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    Home » Recipes » Sauces and Spreads

    By Kaleigh McMordie - April 7, 2021

    Asian Style Quick Pickled Carrots

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    jar of pickled carrots with a gold fork in it and a white napkin beside it with text overlay.

    These easy, Asian-style pickled carrots are so simple to make in less than an hour with just a few ingredients. They add a tangy pop of flavor to salads, bowls, sandwiches and more! (gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free)

    overhead view of pickled carrots in a jar with a gold fork beside it.

    One of the easiest ways to take meals from good to great? With killer toppings, like pickled vegetables! These Asian style quick pickled carrots are easy to make and perfect for topping all kinds of Asian-inspired meals.

    Why pickle carrots?

    Pickled carrots add a bright, vinegary pop of flavor and pretty color to just about any dish without the tough crunch of raw carrots. If you ever feel like a dish is missing something, you can bet a little spoonful of pickled carrots will almost always do the trick! You'll love this pickled carrot recipe because it's simple, quick, has just a few ingredients, and lasts a long time in the refrigerator, so you're never without a killer condiment!

    How to quick pickle carrots

    There are two kinds of pickling - fermentation and vinegar pickling. This recipe is the latter method, as it's much less involved and results are almost immediate. For the vinegar pickling method, you essentially heat vinegar and salt and then immerse the carrots in the hot solution. The acid in the vinegar keeps the carrots from spoiling quickly by killing any microorganisms while also giving them that delicious sour flavor. You can read more about the science behind pickling here. To make them extra-quick, the carrots sit at room temperature instead of in the refrigerator.

    four imgae collage showing steps for making pickled carrots.

    To make these easy pickled onions, you'll need:

    • A glass jar with a lid
    • A kettle or saucepan to heat the water
    • A vegetable peeler to shred the carrots into ribbons
    • Carrots
    • Vinegar - I use rice vinegar for an Asian-inspired flavor.
    • Kosher salt - you can also use pickling salt if you have it, but kosher salt works just fine here.
    • A pinch of sugar - to tame the bite of the vinegar
    • Fresh ginger - optional, but it adds an extra dimension of flavor

    To make easy pickled carrots:

    • Peel carrots into ribbons and thinly slice ginger. Pack the carrots and ginger into the jar.
    • Heat the water to boiling. Mix with the vinegar, salt and sugar. Stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved.
    • Pour the hot liquid over the carrots covering them completely. Close the lid and give it a little shake.
    • Let the carrots sit on the counter for 30 minutes or more. Then they'll be ready to use!
    • For a less quick method, place them in the fridge overnight instead of on the counter.
    jar of pickled carrots with a gold fork in it and a white napkin beside it.

    Storing & using pickled carrots

    Your pickled carrots should be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container (like the jar you made them in). They will keep for at least a couple of weeks, in which time you can use them on top of anything that strikes your fancy! A few of my favorite ways to use Asian style pickled carrots include:

    • On top of tacos or lettuce wraps
    • On sandwiches or burgers
    • In salads or bowls
    • On eggs or omelets
    • With charcuterie or cheese plates
    overhead view of a gold fork pulling pickled carrots from a jar.

    A note about probiotics and easy pickled carrots

    You may have heard that pickled vegetables contain probiotics. Those pickled vegetables are the kind using the fermentation method, which produces bacteria that are good for the gut. That is not this quick version using vinegar. Sorry. But these quick pickled carrots are still a delicious way to get more vegetables in your diet, so eat 'em by the spoonful!

    If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating in the comments!

    Print

    Asian Style Quick Pickled Carrots

    jar of pickled carrots with a gold fork in it and a white napkin beside it.
    Print Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 2 reviews

    These easy, Asian-style pickled carrots are so simple to make in less than an hour with just a few ingredients. They add a tangy pop of flavor to salads, bowls, sandwiches and more! (gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free)

    • Author: Kaleigh
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 30 minutes
    • Total Time: 40 minutes
    • Yield: 1 cup 1x
    • Category: side dish
    • Method: pickled
    • Cuisine: Asian

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 cup carrots, shredded or grated into ribbons
    • ¼ cup rice vinegar
    • ½ cup hot water
    • ½ tsp sugar
    • 1 tsp salt
    • fresh ginger slices

    Instructions

    1. Use a vegetable peeler to peel carrots into ribbons. You can also cut carrots into matchsticks or use pre-shredded carrots. Slice ginger into ¼-inch thick slices. 
    2. Pack carrots tightly into a glass jar. Add 3-4 slices of ginger.
    3. In a heat-proof container, mix vinegar, salt and sugar. Add hot water and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved.
    4. Pour mixture over the carrots, making sure to cover the carrots completely.
    5. Close the jar and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour before using. If you have more time, you can place them in the refrigerator overnight to pickle.

    Notes

    Store pickled carrots in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

    Keywords: quick pickled carrots, asian pickled carrots, easy pickled carrots

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @livelytable on Instagram and hashtag it #livelytable

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    This post may contain affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission off of your purchase with no extra cost to you. Please read my affiliate disclosure for more information.

    About Kaleigh McMordie

    Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, is a Registered Dietitian and Licensed Dietitian in Abilene, Texas, as well as a member of the Baby Led Weaning Dietitians Network. Kaleigh can be found at kaleighmcmordie.com.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rachael says

      September 24, 2022 at 8:25 pm

      Super fast and easy and I usually have all of the ingredients! Thank you!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. Miss J says

      May 09, 2022 at 10:30 am

      Great idea! great Recipe! I make quick cucumber pickles all the time, but I ran out of cucumbers and I'm so lucky that I found your recipe. I made it exactly as you said, except that I cut the carrots into 'coins'. They were delicious and a super addition to my appetizer offerings. I served them right out of the lovely blue mason jar that I made them in, just so that everyone would know that I made them! Guess what, they all asked for your recipe and will soon be making them too! Thank you for the inspiration.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kaleigh says

        May 10, 2022 at 6:34 am

        I am so glad you and your guests loved them!

        Reply

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