Quick Pickled Carrots that are good for you. Randomized controlled trials suggest that two teaspoons of vinegar with a meal may improve blood sugar control, blunting the blood sugar spike by about 20 percent. However, drinking it straight can damage the esophagus in several ways, including causing acidic burns, ulcerative injuries, and necrosis.
That's why I make it a habit to pickle something weekly in vinegar, along with longevity spices, and add it to my meals. This Quick Pickled Carrots recipe packs in antioxidants and adds a tangy crunch with the numerous health benefits of vinegar.
These benefits include restoring ovarian function within a few months in four out of seven women with PCOS, acutely improving artery function in postmenopausal women, and improving nitric-oxide production which may help with hypertension. Vinegar is also associated with weight loss.
We get three times more antioxidants in cooked carrots than raw. Therefore, the carrots are placed into the hot vinegar to partially cook them while preserving their crunch. Pairing these pickled carrots with your meals can reduce their effects on blood glucose.
This Pickled Carrots recipe was inspired by my longevity Pickled Red Onion recipe, as well as this Picked Cauliflower, and Quick Pickled Radish on my site.
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👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
- Carrots
- Vinegar (apple cider, white, red, or white wine vinegar)
- Optional spices (cinnamon, cloves, anise, black seeds, freeze-dried ginger, cloves, black peppercorn)
- Red chili pepper (optional)
Find all the longevity ingredients here. See the recipe card for quantities.
Why These Pickled Carrots Are Good For You
Each spice was chosen based on evidence-based research about its health-boosting properties. Cloves are amongst the most antioxidant-packed spices, ginger boasts anti-inflammatory properties, and cinnamon is a cheap food source of antioxidants.
Black cumin seeds (optional) may improve cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, and blood sugar control. Black cumin powder reduced LDL cholesterol in postmenopausal women by 27 percent within two months, significantly better than a placebo. They may also help with menopausal symptoms. The side effects reported were lack of appetite and weight loss.
🥕 Substitutions
- Red chili pepper - omit for less spicy
- Spices - mustard seeds, whole cloves, cumin seeds, anise, Ceylon cinnamon sticks, ginger, garlic, and black peppercorns are my go-to spices for their studied health benefits but most spices are suitable
- Vinegar- Use white, apple cider, red or white wine vinegar, or a mixture.
- Sweetener - to lightly sweeten pickled carrots, add about 2 teaspoons of agave or maple syrup
For more healthy dips and spreads, visit my Vegan Condiment Recipes page.
📖 How to Pickled Carrots
For the full recipe with quantities, scroll down to the bottom of the post. This is an overview.
Step 1. Grate the carrots using a vegetable peeler.
Step 2. Transfer the vinegar to a small saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Once the vinegar is simmering, remove the saucepan from the heat and add the carrots, cloves, star anise, ginger, cinnamon, seeds, and black peppercorns. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Step 3. Transfer to a glass container with a tight-fitting lid and add water to cover the carrots. Slice the red chili pepper in half lengthwise and add it to the liquid. Refrigerate. ( I used this container and it works very well as you can flip it over and easily remove the carrot.)
Step 4. Serve as a crunchy tangy topping.
✔️ Expert Tips
- For more flavor let the spices simmer in the vinegar for 5 minutes before adding the carrots. Yet, placing the spices in the warm vinegar and refrigerating overnight allows the flavors to concentrate further over time. I chose not to simmer and to wait overnight as simmering the spices may destroy some benefits.
- Enjoy the vinegar in dressings and consume the spices with the carrots! Nothing should go to waste. Add more carrots to any remaining vinegar for up to two weeks.
- Storage: Refrigerate Quick Pickled Carrots in an airtight container for up to 7 days. I used this container and it works very well as you can flip it over and easily remove the carrot. The capacity of the half that stores the pickles is 700ml/23.7 ounces, so use one around that size.
🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
A double-blind study found that the two vinegar groups (one tablespoon and two tablespoons) lost significantly more weight than the control group. CT scans showed the vinegar groups lost a significant amount of viscera fat, the abdominal fat that is particularly associated with chronic disease risk.
🍽️ Related Recipes
🥙 Pairing
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📖 Recipe
Pickled Carrots
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Ingredients
- 3 large carrots
- 1 ½ cups apple cider vinegar or white, red wine, or white wine vinegar
- 5 whole cloves
- 1 star anise
- 1 teaspoon freeze-dried ginger or 3 slices fresh
- ½ Ceylon cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon black cumin seeds or mustard seeds
- 7 black peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons agave or maple syrup (optional)
- ½ red chili pepper
- 1 cup water plus more as needed
Instructions
- Grate the carrots using a vegetable peeler into long strips.
- Transfer the vinegar to a small saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Once the vinegar is simmering, remove the saucepan from the heat and add the carrots, cloves, star anise, ginger, cinnamon, seeds, and black peppercorns. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a glass container with a tight-fitting lid and add water to cover the carrots. Slice the red chili pepper in half lengthwise and add it to the liquid. Refrigerate.
- Serve as a crunchy tangy topping.
Notes
-
- For more flavor let the spices simmer in the vinegar for 5 minutes before adding the carrots. Yet, placing the spices in the warm vinegar and refrigerating overnight allows the flavors to concentrate further over time. I chose not to simmer and to wait overnight as simmering the spices may destroy some benefits.
- Enjoy the vinegar in dressings and consume the spices with the carrots! Nothing should go to waste. Add more carrots to any remaining vinegar for up to two weeks.
- Storage jar: I used this container and it works very well as you can flip it over and easily remove the carrot. The capacity of the half that stores the pickles is 700ml/23.7 ounces, so use one around that size.
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is an ESTIMATE only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe.
Julie says
For the ½ red chili pepper, is that dried, packed in oil, or fresh? Also, what kind of red chili peppers should I get? And if I don't have any kind of whole red chili pepper, what can I use instead?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Fresh red chili pepper. Whole. You can omit it or use jalapeño!
eliza says
hi, unfortunately, the email with the recipes does not reach me. I have been trying for days with various of your recipes but nothing is getting through. I checked the spam. also nothing. something am I doing wrong? thanks
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Did you get an email today? Email me at [email protected] if not.
Sarah Barrios says
Where can I buy that pickling jar?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
https://amzn.to/3UjyQVQ
Julia says
These are so good! They add such a nice freshness to every dish I’ve put them on. I’ve made it a point to have some of these in my fridge at all times, they’re such a great topping.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So glad you are enjoying them. I do the same!
Kayla says
Soooo yummy and easy to make. I added 4 cloves of garlic and a whole habanero, if you like things really garlicky and spicy like me I definitely would do the same:)
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
That sounds so good! I'll have to try it!
Angie Herapath says
I love the simplicity of this recipe. Iam gone make it very soon.Thanks so much
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So glad to hear. Thank you.
:D says
Is black cumin seeds the same as nigella seeds?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Yes!
Marie says
Fun to make, easy instructions, looks pretty in a jar and is delicious! This was my first time pickling carrots and I would recommend it. Thanks Nisha.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So happy to hear that! Thank you 🙂
sydnie7 says
You mention star anise in instructions but not ingredient list (I don't care for it and would skip it regardless). But I'll try the rest of the recipe as DH loves anything pickled!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Just added it. sorry.
Heidi says
I am curious if u have a pickled ginger recipe - I tried it once from a random recipe it turned out not so grate so I must of had it wrong
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
I do not currently have one but will create one!
Lei says
Delicious, super healthy and easy! I will keep making them to enrich my meals
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Thank you so much for commenting.
R says
Where it says transfer to a jar...I don't understand if the carrots are removed from the vinegar and then water is added, or kept in the vinegar which is topped up with water?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Kept in the vinegar which is topped with water.
Alan says
Nisha: On the vinegar... I've been taking apple cider vinegar every morning, about a tsp, for some time now. Does what you say apply there as well?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
The only concern is whether it is slowly weaken ing your esophageal sphincter. I would prefer you add the vinegar to your meals.