Homemade Quick-Pickled Beets and Turnips Recipe | Foodal (2024)

Typically, turnips don’t exactly exude confidence.

They’re an oft-forgotten root vegetable that’s primarily recognized for not having much flavor.

That’s not really the reputation you want.

But I’d like to change that.

I’m aware that if you’re not a big fan of root vegetables to begin with, I probably can’t transform turnips into the love of your life. But when you experience a pickled turnip for the first time, one that’s been permeated with the crimson color of a beet, you might start to see them in a new light.

Pickled condiments are a staple in many different types of cuisine. Let’s explore, shall we?

We’ve got Lebanese-style (like today’s featured recipe) that tucks in beautifully to a meaty gyro. There’s giardiniera – an Italian relish medley of pickled vegetables in vinegar or oil that gives life to beefy hoagies.

I recently even spotted pickled green beans and pickled baby carrots on an elegant charcuterie platter at a Spanish tapas spot.

But for right this second, I’d like to discuss the OG from my childhood: the dill pickle.

Okay, technically it’s a pickled cucumber, but you get where I’m going with this. I’ve always had a thing for pairing fried, salty food with cold, crunchy pickles.

I have hundreds of upscale food memories from my younger years (like fresh, tomatoey bouillabaisse prepared oceanside…) thanks to being raised by parents who were quite the epicureans.

But no matter how much my dad instilled in me the art of scratch-made cooking featuring fresh herbs and my mom begged me to try her rainbow chard, I still couldn’t get enough Applebee’s.

I know. It’s a miracle I ended up in the culinary industry.

I like to think that my relentless love for this American neighborhood grill was actually an exploration in understanding how flavor contrast and balance work.

This is clearly the gourmet in me speaking.

I know that this chain, though a delightfully affordable family-friendly franchise, isn’t exactly known for their artisanal abilities in the kitchen. But I can still taste the crispy tenders from that chicken finger basket paired with chilled briny pickles like it was yesterday.

(And it definitely wasn’t yesterday. I had my sixteenth birthday party there, and that was many moons ago.)

I remember that I couldn’t share a seasoned pile of french fries with friends without asking for my beloved sidecar of ridged pickles. It was as if I knew that my future self was going to become a professional cook, and I was implanting culinary nuggets (like balancing acidity with fat) into my teenage brain.

Now, as an adult, I slide all kinds of pickled veggies into anywhere that I want to infuse with a bit of magic.

And by magic, I mean crunchy tartness.

These pickled beets and turnips are a game-changer when it comes to flavor, but color is another key feature. As the hot brine gets washed over the veggies, a few cloves of garlic, and the fiery red chili, the beets release their energetic shade into the turnips.

Suddenly, the once-bland turnips are literally “turnt up.”

The result: thick, rosy matchsticks that are addictively salty, gloriously garlicky, a touch sweet, and delicately hot.

You can slip them into souvlaki, toss them with greens, or take them to Applebee’s for a hot date.

No judgement here.

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Cooking By the Numbers…

Step 1 – Peel and Chop Vegetables

Trim the root ends and tops off of the beets and turnips, and then peel them with a vegetable peeler. If you bought the beets with the greens still attached, don’t throw them out! Saute them with garlic for a delish side.

To slice them into matchsticks, place the end side flat on a cutting board.

Slice into flat slices that are ½ inch thick.

Stack several slices at a time, and then slice lengthwise into fat sticks.

Step 2 – Make the Brine

In a medium saucepot over high heat, add the vinegar, water, salt, sugar, and bay leaves and bring to a boil.

Whisk until the salt and sugar are dissolved, about 1 minute.

Step 3 – Pour the Brine over the Veggies

Thinly slice the garlic.

Slice the red chili down the middle, and remove the seeds.

Place the turnips, beets, garlic, and chili into glass jars with tight-fitting lids. I used two 32-ounce jars for this recipe.

Pour the vinegar mixture over the vegetables, leaving about ½ inch of space at the top.

Step 4 – Cover and Refrigerate

Cover the jars with lids and allow the pickles and their liquid to cool slightly. Refrigerate for at least 1 day before enjoying.

Pickles will keep in the fridge for up to 1 month.