Refrigerator pickled beets are surprisingly easy. With their crunchy texture, pickled beets are a great addition to salads, sandwiches and burgers. Here, we'll show you how to make easy refrigerator pickled beets.
Trim the top stem to roughly 1 inch and throughly wash your beets.
Place washed beets in a large pot of water and boil for roughly 20 minutes, or until tender. (just like boiling potatoes, the larger beets will take longer to cook)
Strain cooked beets in a colander and cool your beets by running cold water over them.
When your beets are cool enough to safely handle, with your faucet is running with cold water, use your hands to slip the skin off the beets. Trim the remaining stems and root to be flush with the beet bulb.
Cut or slice cooked beets as desired.
To make pickled beets:
Combine vinegar, sugar and water in a small sauce pan. Heat to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and set aside.
In glass jar(s) or container(s) with a tight fitting lid, layer cut up beets and sliced onion.
Pour vinegar/sugar/water over top. Add additional water if needed to fully submerge the beets in the liquid.
Cover with a tight fitting lid and place in the refrigerator for 5-7 days before enjoying. Refrigerator pickled beets will keep for about 2 months.
Notes
A little jar-side reality check: I’m sharing my kitchen experience here, not a food-safety laboratory’s seal of approval. For pantry storage, use a current, research-tested recipe and follow its exact ingredients, acidity, jar size, headspace, canner type and altitude-adjusted process. A family tradition or a sealed lid does not establish safety. Improper canning can cause botulism, and you cannot reliably see, smell or taste the toxin. Read the CDC’s home-canning guidance before you begin.Refrigerator recipe, not a pantry shortcut: Keep this recipe refrigerated at 40°F or below. Do not convert it to shelf-stable storage using the brief water-bath directions mentioned below. For canning, start with a current tested formula and its full processing instructions rather than adapting this refrigerator recipe.