Quick pickled carrots are a breeze to make and perfect for serving numerous ways. Besides charcuterie boards, salads and snacking they make an amazing hostess gift.
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Sara and I decided years ago that traditional water bath canning was not our thing. We admire those who do it, but we rarely have enough of any produce that we need to preserve it for months and months.
We started out making spicy pickled okra and it was a big hit - with our readers and our families! Then we moved on to pickling green beans and got the same reaction.
This year we added quick pickled asparagus and refrigerator pickles to our repetoire and now carrots. Traditional style pickling is fine if that's your thing but we've become huge fans of this method and love that no special canning equipment is needed.
Flavors that enhance carrots
We wanted to step outside the classic pickle flavor profile with the carrots. We didn't use garlic like we have with the other veggies and no fresh dill or bay leaves either.
To find something that would really complement the flavor of carrots we consulted our Flavor Bible and came up with cloves. It was the perfect addition!
If you've been around here long you've heard us sing the praises of the Flavor Bible. We believe no kitchen should be without one and, if you don't have your own, look below for the place to order one.
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Ingredient notes
Simple ingredients that you most likely have on hand or can pick up at your grocery store is all you'll need.
- Carrots - Naturally you'll want them to be as fresh as possible. Since we've cut these in medallion, or coin shapes, a medium size is just perfect. We don't recommend "baby" carrots for pickling.
- Water
- Salt - Any kind is fine as long as it's uniodized. The iodine can make your pickling solution cloudy. You can use sea salt, plain table salt or kosher salt.
- Distilled White Vinegar - This will give you a clean look and not overpower the flavor of the carrots. We do not recommend white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar or red wine vinegar.
- Whole Black Peppercorns
- Whole Cloves
- Red Pepper Flakes - optional, but recommended for a little kick.
- Sugar - just plain white sugar (here in the south we always use cane sugar). You'll use just a little bit to balance the salty flavors of the brine.
See recipe card below for specific quantities.
How to make pickled carrots
- First wash your carrots thoroughly, peel them as lightly as possible and cut off the tops and bottoms.
- Now cut into medallions about ⅛ inch thick and put them in a clean 16 oz mason type jar (Tip - for even slices use a mandoline.)
- Make the brine solution by combining the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan and bringing it to a boil. Stir just until the salt and sugar are dissolved.
- Take it off the heat and pour over the carrots. Tightly seal and refrigerate.
Pam's tips
- For best results make sure your pieces of carrot are sliced evenly. We love our mandolin for this and use it when we make Aged Gouda Potato Gratin too!
- If you like the tangy crunch of raw carrots the hot liquid poured over them is the only "cooking" they need. If you want the carrots a little more tender, cook the slices in hot water (boiling) for about 3 minutes before placing them in the pint jars.
- Use a regular vegetable peeler and not a knife to peel the carrots for the prettiest round medallions.
- Always slice your carrots for pickling. Carrot sticks would be too thick to absorb the flavors of the hot brine.
Frequently asked questions about pickling carrots:
How long does it take for pickled carrots to be ready to eat? You can eat them starting at about 1 day after pickling. The flavor will be best if you wait 2-3 days.
How long do pickled carrots last in the fridge? A good rule of thumb when making quick pickled veggies of any kind is one month. Many times they will last longer, though. If you see any cloudiness in your brine it's time to discard.
How do chefs quickly pickle vegetables? This is it, y'all! A softer less firm veggie (like a cucumber) can actually be ready to eat in just a few hours.
Should I blanche carrots before pickling? It's not necessary. We do blanche our green beans and asparagus to preserve the bright green color and assure that they're clean. But carrots will stay nice and bright and crunchy without blanching.
How can I use pickled carrots?
First of all they're great to snack on straight out of the jar. Beyond that you can put a few in a small bowl and add it to any chese board.
Add them to your favorite salads. The bright color and crispy texture are perfect!
We love to give a jar of anything homemade as a hostess gift. Just tie a pretty ribbon or piece of cord around the jar and be sure to mark the date on it somewhere. Who doesn't love a gift straight from the heart?
📖 Recipe
Quick Pickled Carrots
Ingredients
- 10 ounces carrots about 4 medium carrots
- 1 cup water
- 1 Tablespoon uniodized salt
- ¼ cup distilled white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- ¾ teaspoon whole cloves
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Wash and peel carrots. Trim off the tops and bottoms and cut into approximately ⅛ inch thick slices. Place in a clean pint size jar.
- Combine remaining ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir just until sugar and salt dissolve and then remove from heat and pour over carrots.
- Seal tightly and refrigerate until ready to eat - about 2 days.
Notes
- This recipe makes enough for one pint sized jar, but can easily be doubled or tripled.
- Use uniodized salt. Any type may be used.
- Amount of cloves can be adjusted for strength of flavor desired.
- For pickled carrots that are more tender boil the slices for about 3 minutes before placing in the pickling jar.
Anjali says
I had no idea it was so easy to pickle veggies at home! Made these and served them alongside a cheese plate and they were delicious!
Ned says
These are absolutely amazing! I've been canning and figured I would do carrots and they were so easy to make. Thank you!
Ieva says
Sharp, tangy and delicious! We love them on top of salads and as a small side dish to Asian-style dishes! Great recipe!
Maayke says
I've never pickled carrots before, but they look delicious! Thank you for the recipe
Stephanie says
Pickled carrots?! I would never have thought to make these but I was intrigued by the recipe as I seem to throw out a lot of carrots. So I had to make this as I prefer not to waste food. Was glad I made the recipe because it was simple to make and so delish! These are a great addition to our evening salads. p.s. thanks for the detailed instructions.