Description
This Homemade Pickled Cabbage with Beets recipe delivers a vibrant, tangy, and slightly sweet fermented side dish perfect for enhancing any meal. The combination of crunchy cabbage, earthy beets, aromatic garlic, and fresh dill, all soaked in a tangy vinegar brine with a touch of sweetness, makes it a refreshing and healthy addition to your table. Simple to prepare, it’s ideal for those who love making traditional pickled vegetables at home with natural ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Herbs
- 1 medium head green cabbage (cut in 2-inch chunks)
- 1 medium beet (cut in 1/2-inch half rounds)
- 6 cloves garlic (halved)
- 6 sprigs dill
Pickling Brine
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup white vinegar
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
- ¼ cup avocado oil
Instructions
- Prepare the Cabbage: Cut the cabbage in half, remove the core, quarter each half, and then slice into 2-inch pieces to ensure even pickling and easy layering.
- Slice the Beets: Peel the beet, trim the ends, and cut into 1/2-inch thick half-moon slices to provide balanced texture and flavor in the pickle.
- Layer the Vegetables and Herbs: Tightly pack the cabbage chunks, beet slices, halved garlic cloves, and dill sprigs into a large pot or pickling container, making sure to leave enough space for the brine and a small plate to weigh down the veggies.
- Make the Brine: In a pot, bring water, white vinegar, sugar, and kosher salt to a boil, stirring until sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from heat, then stir in the avocado oil to add a smooth finish to the pickling liquid.
- Combine and Weigh Down: Pour the hot brine over the layered vegetables in the container. Place a small plate on top of the veggies and weigh it down with a heavy object, like a can, to keep the vegetables submerged under the brine, which promotes proper pickling.
- Ferment: Let the container sit overnight at room temperature on the counter to start the pickling process. After this initial period, cover and store the pickled cabbage in the refrigerator to preserve freshness and flavor.
- Serve: When ready, remove the pickled cabbage and beets from the brine. Serve as a tangy side dish, garnishing optionally with extra fresh dill or finely chopped green onion for a burst of herbaceous flavor.
Notes
- Use kosher salt as it dissolves well and has no additives that may affect fermentation.
- Make sure all vegetables remain submerged in the brine to prevent mold.
- Allow the pickles to ferment at room temperature overnight, but store in the refrigerator thereafter to maintain crispness and prevent over-souring.
- You can adjust sugar and vinegar amounts to suit your preferred sweetness and tanginess.
- Use a non-reactive container such as glass or ceramic for pickling to avoid metallic tastes.
- Pickled cabbage and beets taste best after at least 24 hours of refrigeration but can be enjoyed up to 2 weeks.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish, Condiment
- Method: Pickling
- Cuisine: Eastern European, American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup (approximately 80g)
- Calories: 50
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 3.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: pickled cabbage, pickled beets, homemade pickles, fermented vegetables, side dish, easy pickling recipe