Super Easy Quick Pickled Carrots Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do I have to peel carrots for pickling? ›

The first step in making pickling carrots is to wash and peel them. In theory, you could pickle your carrots without peeling them. But unless the carrots are young and small, the skins can taste bitter, so I recommend peeling all but the smallest before pickling.

In fermentation, good bacteria turn sugars into lactic acid, which preserves the food product. In quick pickling, the cold of the fridge lets the vinegary flavors of the brine marinate with the fruits or vegetables (and added spices) while forestalling the bacteria growth.

Pickling: Full of good bacteria called Probiotics that aid in digestion and help our bodies break down and absorb all of carrots and daikon's wonderful nutrients! Healthy gut bacteria can even reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety while protecting our microbiome and supporting of new growth!

Pickling doesn't have to be a long process involving canning and special supplies. If you have vegetables that would be good pickled, like onions, garlic, carrots or green beans, toss them in the jar of leftover pickle juice, and see what happens. They'll make a nice addition to a charcuterie platter or Blood Mary.

Do You Need to Peel Carrots? "There is no need to peel carrots before eating—many people enjoy eating them with the skin on," says Alan Hilowitz, Communications Director at Bolthouse Farms. "However, since carrots are grown in the ground, washing/scrubbing is important if you do choose not to peel," he adds.

Then, cover the jars and pop them in the fridge! Now for the hard part: waiting! It takes 3 days for these pickled carrots to develop their addictive sweet and tangy flavor. I always try sampling one sooner because I have zero restraint around tangy foods, and they're better on the third day every time.

The classic ratio is super easy to remember and is easily scale-able depending on how many pickles you're making. It's 100% vinegar, 50% water, 25% sugar and 12.5% kosher salt by weight. So for example, 200g vinegar, 100g water, 50g sugar and 25g kosher salt (again, you can scale this up or down!).

Distilled white vinegar is the most commonly used, because it has a clean, crisp flavor that retains the produce's original taste and color best. Apple cider vinegar lends a milder, sweeter flavor if you don't mind the darker color. White wine, red wine and champagne vinegar all are great to use with pickling.

No, there are other methods for pickling, including quick pickling and refrigerator pickling. But this pickling method does call for boiling the brine. This process helps bloom the flavors of the ingredients and help speed up the pickling process when it's added to the fresh vegetables or fruit.

The flavors will deepen and intensify the longer it marinates. Best flavor is achieved after 24 hours. Will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks (sometimes longer). Not freezer friendly.

What is the healthiest pickled vegetable? ›

Cabbage, radishes, onions, carrots, beets—the limit does not exist. And they're all great for the gut. Here's more about the best plant-based pickled foods, why they're beneficial for our health, and how to enjoy them in vegan recipes.

Pickled carrots and onions and peppers (and cabbage) go straight into any Mexican style plate ever. Tacos, carnitas, enchiladas, stuffed Anaheims with salsa......now I'm hungry. The pickling makes for a really nice accent to such bold and wonderful Mexican flavors.

The new and improved version will have a delightful tanginess not found in any bottled brand. Add cut-up raw carrots, celery sticks, broccoli and cauliflower florets, and red and green pepper strips directly to the jar of any type of leftover pickle juice.

Pickling involves steeping foods in an acidic liquid, usually vinegar. This gives the pickled foods a distinctive flavor and helps to preserve them. If you don't like the flavor of vinegar or simply have an abundance of lemons, you can use lemon juice instead of vinegar for your pickling projects.

Pickles are a great way to use up random veggies that are a bit past their prime - lightly wilted or slightly limp, but still not ready for the compost pile.

Because a carrot's skin isn't as thick as other root vegetables (like potatoes) or winter squashes, carrots are perfectly safe and delicious to eat without peeling so long as they are properly cleaned. When it comes down to it, peeling carrots or keeping the skin on is a matter of personal preference.

According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, “Most bacteria, yeasts, and molds are difficult to remove from food surfaces. Washing fresh food reduces their numbers only slightly. Peeling root crops, underground stem crops, and tomatoes reduces their numbers greatly.

That's likely because carrot skins can turn bitter and dry when they're cooked. For some, the flavor difference is barely noticeable, but for others, the earthiness is a complete turn-off. Carrots' glossy exteriors may also turn dusty and dry in the heat of an oven.

Luckily, there's a method to store peeled carrots that'll keep them fresh and crunchy for nearly a month. Wash peeled carrots thoroughly. In a container, submerge carrots in cool water, and place in the refrigerator. Change the water every few days to inhibit bacterial growth.