8 versatile pickled beetroot recipes for the winter

How to pickle beets correctly

For pickling, choose medium-sized, well-shaped, undamaged beets. These roots have a brighter, more vibrant color and cook faster. Peel the beets and cut them into portions—slices, cubes, strips—or simply grate them. The marinade always includes salt, sugar, vinegar, and sometimes vegetable oil. Some recipes may also include other vegetables, such as onions, carrots, and cabbage, in addition to beets.

Video: "Pickled Beets for the Winter"

This video will show you a recipe for delicious pickled beets for the winter.

Classic pickled beetroot recipe

To marinate root vegetables this way, you need to prepare:

• 0.5 kg beetroot tubers;
• 1 onion;
• 150 ml vinegar (6%);
• 5 tbsp. granulated sugar;
• 1 tsp coarse table salt;
• 5–6 peppercorns;
• bay leaf;
• 300 ml of water.

Wash the beets, boil them until fully cooked, and let them cool. Now peel them and cut them into pieces of the desired size. Move on to the onion – peel it and cut it into half rings. Carefully arrange the prepared vegetables in sterilized jars.

Now you can start preparing the marinade.

In a suitable saucepan, combine water, vinegar, bay leaf, granulated sugar, and salt. Mix thoroughly and bring to a simmer over low heat. Once the mixture boils, remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Pour the cooled marinade into the jars with vegetables, close them with tight plastic lids and put them in a cool place for storage.

Quick-cooking canned beets

This quick-to-prepare pickled beetroot recipe will appeal to those who love delicious winter snacks but prefer to spend minimal time preparing them.

You will need:

• 1 kg beetroot;
• 5 cloves of garlic;
• 150 ml of vegetable oil (preferably refined);
• 60 ml table vinegar;
• spices: black and allspice, coriander - on the tip of a knife;
• 40 g salt;
• 80 g sugar.

Peel the raw root vegetables and cut or grate them into suitable pieces. Heat the vegetable oil with the spices. Meanwhile, add the pressed garlic, sugar, and salt to the beet mixture. Add the warm vegetable oil and vinegar, and mix everything well. Place the beetroot mixture in a cool, dark place for 6 hours.

Beetroot preparations without sterilization

Beets prepared for the winter using the following method retain the maximum amount of nutrients:

• 1.5 kg of root vegetables;
• 3 glasses of water;
• 150 ml vinegar (9%);
• 2 tbsp. sugar;
• 1 tsp non-iodized salt;
• 4-5 allspice peas;
• 3 umbrellas of carnations;
• 2 bay leaves;
• 1 cinnamon stick.

Wash the selected tubers and boil them in their skins until tender—this prevents the beets from losing their juices during cooking and preserves their rich red-burgundy color. Once the beets have cooled, peel and chop them as desired. If the tubers are small, they can be pickled whole, as long as they fit in the jars.

Place the beets in pre-washed and sterilized jars, pour boiling water over them, and cover with lids. Let the jars sit for 10-15 minutes, then carefully drain the water into a saucepan. Add sugar, spices, and salt, bring the marinade to a boil, and pour in the vinegar. Wait until the mixture begins to boil again, then immediately remove from the heat and pour into the jars.

Seal the jars, turn them upside down, and let them cool at room temperature. Store this mixture in a cool place.

Beets for the winter in jars, prepared without sterilization, are ready for consumption in just 24 hours.

Beetroot appetizers

In addition to vegetable preparations for soups and salads, juicy root vegetables can be used to make a variety of original appetizers that your family will love.

With coriander

This simple recipe is sometimes called Georgian beetroot. The appetizer is piquant, spicy, and rich in flavor.

To prepare it you will need:

• 1 kg of root vegetables;
• 1 head of garlic;
• 75 ml of refined vegetable oil;
• 15 g ground coriander;
• 60 ml vinegar (6%);
• 40 g salt;
• 20 g ground red pepper;
• 100 g of granulated sugar.

Wash the tubers thoroughly, peel them, and grate or chop them. Press the garlic through a garlic press. Mix the beetroot mixture with the garlic, sugar, salt, and spices. Add the oil and vinegar and mix thoroughly. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for a few hours, then refrigerate overnight. After this, the snack is ready to enjoy—you can enjoy it right away or divide it into jars and seal them.

With carrots

This is a simple and delicious recipe for making a beetroot snack:

• 3 kg beets;
• 0.5 kg beets;
• 0.5 kg onions;
• 0.5 kg of beans;
• 0.5 l tomato paste;
• 0.5 l of vegetable oil;
• salt and pepper to taste.

Wash the vegetables, cut into portions or grate, and slice the onion into half rings. Place the prepared vegetables in a saucepan, add oil, tomato paste, and spices, cover with water, reduce heat, and simmer for about an hour. Arrange the finished salad in jars. You can enjoy the salad in a few weeks.

In Korean

This appetizer is in many ways similar to Ossetian-style pickled beets, but the Korean version is easier to prepare and more popular:

• 1 kg beetroot;
• 1 head of garlic;
• 100 ml sunflower oil;
• 3 tbsp. vinegar (9%);
• 2 tsp ground hot pepper;
• 2 tsp coriander;
• sugar and salt to taste.

Peel the root vegetables and grate them using a Korean carrot grater. Press the garlic through a garlic press. Combine the beets and garlic, add the cilantro, and mix thoroughly, adding a little granulated sugar. Pour in the vinegar and mix again. Now add hot vegetable oil, making sure to completely coat the vegetable mixture. Allow the finished dish to cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for 6-8 hours.

With onions

For the snack you will need:

• 0.5 kg of root vegetables;
• 4 small onions;
• 115 ml apple cider vinegar;
• 35 g salt;
• 60 g sugar;
• 450 ml of water;
• pepper to taste.

Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat, add salt, vinegar, sugar, and spices, and simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the pre-shredded beets and onions to the boiling marinade, bring to a boil again, and remove from the heat. Cover the saucepan with the appetizer and let it cool completely. Then, place the mixture in a cool place for 2 days, after which you can jar and seal it.

With plums

To prepare you will need:

• 0.5 kg plums;
• 2 kg beets;
• 1 liter of water;
• 120 g sugar;
• 30 g salt;
• 4 umbrellas of carnations.

Boil the tubers whole until tender, cool, and cut into strips. Remove the pits from the plums, drop them into boiling water, and cook over medium heat for a few minutes. Place the fruit and vegetable mixture into jars, pour a marinade made from water, salt, and sugar, seal, and store. You can sprinkle the appetizer with a light squeeze of lemon juice before serving.

Don't underestimate the common and simple beetroot; with the right approach, it can make wonderful and delicious dishes.