Name: Pickled beetroot recipe
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 4 beetroots large; 3/4 cup water; 375.00 ml Essentials White Vinegar; 3/4 cup sugar; 1/2 tsp peppercorns; 1 bay leaf; 2 whole cloves; 1/2 tsp mustard seeds; 1/2 cinnamon stick; 1/4 tsp salt

by Kaye Last updated on 01/16/2025

Tossed into a salad, layered on a burger or sanga, pickled beetroot surprises and delights with its tangy sweet flavour. You’ll be amazed at how easy this is to make, and a jar of it is a lovely gift for friends, family and neighbours, too!

How to make pickled beetroot: key tips

Place your unpeeled beetroot in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil over high heat and then simmer for 30 minutes or until just tender. Drain and then refresh the beetroot under cold water to stop the cooking process and slightly cool the veg.

Beetroot peels much more easily when it is still warm. I find gently rubbing a paper towel against the beetroot removes the skin very easily and quickly. If you’re worried about getting stained fingers, pop on some kitchen gloves, and it’s probably best to keep them off a porous benchtop!

You can slice the beetroot, if you prefer, rather than chop it into chunks, wedges or sticks. This is especially useful if you are more likely to use the beetroot on burgers and sandwiches. If you know you will be slicing it, choose 6-8 smaller beetroot to cook so that the rounds aren’t too large to fit in the jar.

Key ingredients in this pickled beetroot recipe

A can or jar of pickled beetroot is easy enough to buy at the supermarket, but you wouldn’t get all those lovely herbs along with it: the peppercorns, bay leaf, cloves and mustard seeds will continue to infuse your beetroot with their memorable flavours, and they look very pretty mingled with the beetroot in the glass jar.

The beetroot you choose should be firm and uniform in colour and, if the leaves are still attached, you may be able to gauge how old it is.

Pickled beetroot can enhance many dishes. Aside from the obvious burgers and salad sandwiches, consider making an easy beetroot, parmesan and cashew dip or a beetroot and chickpea salad. For a change to pickled beetroot, you could whip up a beetroot relish instead.

This recipe was originally submitted by Kris83, a member of the Australia’s Best Recipe community. Introduction and additional recipe notes by Natasha Shaw.

- Australia's Best Recipes Team

Ingredients

4 beetroots large
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups Woolworths Essentials White Vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp peppercorns
1 bay leaf
2 whole cloves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp salt

Method

Step 1

Wash beetroot thoroughly and cook in water until tender.
Step 2

Cool and remove skin (either by hand or use a knife).
Step 3

Cut beetroot into slices or julienne strips.
Step 4

Place all other ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Step 5

Simmer for 5 minutes and then strain.
Step 6

Pack beetroot into hot sterilised jars and top up with vinegar mixture.
Step 7

Seal and store in a cool place.

Recipe Notes

from Australia’s Best Recipes team

Is the type of salt I use important for pickled beetroot?

Actually, it is. Table salt shouldn’t be used for pickling, as the anti-caking agents can give a cloudy result. Instead, opt for either coarse salt flakes or coarse grain salt.