Pickled Beets Are Easy to Make at Home With This Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are pickled beets made of? ›

Pickled beets are beets that have gone through a pickling or fermentation process. Pickled foods are preserved in an acidic solution, then sealed in a sterile jar or can so they won't spoil. Beets are often pickled in a solution of vinegar, sugar, and salt. Some pickled beets are also pickled with cloves.

There are many benefits of pickled beets as they are one of the best foods for nitric oxide boosting, even when pickled. Beets are low in fat and calories and are a great plant-based source to fuel the body including vital systems like the brain, heart, kidneys, and the nervous system.

No need to wait to enjoy your pickled beets. They're ready to eat as soon as they've cooled down, however, the longer you wait, the better their flavor. Give them at least a week or two.

Some people boil beets before pickling them, but I like roasting because it concentrates the beet's natural sweetness and minimizes the earthiness that some people find objectionable. I like my beets on the vinegary/tangy side, so I don't add sugar, but you can always add some to this recipe if you want.

Best Beet Varieties to Grow for Pickling

Deep red or gold beet varieties provide the most robust flavors, more vibrant juices, and more tender pickled beets. As you embark on the pickled beets adventure, try some of these tried and true beet varieties to grow: 'Detroit Dark Red' 'Ruby Queen'

Pickled beets are naturally rich in nitrates, which your body converts into nitric oxide. This molecule helps blood vessels dilate, which protects against high blood pressure ( 8 ). Research suggests that beet products can lower blood pressure by up to 10 mm Hg.

Beets can keep your kidneys and liver healthy.

Keep in mind, however, that beets are also rich in compounds called oxalates, which can contribute to kidney stones. So eat beets in moderation if you're prone to kidney stones.

Beets contain the compound betaine which helps the liver to function. When the liver is functioning properly, the body is able to digest, absorb, and process food to detoxify chemicals and metabolize food.

Canned and pickled beets likely contain high amounts of sodium, so if it's heart health you're after, these choices should be limited.

Pickled beets are generally safe to eat. But, depending on how they're made, some varieties of pickled beets may pack salt and added sugars. Too much salt can increase your blood pressure. While too much sugar can lead to weight gain and other health problems.

How many pickled beets should you eat a day? ›

The oxalates found in beets can increase your uric acid level, meaning that too many beets can lead to gout. To avoid this, stick to no more than a single half-cup serving of beets per day.

Their “earthy” flavor comes from a compound called geosmin, which is also the same compound that we associate with the smell of “fresh rain” and “forest soil”. Some people are much more sensitive to this compound than others, that is why some people say they taste like dirt, and others love them.

Roasting beets deepens their natural sugars while tempering bitterness. Bake whole, wrapped beets at 400°F for 60-75 minutes until easily pierced by a fork. Allow to cool before peeling and juicing. Incorporating roasted beets creates a smoother, mellower, almost nutty-flavored blended juice.

This acidity slows down the process of decay and prolongs the lifespan, but it doesn't make fresh foods last forever. To enjoy them at their best and freshest, store your pickled beets in the refrigerator and plan to use them within a maximum of three months, or ideally within several weeks.

First, wash and scrub the beets thoroughly to remove any dirt. Cut off the greens if attached. Make sure to leave about one inch of the stem to prevent them from releasing too much red color into the water. Do not peel the beets before boiling, unless you want to boil them cubed.

Pickled beets are generally safe to eat. But, depending on how they're made, some varieties of pickled beets may pack salt and added sugars. Too much salt can increase your blood pressure. While too much sugar can lead to weight gain and other health problems.

Pickled beets offer the same health benefits of beets, but there may be some differences between commercially-canned brands in terms of added sugar and salt. With only 74 calories in a half cup of sliced pickled beets, it has ‌practically‌ ‌no fat‌ and no cholesterol.

Cooked, fermented, or pickled beets retain much of their nutritious value, although some of the nitrites and other nutrients may be lost during preparation (13, 18, 19, 20).

Plain beets must be pressure-canned to be safe. Another way of canning beets is to change the pH. When you add vinegar to beets to pickle them, you are changing the pH of the product. Pickled beets made using the recipe here (at the end of this column) will have a pH of 4.3 to 4.6.