This pickled carrots recipe delivers crisp, crunchy carrots that are perfect for snacking, with just the right amount of spices. Learn how to pickle carrots.
We're making spicy pickled carrots in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen today, my friends. Would you care for some? I've been doing more and more pickling lately, as food preservation is becoming more important than ever.
Plus, I've been thinking about ways I can enjoy a satisfying crunchy snack without resorting to unhealthy potato chips or crackers or other processed foods. Pickled carrots are a PERFECT option for me.
I love pickled carrots because they offer a zippy, tangy flavor and they're incredibly easy to make. Plus, I can very easily control the seasonings that go into the pickling brine and the overall heat, depending on what I'm in the mood for. Take a look at my recipe and discussion below for how you can customize them to your own liking.
Let's talk about how we make pickled carrots, shall we?
Pickled Carrots Ingredients
- Carrots. Carrots vary in size, so prepare to use as many as you can fit into a quart sized jar. I use average sized carrots, usually. I slice mine into carrot sticks for snacking, but carrot slices are great, too.
- Pickling Liquid. Use a mixture of white vinegar, water, and pickling salt. You can use more vinegar to water if you'd like.
- Pickling Spices. I use a smashed garlic clove, honey for a touch of sweetness, dried oregano, basil and whole black peppercorns. You can easily vary up your seasonings.
- For Hot Pickled Carrots. I prefer hot pickled carrots for snacking (shocker, I know), so I toss in whatever hot pepper I have on hand. This time I used a single hot devil's tongue pepper and it gave a very nice level of heat. Go with your preferred heat level. Start with a jalapeno pepper and see if that is hot enough for you.
How to Make Pickled Carrots - the Recipe Method
Peel the carrots and discard the stems. Slice the carrots into carrot sticks or slices, to your preference. Set them aside for now.
Add the vinegar, water, salt, garlic, honey, oregano, basil and peppercorns to a large pan.
Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and stir. Let the vinegar mixture cool. Room temperature is fine, but I like to keep it nice and warm.
Stuff a large quart jar (Ball jars are good here, or any thick, solid glass jar) with carrots. Leave about 1 inch of head space at the top after you add the carrots. You'll need room for the brine.
Add the hot pepper slices at the top, if using.
Pour in the brine and seasoning mixture and screw on the cap.
Refrigerate for 24 hours before using to develop the flavors, though they can be eaten right away. They are much better after 1 week.
Pickled carrots will keep at least a month or longer in the refrigerator. If you’d like to preserve them for longer, discard the garlic and process the jar through a water bath for 15 minutes (20 minutes above 6,000 feet elevation).
Boom! Done! Pickled carrots, my friends! They're pretty easy to make, aren't they? So fast. Quick pickled carrots make for an excellent snack. Very healthy and low calorie.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- The Vinegar. I use either white distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar for a touch of sweetness. You can use practically any vinegar, but I suggest using a good quality product. Vinegar is an important component here, so choose one with a flavor and tanginess you enjoy.
- Mexican Pickled Carrots. Mexican pickled carrots are the same as any pickled carrots recipe, but made with ingredients traditional to Mexican cuisine. Use 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, 1 teaspoon chili powder or red pepper flakes, and juice from 1 lime for Mexican pickled carrots.
- Make Hot Pickled Carrots. As mentioned, I enjoy extra hot pickled carrots, but go with your own preference. If you're newer to pickling and hot peppers, try adding in a single jalapeno pepper, sliced. If that isn't not enough, go with a serrano pepper, or try hotter peppers like the habanero pepper, or go really hot with a ghost pepper or a Carolina Reaper. Talk about super hot pickled carrots!
- Other Ingredients. You can also add other vegetables to your pickling mix. Some popular additions are red onions, radishes and more. Pickled vegetables are great snacks and sandwich toppings.
Storage & Leftovers
Storing your Pickled Carrots in an airtight container in the fridge may allow you to store the leftovers for several weeks to several months.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my pickled carrots recipe. As mentioned, they're perfect for snacking, and they're very easy to make nice and spicy, just the way we like it! Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you.
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Pickled Carrots Recipe - How to Pickle Carrots
Ingredients
- 6-7 carrots or as many as you can fit - peeled and sliced into carrot sticks or rings
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon pickling salt
- 1 clove garlic smashed (or more as desired)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 hot pepper sliced (optional, for hot pickled carrots - I used a devil's tongue pepper, but try a jalapeno for just a little heat)
Instructions
- Peel the carrots and discard the stems. Slice the carrots into carrot sticks or slices, to your preference. Set them aside for now.
- Add the vinegar, water, salt, garlic, honey, oregano, basil and peppercorns to a large pan.
- Bring the mixture to a quick boil, then remove from heat and stir.
- Stuff a large quart jar (Ball jars are good here) with carrots, but leave about 1 inch of head space.
- Add the hot pepper slices at the top, if using.
- Pour in the brine and seasoning mixture and screw on the cap.
- Refrigerate for 24 hours before using to develop the flavors, though they can be eaten right away. They are much better after 1 week.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Debbie says
Made a half batch about 5 days ago. Not sure which hot pepper I used as it was one from the freezer. Might have been a serrano. Tasted after a few hours and they were really good, but these definitely improve in flavour as time goes on. Just finished making a second jar. Hopefully I will have a few left after a week to see how much the flavour changes but they are so good, I will probably need another jar by then. I know I should make a larger batch next time.
Mike H. says
Debbie, it is so exciting! Time makes everything better =)
rob says
Hi Mike,
Thank you for all of your hard work and recipes, your fermented hotsauce is a game changer.
I was wondering if you think this could be waterbathed/canned for shelf stability. Love if that or to do a lacto ferment would produce something fun and funky that keeps all year. Thanks again for all
Mike Hultquist says
Rob, you can water bath this for long term keeping, but would need to be sure you have enough acidity for canning. It's easy to add more vinegar if needed, but this likely low enough pH. Be sure to measure. I shoot for 3.5 for home canning. I have a post on Fermenting Peppers here you can refer to: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/cooking-with-chili-peppers/how-to-make-fermented-pepper-mash/
Todd says
Hi besides carrots, onions, jalapeños and radishes what other vegetables would you recommend to pickle?
Mike Hultquist says
Hey, Todd. You can realistically pickle any vegetable. I pickle red onions a lot for sandwiches, and peppers, of course. I also pickle okra, cucumber, cauliflower sometimes (in my giardiniera). If you have a favorite, pickle it for a snack, or anything you like to add to foods for an acidic note and texture.
Gordon says
Hi! Thanks for a very nice site with awesome recipes. The two hot sauces I have tried so far have become staples in our home, and I have bookmarked several other recipes for upcoming kitchen projects.
Quick question about this one: Why do you say the garlic should be discarded before preserving in a water bath? Is it messing with the safety of the preservation?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Gordon. Raw garlic can become an issue with botulism. It's really more of an issue with garlic in oil or low acid environments. It is safe to pickle garlic.
Jim says
I’ve used garlic for years. Interested in see the response.
Thx
Jim
Jim says
Sorry I missed the reply
Paula Thompson says
I make my pickled carrots with scorpion and reaper peppers, and are they ever HOT!!!! I love them like that, but my hubby doesn’t so I have to make two batches of them. I guess that’s not so bad. Thanks for the recipes and your emails.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Paula. Yeah, you'll get some excellent heat with the scorpions! I love it!
Stephanie says
I have been DYING for a different healthy snack idea for this summer, this is exactly what I need! Thank you so much for the inspiration!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Yes! Gotta make sure I keep my belly down! With something spicy, of course. I love these!