If you enjoy the sweet crunch of fresh carrots, you’re going to love them pickled! Add some to your next crudités platter or snack on them straight out of the jar.
Quick pickled veggies are the ticket to preserving some of the garden harvest and having some easy-to-grab snacks on hand.
Ingredients
Fresh carrots — From the garden or from the CSA or grocery store, no matter!
Vinegar — This recipe calls for rice vinegar which makes a mild brine. If you like a bolder pickle, feel free to use your favorite vinegar, such as apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, or even wine vinegar.
Sugar — Use your favorite brand of granulated cane sugar. I prefer organic.
Peppers — Adding hot peppers is optional, but if you like your peppers with a kick, add them. You can also use red pepper flakes if you prefer; I’d use a half-teaspoon for this recipe.
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Spices and herbs — These are entirely optional. They add flavor to the pickles, but if you prefer a plainer pickle, go ahead and leave them out.
Making Quick Pickled Carrots
Refrigerator pickles like these are just so easy to make.
Prepare the carrots: Peel carrots and slice into coins. Alternatively, slice them into spears or finer shreds. There’s no magical shape here.
Make the brine: Prepare the vinegar mixture in a small saucepan, let the carrots sit in the hot brine for 5 minutes, then transfer the carrots to your jar(s). Pour brine over the carrots and refrigerate for at least three days.
Choosing Jars
Any glass jar will work for this pickled carrots recipe. It’s a perfect time to upcycle jars and lids that you’ve saved from store bought products.
Quick Pickled Carrots
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 pounds fresh carrots
- 6 cloves garlic peeled
- 2 jalapeño peppers halved
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
Instructions
Recipe yields one quart
- Combine sugar, water, vinegar, and salt in a large saucepan, and bring to a boil.
- Add carrots to the brine, turn off heat, and cover the saucepan with a lid. Allow to sit 5 minutes.
- Put garlic, jalapeño peppers, thyme, peppercorns, and coriander in a quart-size jar (or divide between 2 pint-size jars).
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the carrots to the jar. Pour hot brine over carrots to cover. Refrigerate for 3 days before serving. Store in the refrigerator up to 6 weeks.
Nutrition
Grab even more recipes for easy pickled vegetables here.
