Refrigerator Pickled Beets (Low Sugar)

Refrigerator pickled beets are a quick and easy alternative to traditional pickling when you only need a jar or two.

True to their name, refrigerator pickled beets are stored in the refrigerator. So there’s no need to sterilize your equipment or use a hot water bath. Plus, my refrigerator pickled beets recipe requires only one tablespoon of sugar!! (well under half of other recipes)

Refrigerator pickled beets are:

• quick
• easy
• healthy
• delicious
• convenient

I almost always have a jar in my fridge during the growing season when I buy bunches of beets at the farmers market. Pickled beets are delicious on sandwiches, salads, burgers and as a side dish to most lunches and dinners.

Another thing I love about homemade pickled beets is they do not contain high-fructose corn syrup as a sweetener. Popular brands of store-bought pickled beets contain high-fructose corn syrup.

In fact, the only sweetener in a jar of my refrigerator pickled beets is a single tablespoon of sugar. And most of that sugar will stay dissolved in the pickling liquid, so you won’t actually consume all of it.

I’ve tested this recipe repeatedly, using less and less sugar until I achieved a great tasting pickled beet with as little sugar as possible.

Some sugar does help balance the acidity of the vinegar which otherwise gives the beets an off-putting sharp flavor…unless you’re someone who enjoys sucking on lemons, like my Dad.

How to Make Refrigerator Pickled Beets

This recipe makes enough to pickle a half pound of cooked beets.

That means you’ll start with about a pound of raw beets and you can use my simple roasted beets recipe to cook them. Roasting beets brings out their natural sweetness, and the beets are so delicious when cooked this way.

Let’s get started!

1. Fill a 12-ounce jar with cooked beets

Place as many of the cooked beet pieces as you can fit into a 12-ounce glass jar. Leave a half inch of space at the top of the jar.

It’s helpful to give the jar a little tap on the counter as you fill it so the beets settle in, leaving room for more.

2. Prepare the pickling liquid

Combine the following ingredients in a small pot:

• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup filtered water
• 1 tbs white sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander
• 1/8 tsp salt

Stir well to dissolve the sugar and salt, and bring the mixture to a low boil on the stove top. Reduce the heat and continue simmering and stirring for 3 minutes.

Remove the pot from heat and let it cool for a couple minutes.

3. Add the pickling liquid to the jar

Pour the pickling liquid into the jar of cooked beets. Leave a half inch of space at the top of the jar to give room for the contraction that will happen when the pickling liquid cools. You may have some pickling liquid left over and that’s OK.

If using a 2-piece metal canning lid you can place it on the jar now and it will compress itself as the pickling liquid cools. If you are using a regular plastic lid, don’t screw it on tight until the liquid has come to room temperature.

4. Let cool, then refrigerate

Leave the jar on your counter for up to 24 hours, or at least until it comes to room temperature. Then move it to your fridge. I always leave mine on the counter for a day before refrigerating.

Then let your pickled beets sit, unopened in the fridge for 2 or more days so the flavors can develop.

During this time the liquid will turn a deep maroon as it absorbs the color from the beets. The beets will also plump up as they absorb the pickling juice.

My refrigerator pickled beets keep for a couple months in the fridge. The apple cider vinegar is so acidic that it inhibits the growth of microorganisms that would otherwise cause the beets to go bad. That and the cold temperature of the fridge helps preserve the beets.

So yummy!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do pickled beets need to be refrigerated?

Don’t confuse these refrigerator pickled beets with beets that are pickled using the hot water bath method. These beets are not shelf-stable and do need to be stored in the fridge.

How long do refrigerator pickled beets last?

These will keep in the fridge for a couple months. But like anything you eat, if they start to smell bad or you see mold growing on the jar, it’s time to discard them. In my home, so long as it smells good and looks good I’ll keep eating it.

How can I make pickled beets last longer?

1. Always use a clean fork or spoon when removing pickled beets from the jar. This will avoid introducing bacteria or other food droplets into your jar of beets.

2. Be sure to screw the lid on tightly when storing in the fridge.

3. Ensure the beets stay submerged under the vinegar pickling liquid, this will help keep them preserved as the vinegar inhibits mold and bacteria.

Other Recipes Made with Beets

• Simple Roasted Beets
• Roasted Golden Beets
• Sautéed Beet Greens

Refrigerator Pickled Beets (Low Sugar)

Refrigerator pickled beets are a great alternative to traditional pickling when you only need a jar or two. They are quick AND easy to make anytime you have left over cooked beets on hand and only contain a tablespoon of sugar.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 7 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 6 (1/4 cup each)

Equipment

• 12-ounce Mason jar
• 2-piece metal lid or plastic lid

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 lb cooked beets cut into 1.5" pieces
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup filtered water
• 1 tbs white sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander
• 1/8 tsp table salt

Instructions

 

• Place as many of the [cooked] beet pieces as you can fit into a 12-ounce glass jar. Leave a half inch of space at the top of the jar.
• Combine the rest of the ingredients in a small pot and stir well to dissolve the sugar and salt. Bring the mixture to a low boil on the stove top. Reduce the heat and continue simmering and stirring for 3 minutes.
• Remove the pot from heat and let it cool for a couple minutes.
• Pour the pickling liquid into the jar of cooked beets. Leave a half inch of space at the top of the jar. 
• If using a 2-piece metal canning lid you can place it on the jar now and it will compress itself as the pickling liquid cools. If you are using a regular plastic lid, don’t screw it on tight until the liquid has come to room temperature.
• Leave the jar on your counter for up to 24 hours, or at least until it comes to room temperature. Then move it to your fridge. Let your pickled beets sit, unopened in the fridge for 2 to 7 days so the flavors can develop.

Keyword beets, pickled

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