Discover the ultimate pickled carrots recipe that will soon become your go-to pickle! These carrots are crisp, tangy, and can be ready in just a day.
In our household, pickles are a staple in the fridge (we’re totally obsessed!). While we adore our classic dill pickles, there’s something truly special about these vibrant, crunchy pickled carrots.
They’re fresh, crunchy, and incredibly versatile. Enjoy them as a quick snack, on appetizer platters, or to add a delightful crunch to your salads and sandwiches. If you’re as enamored with pickled carrots as we are, you’ll also appreciate our homemade giardiniera, a delightful pickled vegetable relish.
Essential Ingredients
- Carrots: The star of the show! Opt for the finest carrots available for this recipe. We want their natural sweetness and vibrant color to shine through. If you have your own garden-fresh carrots or access to locally sourced ones from a farmer’s market, definitely use those.
- Vinegar: Keep the brine simple with regular distilled vinegar (5% acidity). It imparts a clean, classic pickled taste to the carrots, allowing their sweetness to shine. You can substitute with rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar if desired.
- Salt and Sugar: These are crucial for balancing the brine. Without salt or sugar, the brine would taste overpoweringly of vinegar. They help enhance the flavors and complement the carrots. Opt for sea salt or pickling salt for the salt (avoid table salt due to added iodine that can affect pickling). For sugar, granulated sugar works best. Brown sugar can be substituted, but it may cloud the brine slightly.
- Garlic and Spices: For a classic touch, sliced garlic is a must in the jars (you can mince it for a stronger garlic flavor in the brine!). As for spices, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, a bay leaf, and whole peppercorns add that quintessential pickling aroma and a hint of warmth without overpowering the carrots.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Prepare Pickled Carrots
The key to perfect pickled carrots lies in their simplicity! Simply trim the carrots, pack them into a jar, and pour over a heated brine. A night in the fridge transforms them into crisp, tangy carrots that can last up to a month (if you can resist eating them sooner!).
More Simple Pickle Recipes
Speedy Pickled Carrots
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These crisp, snappy pickled carrots are a delightful addition to have in your fridge. Enjoy them as a snack, pair them with cheeses and meats, add them to salads, or include them in sandwiches. Thanks to the vinegar in the brine, similar to our cucumber dill pickles, they can last for a month in the fridge (but you might finish them sooner!).
Note: While the carrots are ready after an overnight stay in the fridge, their flavor improves with time. They truly shine around the third day!
8 Servings (fills a 1-quart jar)
Ingredients
1 pound (450g) fresh carrots, scrubbed
16 ounces (470ml) distilled vinegar, 5% acidity
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons (12g) fine sea salt
4 teaspoons (17g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
½ teaspoon whole coriander seeds
12 whole peppercorns
Instructions
1Prepare the carrots: Trim the ends of the carrots. Cut each carrot lengthwise into quarters, then slice them to fit into the 1-quart jar. (Start by cutting long lengths, then use any leftover pieces to fill the center of the jar.)
2Fill the jar: Place half of the sliced garlic at the bottom of a clean 1-quart jar. Pack the prepared carrot spears tightly into the jar. Add the remaining garlic, then carefully place the bay leaf along one side of the packed carrots.
3Prepare the pickle brine: In a small saucepan, combine the distilled vinegar, sea salt, granulated sugar, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns. Simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve completely.
4Add the brine to the carrots: While the brine is hot, pour it over the packed carrots in the jar. Ensure all the carrots are covered by the brine. Seal the jar with a lid, making it “finger-tight” (snug but not overly tightened).
5Cool and refrigerate: Allow the jar to cool to room temperature on the counter, then refrigerate. For optimal flavor, refrigerate the pickled carrots overnight before serving. If you can resist, they taste even better after 2 to 3 days! These quick pickled carrots will keep in the fridge, covered in brine, for up to a month!
Tips from Adam and Joanne
- The jar: We recommend using a 1-quart wide mouth mason jar (32 ounces or 946ml).
- Canning: These pickled carrots are designed for refrigerator storage and should always be kept chilled. If you have experience with canning, you could adapt them for long-term shelf storage by using sanitized jars, new lids, and a pressure canner.
- The nutrition facts provided are estimates. Calculating the salt content in the carrots is challenging, so we have included the entire brine in the calculations.
Nutrition Per Serving
Serving Size
4 to 5 carrot sticks/spears or ⅛ of the jar
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Calories
43
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Total Fat
0.2g
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Saturated Fat
0g
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Cholesterol
0mg
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Sodium
621.7mg
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Carbohydrate
7.8g
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Dietary Fiber
1.7g
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Total Sugars
4.8g
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Protein
0.6g
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