinegar-Pickled Beets
© Peter Frank Edwards

Cider-Vinegar-Pickled Beets

Contributed by
  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME: 30 MIN Plus 4 hr pickling
  • SERVINGS: 8
  • •MAKE-AHEAD
  • •VEGETARIAN

These simple beets are wonderful in salads or by themselves, as a healthy snack.

video Linton Hopkins: Quick Pickles

  1. 1 cup cider vinegar
  2. 1 cup water
  3. 1/2 cup sugar
  4. 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  5. 4 garlic cloves, quartered
  6. 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
  7. 2 bay leaves
  8. 2 whole cloves
  9. 1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns
  10. 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  11. 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  12. 2 pounds medium red beets, peeled and cut into 2-by-1/2-inch sticks
  1. In a saucepan, bring the vinegar mixture, sugar, onion, garlic, mustard seeds, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, thyme and oregano to a boil. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the beets until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a heatproof bowl. Pour the hot liquid over the beets and let stand at room temperature for 4 hours or refrigerate overnight. Drain the beets, transfer to a bowl and serve.