These quick pickled beets without sugar are an easy way to enjoy tender, tangy beets with just 4 simple ingredients. Naturally sweet and perfectly vinegary, they’re quick to prep with no added sugar and no canning required!
If you love easy refrigerator pickles, try my Quick Refrigerator Pickled Vegetables or these Easy Mexican Pickled Onions next.
I’ve made these pickled beets many times, and steaming is my go-to method for getting them tender quickly without the extra time and mess of roasting. The sliced beets steam in about 25 minutes, then they’re ready to go straight into the quick pickle brine.
I love snacking on them straight from the jar or adding their sweet, tangy bite to my Pickled Beet Salad with Fresh Citrus. They’re also delicious tucked into my Easy Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad or served alongside Creamy Butter Bean Hummus for a simple snack or appetizer.
Quick Look: Pickled Beets Without Sugar
- ⏱ Prep Time: 5 minutes
- ♨ Cooking Time: 25 minutes
- ⏳ Chill Time: 24 hours
- 🧧 Yield: 12 ounces
- 🤏 Serving Size: 1 ounce
- ⚡ Calories: 9 calories per serving
- 🌰 Flavor Profile: Tangy, earthy, and naturally sweet.
- 👌 Difficulty: Easy and meal-prep friendly.
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Why I Love This Recipe
- No added sugar: Beets are naturally sweet, balancing the tangy vinegar brine without added sugar.
- Quick and easy: The beets steam until tender in about 25 minutes before going straight into the brine.
- Fresh and versatile: Sweet, earthy, and tangy, these pickled beets are delicious in salads, sandwiches, or grain bowls with crispy tofu where they add a bright, tangy contrast.
- Make-ahead friendly: Let them pickle overnight, and they’re ready to enjoy the next day.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Beets: Red beets are my go-to for their earthy, naturally sweet flavor and vibrant color. Golden or Chioggia beets can also be used, but the color and flavor will vary slightly.
Vinegar: White distilled vinegar is my favorite for a clean, sharp tang, while apple cider vinegar gives the beets a slightly fruitier flavor. Use vinegar labeled 5% acidity for pickling.
Salt: Pickling salt dissolves easily and helps keep the brine clear. Kosher or fine sea salt also works, but avoid salts with additives that may make the brine cloudy.
Water: Filtered water is best for a clean-tasting pickle brine, especially if your tap water has a strong flavor or odor.
No sugar needed! Beets are naturally sweet, which helps balance the tangy vinegar brine without added sugar or another sweetener.
How to Pickle Beets Without Sugar
Step 1: Peel the beet and cut it into even rectangles, wedges, or rounds. I work over a parchment-lined cutting board for easy cleanup and wear gloves to prevent staining.
Step 2: Place the sliced beets in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and steam for about 25 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork, then transfer to a clean mason jar.
Step 3: Let the beets cool slightly, then pack them into a clean mason jar without crushing them.
Step 4: Stir together the vinegar, water, and salt until the salt dissolves. There’s no need to heat the brine. Mixing it cold works just as well for this quick pickle.
Step 5: Pour the brine into the jar until the beets are completely covered
Step 6: Seal the jar and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.
Expert Tips
- Slice evenly: Uniform pieces steam and pickle at the same rate. Thicker pieces stay firmer, while thinner slices absorb the brine faster.
- Don’t overcook: I steam the beets just until fork-tender so they hold their shape and don’t become too soft after pickling.
- Keep the beets submerged: Pack the beets into the jar without crushing them and make sure each piece stays covered with brine.
- Let the flavors develop: The vinegar flavor is sharper at first, but I find it mellows and becomes more balanced as the beets sit in the brine.
Flavor Variations
- Spicy: Add sliced jalapeño, red pepper flakes, or fresh chili for a little heat.
- Garlic and herb: Add sliced garlic with fresh dill or thyme for a savory, herby flavor.
- Warm and spiced: Add whole peppercorns, mustard seeds, or a cinnamon stick for a warm, aromatic flavor.
Serving Ideas
Add to salads: Use these in place of roasted beets in my Fresh Orange and Beet Salad for an extra tangy bite, or swap them for the steamed beets in my Chickpea Apple Kale Salad.
Serve with vegan cheese: Pair them with creamy Vegan Goat Cheese or Vegan Ricotta, plus crackers or toasted bread, for an easy appetizer or snack.
Serve as a side: Pair these tangy beets with savory Indian dishes like Aloo Palak or Indian Chickpea Curry for a bright contrast.
Enjoy as a snack: Eat them straight from the jar (my favorite way)!
How Long Do Pickled Beets Last?
These quick pickled beets taste best after 24 hours and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
- Store: Keep the beets submerged in the brine in a clean, airtight glass jar.
- Refrigerate: These are refrigerator pickled beets and are not shelf-stable or intended for canning.
- Discard: Toss the beets if you notice mold, an off smell, or other signs of spoilage.
Pickled Beets Without Sugar FAQs
Yes. Drain plain canned or pre-cooked beets well and add them directly to the brine, making sure they don't contain added sugar or seasonings. Since they're already tender, skip the steaming step.
Raw beets can be pickled, but they’ll stay much firmer and take longer to absorb the brine. For this recipe, I recommend cooking the beets first for the intended tender texture.
It’s best not to reuse leftover brine to pickle another batch of vegetables because its acidity can change after use. Instead, use the leftover beet brine in salad dressings, marinades, or sauces.
More Easy Veggie Snack Recipes
If you tried this Pickled Beet with No Sugar recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below.
Pickled Beets without Sugar Recipe
DESCRIPTION
EQUIPMENT
- Vegetable Peeler to peel the beet
- Kitchen Knife (sharp) to slice the beet
- Steam basket to steam sliced beets
- Stock pot (small) to boil water
- Glass or small jug to make brine
- Mason jar (12 ounce) to store pickled beets
INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup white distilled vinegar
- ½ cup filtered water
- 1 teaspoon pickling salt, kosher salt, or fine sea salt
- 200 grams beetroot (1 large sized beet) or 2-3 small beets
METHOD
Prep the beets
- Peel the beets with a vegetable peeler over a parchment-lined cutting board for easy cleanup. Wear gloves to prevent staining, if desired.
- Rinse the peeled beets under cold running water.
- Cut into even slices, wedges, or cubes using a sharp kitchen knife.
Steam
- Place the beets in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and steam for 20–25 minutes, or until fork-tender. Let cool slightly.
Make the brine
- Meanwhile, stir together the vinegar, water, and salt until the salt dissolves. There’s no need to heat the brine.
Fill the jar:
- Pack the beets into a clean mason jar and pour the brine over them until completely submerged.
Refrigerate
- Seal the jar and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving to let the flavors develop.
Serve
- Keep refrigerated, then serve and enjoy!
NOTES
-
- Cut evenly: Keep the beet pieces similar in size so they steam evenly and pickle at the same rate.
- Don’t overcook: Steam the beets just until fork-tender so they hold their shape and don’t become too soft in the brine.
- Keep them submerged: Make sure the beets stay completely covered with brine while they pickle.
- Give them time: Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving so the tangy flavor has time to develop.
Lou says
Turned out great!
Puja Verma says
Oh yay!! I'm so happy to hear your outcome was great! Thank you for sharing, Lou! 🙂
BJ says
Can I use canned beets instead of fresh? And what kind of onion? Will red work? Thank you!
Puja Verma says
Yes! Canned beets will work; just skip steaming the beets and go straight to pickling. And yes, red onions work well. If you are interested on pickling Mexican pickled onions, then I suggest you also try this recipe: https://greenheartlove.com/mexican-pickled-onions/.
Anna says
Thanks for your tips. We do not use sugar or salt so we just added powdered cloves, and a few slices of fresh garlic and fresh ginger to the remaining ingredients. We also added sliced raw onion. The recipe is so easy. We do not save the beets for long , because they get eaten within a day or three. 😋 (No need for the salt to preserve then.)
Puja Verma says
YES! That's a brilliant idea. No need for salt, if they are going to be eaten so quickly. Our pickled beets, also, don't last long before we eat them all. We will start to opt out of salt next time. Great modifications to the recipe. Thank you for sharing them. 🙂
Lisa says
Made some last week and loved the tartness! With fermenting, it’s often recommended to add
Some of the brine from the previous batch into your next batch. With pickling, I’ve been
Known to save a liquid if I loved the flavor and re-use the brine for another vegetable. Can I re-use the brine here or do you suggest I toss it and make fresh? (Easy to make fresh but my husband considerately saved the brine for me in case I planned to re-use it.) Of course (and inconveniently) I’m steaming beets as I write… Thanks!
Puja Verma says
Yes! You can re-use the brine for another vegetable. It will give the vegetable a slightly sweet taste from the beet brine. It will also give it a red-ish color; which will look beautiful if you were pickling carrots next.
I'm so glad you loved it 🙂 Thanks for sharing 💚
Denise Southard says
It seems there are more than 1 carb per serving if you're serving 3 people. Could you double check this amount?
Puja Verma says
Thank for bringing that to my attention. I did manually make some adjustments based off the serving size. Hope that makes more sense now.
My apologies for the confusion; API is not 100% accurate with some of the algorithms yet; and so there are some occasions where these numbers are off. However API is always working on improving with their software updates.