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Pickled carrots surprisingly tasty, and they’re an easy way to dress up any meal.

Sometimes your CSA basket overflows with fresh carrots and there’s just no way to use them all in a week.  Pickled carrots are a tasty way to preserve carrots, and they pair wonderfully with all manner of meals. 

Here are a few ideas:

• Use a pickled carrot in place of a traditional cucumber pickle for lunch. 
• Top a ramen bowl with ginger pickled carrots
• Serve spicy Mexican pickled carrots beside a big plate of pulled pork
• Add any of them to a salad for a sweet, zesty touch.

The truth is, pickled carrots are a lot more versatile than other types of pickles, and just about any seasoning works beautifully.

Preparing Carrots for Pickling

Technically, you don’t have to peel carrots for pickling…but quite frankly, the peels often taste like dirt.

Tender young summer carrots are a bit of an exception, and they often have mild peels and are just fine well-scrubbed but unpeeled.  This is one of the times you can get away with using rainbow carrots that have colorful peels, provided they’re harvested early.

For the most part though, the first step to making pickled carrots is peeling the carrots.

Next comes deciding on shapes!

This is the fun part and largely depends on your personal preferences and how you hope to use pickled carrots in meals.

• Grated Pickled Carrots are great as a salad topping, or as a final touch for udon bowls and stir-fries.  They’re also great in coleslaw, where they’ll add flavor from the pickling spices and the vinegar tang goes well in coleslaw anyway. 
• Pickled Carrot Sticks are a good choice for eating right out of the jar or adding to sandwiches.  You can make them small matchsticks, around 1/8 inch across, or as larger carrot sticks that are just peeled whole carrots cut into quarters.
• Pickled Carrot Slices are good as a zesty side dish on a plate of rich, savory foods.  This is the traditional cut for Mexican pickled carrots spiced with jalapeno and oregano.  If you cut them at a bit of a slant, they’ll look more decorative than flat slices.

No matter how you slice them, they’re tasty!

Pickling Rainbow Carrots

Fancy farmer’s market rainbow carrots may be tempting, but they’re not usually the best for pickling.  Many of them lose their color when heated, and just about all of them will bleed color when pickled in vinegar.

Though they’re pretty, they’re selected for appearance rather than taste.  Seed catalogs will say things like “looks great at the market stand and tastes pretty good for a purple carrot,” meaning that it’ll result in impulse buys, but it’s far from the tastiest choice.

Beyond that, the color is often (though not always) only skin deep, so it won’t last if you peel the carrots.

The example below is red carrots, and the color is only skin deep.  Still, I tried making quick refrigerator carrot pickles with them, hoping that they’d keep their color in the jar if they weren’t heated/canned.  The colors stayed initially but bled into the pickling brine within 24 hours.

Keep that in mind if you try pickling rainbow carrots.

Pickled Carrots Yield

In general, you’ll need about 3/4 pounds of fresh unpeeled carrots for every pint of pickled carrots.  Carrots sticks and grated carrots pack a bit tighter than carrot slices, and you’ll need slightly less if pickling carrot slices. 

Similarly, if you add other vegetables to the mix you’ll need a bit fewer carrots to fill the jar.

(It’s perfectly fine to pickle those prepared baby carrot bullets you can find pre-peeled in the store too.  They don’t fit neatly into jars, so you’ll only need about 1/2 pound of those per pint.)

Basic Brine for Pickled Carrots

Once you’ve sliced the carrots, now it’s time to think about the pickling brine.  As with any homemade pickle, you have a good bit of flexibility in terms of salt, sugar and acidity.

The vinegar is used for preservation, and the bring should be at least half vinegar by volume (at 5% acidity).  It can be all vinegar if you’d like, but all vinegar pickles are usually balanced with a good bit of sugar so they’re not too sour.

The other half of the liquid is usually water, but it can also be fruit juice or even wine.

Feel free to experiment with different types of vinegar, but be aware that the vinegar should be standardized to at least 5% acidity for safety.  If it’s below 5%, as rice vinegar and malt vinegar are, it’s best to use 100% vinegar for the pickling liquid and not dilute with any water. 

Beyond the vinegar, there’s usually salt and sugar.  They’re both technically preservatives, but when making pickled carrots they’re used entirely for flavor.  You can skip both salt and sugar if you’d like, though your pickles won’t be very tasty.

Pickled carrots tend to have less salt than other pickles.  Use about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt per pint if making pickled carrots as a topping or side dish, but maybe increase it to 1/2 to 1 tsp for pickled carrot sticks that you’ll eat right out of the jar.

The sugar in pickled carrots is designed to bring out their natural sweetness, and counteract the pickling vinegar so things aren’t too sour.  Most pickled carrot recipes recommend around 1 Tbsp. of sugar per pint, but many don’t use any at all.  Others, that use an all vinegar brine will sometimes increase the sugar to 2 Tbsp per pint to help balance the extra acidity with more sugar for a zesty pickle.

You’ll need a smidge more than 1 cup of liquid per pint, plus salt and sugar.  I’d suggest this as a basic brine recipe for pickled carrots:

• 3/4 cup Vinegar (5% acidity)
• 1/2 cup Water
• 1 Tbsp. Sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Salt

Spices for Pickled Carrots

Beyond the brine, you’ll want to add spices into the pickled carrots as flavoring.  You can just use plain brine, but part of the fun of pickling is adding spice and flavors to vegetables to make them really pop.

I’ve included four recipes for pickled carrots below, and each makes a single pint.  Obviously, it’s fine to increase the batch size, especially if you’re canning.  I just wanted to give you lots of small-batch options to try before you commit to a big batch.

(To make a quart, simply double each pickled carrot recipe.)

Dill pickled carrots

An old-time classic, dill works well with any pickle, including pickled carrots.  Since they’re quite simple, I’ve dressed them up a bit using red dragon carrots.  The picture below was taken right after I made them, and be aware that the color of rainbow carrots will bleed quickly (usually in 24 to 48 hours).

(makes 1 pint)

• 3/4 lb carrots, as purchased (peeled/topped after weighing)
• 1 slice onion
• 3/4 cup vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp. canning salt or sea salt
• 1 tsp dill seed (or 1 dill frond)
• 1 tsp mustard seed
• 1 tsp coriander seed
• 1 tsp peppercorns

Add the spices to the bottom of the jar.  Peel the carrots, then slice them in whatever way you choose before packing them into the canning jar.  Bring the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar to a boil on the stove and then pour it over the top of the carrots in the jar, leaving 1-inch headspace.

Store in the refrigerator for immediate use, waiting at least 24 to 48 hours before consuming (but ideally longer) so the flavors can infuse.  Eat within about 3 to 4 weeks.

This can also be made as a canning recipe.  Simply simmer the carrot slices in the brine for 10 minutes before packing them hot into the jar and topping with boiling brine.  Process in a water bath canner for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude.

Feel free to omit any spices that don’t suit your tastes, or skip them altogether and just add plain dill.  It’s totally up to you, just don’t reduce the vinegar as the brine must be at least half vinegar to pickle the carrots.

The book Preserving by the Pint also has a recipe for Dilled Pickled Carrots, and she chooses to use an all vinegar brine, and only uses dill seeds, peppercorns, and garlic cloves for spices.  

The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving has a very similar recipe as well, but they only use fresh dill and garlic for spices, optionally adding 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes to each jar for heat.

Spicy Pickled Carrots

This recipe is adapted from the book Canning for a New Generation, which has all manner of interesting takes on classic pickles, jams, and preserves.  The all vinegar brine creates a more intense pickle, which goes well with the added hot pepper heat, and more added sugar helps to balance the flavors for a hot and sweet pickled carrot. (Makes 1 pint)

• 3/4 lb carrots
• 1 1/4 cups cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1-2 dried hot chilis
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 bay leaf
• 3-5 peppercorns, whole
• 1/2 to 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional, to taste)

Follow the same instructions for making dill-pickled carrots.  Namely, place the spices in the jar, prepare the carrots and pack them into the jar.  Bring the vinegar, salt, and sugar to a boil, and then pour the boiling brine over the carrots.

If canning, be sure to simmer the carrots in the brine for about 10 minutes before packing hot into canning jars (1-inch headspace) and topping with boiling brine.  Process in a water bath canner for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude.

Again, feel free to omit any spices that don’t suit your taste.  Optionally, try adding sliced fresh hot peppers instead of just a dried chili (or hot pepper flakes), and a teaspoon of prepared horseradish goes well with these as well.

Mexican Pickled Carrots

These are a classic at Mexican restaurants, and if you’ve always wondered how to make them at home, you’re in luck.  This recipe uses slightly fewer carrots than the other pickled carrot recipes (1/2 lb instead of 3/4 lb) because there are other vegetables taking up space in the jar and because sliced carrots don’t pack as tightly as grated carrots or sticks. 

They’re traditionally made as thick 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch carrot slices, and which require a bit of simmering in the brine to get the flavors to fully infuse, for both canning and refrigerator pickles. (Makes 1 pint)

• 1/2 lb carrots
• 1/2 to 1 jalapeno, sliced
• 1/4 of a medium onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3/4 cup vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. canning salt or sea salt
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 5 black peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp oregano

Peel and slice the carrots, jalapeno, onion, and garlic.  Add the vinegar, water, salt, and spices into a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Add all vegetables into the seasoned brine and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.  (Go with 10 minutes if canning as they’ll cook further in the jar.)

Pack into the jar, leaving 1-inch headspace.

If canning, simmer for only 10 minutes before packing into the jar as they’ll cook further in the canner.  Process in a water bath canner for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude.

As a quick trick to make sure these fit in the jar, you can slice the carrots and pack them into the jar raw with 1-inch headspace.  If they fit, then everything will fit once it’s cooked because veggies shrink during cooking.  The carrots will get small enough to allow the onion, garlic, and jalapeno to fit perfectly.

Again, all the spices are optional, but this creates something pretty darn close to the carrots you’ll find in restaurants.

Asian Pickled Carrots

This recipe is adapted from Not Your Mama’s Canning Book, which tries to go beyond just basic old-fashioned recipes.  Note that rice vinegar is used, which is usually lower than 5% acidity, so it’s an all-vinegar brine.  Mine is standardized at 4.2%, which is still enough to create a safe pickle.  The carrots are grated in this version, but it’s perfectly fine to make carrot slices or sticks. 

Grated pickled Asian carrots go well on top of a noodle bowl, in a Bahn Mi sandwich, or beside a plate of sushi. (Makes 1 pint)

• 3/4 lb carrots
• 1 slice ginger
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 whole star anise
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Prepare as with other pickled carrots by peeling and grating carrots.  Load spices into jars and top with carrots and other vegetables.  Bring the rice vinegar, salt, and sugar to a boil on the stove, and then pour the boiling brine over the carrots.

If canning, bring all the vegetables (Carrot, ginger, and garlic) to a boil for 5 minutes (grated carrots) or 10 minutes for carrots sticks and slices before packing hot on top of spices in the jar, leaving 1-inch headspace.  Process in a water bath canner for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude.

This type of Asian pickled carrot is often made using daikon as well, and you’d just replace half the carrots with daikon radish for pickled carrot and daikon.  They’d also be good with other complementary flavors added, namely kombu or scallions.

Pickled Carrot Recipe Variations

Feel free to play around with these recipes, adjusting spices to your own tastes.  Increase or decrease the sugar or salt without worrying about safety, since those are just there for flavor.

Be sure to use at least half vinegar as the liquid in the brine, and that the vinegar you use is standardized to 5% acidity.  That’s what’s needed for pickling safety.

I’ve tried a number of options, and you can honestly make just about any pickle recipe just using carrots instead of cucumbers.  That said, I don’t recommend using the brine from bread and butter pickles for carrots.  There’s a lot going on in those spice-wise, and they’re really sweet, a bit too sweet for making pickled carrots in my opinion.  (Though I love them as cucumber pickles, and that brine makes some of the best pickled eggs.)

Pickled carrots are also often incorporated into “end of the garden pickles” which pack all manner of vegetables into the same pickle jar.

Beyond the recipes for pickled carrots I’ve shared, I also found a few more in my canning books:

• Naturally Sweet Food in Jars – Has a recipe for pickled carrots and daikon that starts with 2 pars carrots and 1 part daikon, then peels and julienne slices both.  She uses a simple brine with 4 parts rice vinegar, 1 part water, and a splash of sweetener (agave in this case).  Each pint gets 1/4 tsp salt, 1 garlic clove, and 1/2 tsp mustard seeds.
• Ball Canning Back to Basics – Also goes with carrot and daikon, but uses equal parts water and white vinegar for brine.  Each pint gets 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 1-2 red chillis, 2 garlic cloves, and a small piece of ginger.
• Pickles and Relishes – Starts with equal parts carrots and parsnips, then peels them and cuts them into sticks.  Each pint gets 1/2 teaspoon each of pickling spices and black peppercorns and then is topped with a simple brine made from white vinegar and a pinch of salt.

Canning Pickled Carrots

It’s perfectly fine to make refrigerator pickled carrots and they’ll last for 3-4 weeks without any canning required.  For refrigerator pickles, it’s fine to pour the hot brine over pickles right in the jar before sealing (without simmering the carrots in the brine).

That said, if you’d like to keep them longer than a few weeks, and you don’t have space in the refrigerator, water bath canning is a good option.  You’ll be able to store pickled carrots on the pantry shelf for up to 18 months at peak quality, and then they should be refrigerated once opened.

If you’re new to canning, I’d suggest reading this beginner’s guide to water bath canning before getting started.

Each of the pickled carrot recipes I’ve presented is safe for canning, provided you don’t reduce the vinegar amounts and use a vinegar standardized to 5% acidity. 

For canning, however, you’ll want to simmer the carrots in the brine before packing them into the jars since pickled carrots do best as a hot pack canning recipe.  Simmer the carrots until about halfway cooked, which should be 10 minutes for slices and carrot sticks.

For grated carrots, a quick 5-minute simmer is sufficient.

Pack the carrots hot into canning jars and then pour the boiling brine over them in the jars, leaving 1-inch headspace.

The processing time for pickled carrots is 15 minutes if below 1,000 feet in elevation, but you need to add time at higher elevations.  Refer to the table below for altitude adjustments:

Carrot Canning Recipes

Looking for more carrot canning recipes?

• Canning Carrots (Pressure Canning Plain Carrots)

Yield: Each Recipe Makes 1 Pint

Pickled Carrots

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Canning Time (Optional) : 15 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Pickled carrots are a zesty way to spice up any meal.

Print

Ingredients

Dill Pickled Carrots

• 3/4 lb carrots
• 1 slice onion
• 3/4 cup vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp. canning salt or sea salt
• 1 tsp dill seed (or 1 dill frond)
• 1 tsp mustard seed
• 1 tsp coriander seed
• 1 tsp peppercorns

Spicy Pickled Carrots

• 3/4 lb carrots
• 1 1/4 cups cider vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1-2 dried hot chilis
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 bay leaf
• 3-5 peppercorns, whole
• 1/2 to 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional, to taste)

Mexican Pickled Carrots

• 1/2 lb carrots
• 1/2 to 1 jalapeno, sliced
• 1/4 of a medium onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3/4 cup vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. canning salt or sea salt
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 5 black peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp oregano

Asian Pickled Carrots

• 3/4 lb carrots
• 1 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp.
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 slice ginger
• 1 whole star anise
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 garlic clove

Instructions

Refrigerator Pickled Carrots

1. Prepare carrots by peeling, then slicing into a shape of your choice. I'd suggest 1/4 inch circular slices, 1/4 inch sticks, or grated carrots.
2. Place spices into the bottom of a jar and pack carrots in on top of the spices, leaving 1-inch headspace. (See note for Mexican Pickled Carrots.)
3. Prepare a brine by bringing the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar to a boil on the stove. Pour the boiling brine over the carrots in the jars, maintaining a 1-inch headspace. Seal and store in the refrigerator. They'll be ready to eat in 24 to 48 hours and should keep for 3-4 weeks in the refrigerator.

Canning Pickled Carrots

1. Prepare a water bath canner before beginning and bring it up to a simmer (around 180 degrees F) for hot pack canning.
2. Prepare carrots by peeling, then slicing into a shape of your choice. I'd suggest 1/4 inch circular slices, 1/4 inch sticks, or grated carrots.
3. Prepare a brine by bringing the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar to a boil on the stove. Add spices, carrots, and any other vegetables into the boiling brine on the stove. Simmer for 10 minutes, until the carrots are about half cooked. (5 minutes for grated carrots.)
4. Pack the hot carrots into canning jars and top with boiling brine from the pot, leaving 1-inch headspace.
5. Process in a water bath canner for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude (see notes).
6. After processing, remove jars to cool completely on a towel on the counter. After 24 hours, check seals and store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator for immediate use. Sealed jars will keep on the pantry shelf for 18 months. Refrigerate after opening.

Notes

Mexican pickled carrots are usually cooked and should be simmered in the boiling brine for both refrigerator pickle recipes and canning recipes. I'd suggest simmering them for 15 minutes for refrigerator pickles, and 10 minutes for canning recipes. All the vegetables in the recipe should be simmered, including the onion, jalapeno, and garlic, before being packed hot into jars.

Altitude Adjustments for Canning Pickled Carrots

Process times need to be increased above 1,000 feet in elevation.

• For 0 to 1,000 feet in elevation - Process jars 15 Minutes
• For 1,001 to 6,000 feet in elevation - Process jars 20 Minutes
• Above 6,001 feet in elevation - Process jars 25 Minutes

Ways to Preserve Carrots

Need a few more carrot preservation recipes?

• Dehydrating Carrots
• Fermented Carrots
• Freezing Carrots (coming soon)

Pickle Recipes

Keep your pickle jar full with these easy pickling recipes!

• Bread and Butter Pickles
• Dill Pickles
• Gherkins (Baby Pickles)
• Pickled Peppers
• Pickled Onions