Quick pickled carrots: carrots, vinegar, water, salt, sugar, spices, garlic and day later you’ve got a jar of crunchy, tangy, and sweet pickled carrots.
These bright and crispy carrots give a classic deli pickle vibe. Eat them straight-from-the-jar or serve ‘em anywhere a pickle would show up - sandwiches, burgers, crudites, and more. Plan on 24-48 hours for the brine to fully penetrate. The longer they sit, the more flavorful they’ll become. Quick pickles will last up to 3 weeks in the fridge.
A handful of kitchen staples transform the humble crunchy carrot into something it wasn’t. Same veggie, entirely different experience.
About Pickling
Two kinds of pickles exist: quick pickles (vinegar-based, what we're doing here) and fermented pickles (salt, time, naturally developing acid, like sauerkraut and kimchi). Both ancient. Both delicious. This is about the quickie kind. No special equipment, no canning required.
About This Quick Pickled Carrot Recipe
These carrots don’t need to be cooked or peeled. Raw carrots, cut into spears/sticks (or left whole if small enough like my real baby carrots I got at the Santa Monica Farmers Market), simply go straight in a jar and infused with the hot brine poured on top.
There’s really no need to peel either. I only did so for the camera. On my macro lens it looks so much prettier peeled. If I was only eating them, no studio shot included, just a solid scrub would do, no peeling necessary. Either way, the result is quick pickled carrots. One is just a bit quicker.
Next time I’m def using multi-colored carrots.
For this edition: fennel seeds enhance the carrots' natural sweetness, mustard seeds bring gentle tang, cumin adds earthy warmth, black peppercorns contribute a little heat, star anise lends a delicate floral sweetness, and the dried chile gives it a gentle kick. Thinly sliced garlic infuses the brine with a savory depth for a more complex pickled carrot.
One more thing: don't toss the brine once the carrots are gone. Use it like vinegar in salad dressings. Whisk it with some olive oil, mustard, salt and pepper and your homemade salad dressing is done (ya may want to add a touch of sugar too).
My Pickling Wisdom
- No cooking or peeling is required
- Cut your carrots into 3-5 inch sticks for a classic deli pickle vibe or find real baby carrots at the farmer’s market.
- Don’t toss the brine – repurpose it as your vinegar base in a salad dressing.
- Allow the carrots to quick pickle for at least 24 hours.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks.
More Quick Pickles
Same brine logic, completely different spice combo and veggie – try the quick pickled radishes, the quick pickled beets, or the quick pickled cabbage next.
If ya try this pickled carrot recipe, I'd love to hear about it – leave a comment below and let me know, and tag me on IG, @danielagerson, so I can see too!
Keep exploring for more seasonal recipes and colorful produce guides designed to inspire ya to play in the kitchen.
Let's make waves in the kitchen.
Quick Pickled Carrots
Ingredients
- 1 bunch baby carrots scrubbed and trimmed (or regular sized carrots cut into 3-5 inch sticks)
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 garlic clove thinly sliced garlic
- ½ tsp whole fennel seeds
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ¼ tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp whole black peppercorns
- 1 star anise
- 1 small dried chili
Instructions
- Place the carrots and sliced garlic in a clean jar.
- Combine the white vinegar, water, salt, and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve. Add the fennel seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, star anise, and dried chili. Pour the hot brine over the carrots and garlic, including all the spices. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours before serving.
Leave a Reply