This Pickled Carrots Recipe is simpler than you think to make, and we do an easy water bath canning method so we have them to enjoy all year round. The carrots are pickled with garlic and spices to be the perfect bite.
If you love pickling, then try our Easy Pickled Beets Recipe or our scrumptious Bread and Butter Pickles.
Helpful Items for This Recipe
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We love to share our wonderful canning and preserving recipes. Our site has become kind of noted for our canning recipes and quick pickling. I know a lot of people are enjoying them, and we try to add more each year, too.
What Ingredients Are Needed for Pickled Carrots Recipe?
The ingredients are simple, but you do have to pay attention to some for canning.
Carrots – Find big, firm, fresh carrots. Grab them from your local market to get them fresh.
White vinegar – Just regular white vinegar works best for this recipe.
Water – This is used to make the brine, and tap water is just fine as long as your tap water is good.
Kosher salt – For canning, you need to use Kosher salt or pickling salt, not table salt, as your canning will darken in color if it is iodized. Even if it is iodine-free, it can make your canning cloudy.
Sugar – Some recipes ask for a lot of sugar. I don’t like them too sweet, but just enough to balance the vinegar.
Dill seeds, Mustard seeds, Black peppercorns, Red chili flakes – For spices, for the recipe, we did a custom blend. Some recipes ask for pickling spices that you can get in the grocery store. They usually include cinnamon, allspice, mustard seed, coriander, bay leaves, ginger, chilies, cloves, black pepper, mace, and cardamom or some variation of those spices.
Garlic – Fresh cloves add the perfect flavor to the carrots.
4 sterilized 500 ml. pint jars – You need fresh lids if the jars have been used before.
How to Can Pickled Carrots
Sterilize jars; I run mine through the dishwasher and then into boiling water for 5 min., including the lids and rings. If doing ahead of time, keep them warm in a 200F. oven.
Bring a large pot of water to boil to blanch the carrots.
Prepare carrots by washing, peeling, and cutting them into thin sticks. Measure them up to the jars to make sure they fit.
With the water at a full boil, drop the carrots in and cook for 2-3 min. or until tender-crisp. You can omit this step if you like your carrots crisper.
Drain the carrots quickly and immerse them in an ice-water bath. Drain.
Add vinegar, water, salt, and sugar to a large pot and bring to a boil; cook for about 5 min or until salt and sugar are dissolved.
Divide spices between jars and add 1 garlic clove per jar. Pack in carrots tightly.
Pour the hot brine into the jars using a canning funnel, leaving a 1/2″ headspace.
With a knife or skewer, remove any air bubbles.
Wipe the lids and place the lids on the rings. Screw to fingertip tightness.
Place in a water bath for 10 min. at sea level or according to altitude adjustment.
Now time for the water bath! Sign up for the helpful guide below to adjust to altitude. We have to do that here in Calgary.
Process at a rolling boil for 10 minutes at sea level or 15 minutes at over 3000 ft altitude, which is where we are in Calgary.
Quick Pickled Vegetables
Quick pickled veggies are wonderful for a quick and easy condiment or side. Check out this great recipe here!!
Recipe Pro Tips!
How to Quick Pickle Carrots
To quick pickle just simply means to place the veggie in a brine and refrigerate. There is no need to do a water bath, but your produce will only last for a few weeks, I have found, so make smaller batches.
I love doing quick pickling on onion, fennel, and pickles!! But I also really enjoy canning, too. It is all about preserving summer’s bounty. They just need to sit for 24 hours before diving in.
You will see the difference as they age more and more and take on more of the spices as you eat them.
How Long Do Pickled Carrots Last?
If the carrots are quick pickled, they will last in your refrigerator for 3-4 weeks maximum, but if canned, they will last a year.
DO YOU LOVE TO CAN?
Here are some of our favorite recipes to can and ones that we do year after year. Enjoy!!
Pin it HERE!!
Easy Pickled Carrots
Ingredients
- 5 lbs. carrots multi-colored or orange
- 3 cups white vinegar
- 3 cups of water
- 3 Tbsp. Kosher salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 tsp. dill seeds
- 2 tsp. mustard seeds
- 2 tsp. black peppercorns
- 1 tsp. red chili flakes
- 4 cloves garlic cracked
- 4 sterilized 500 ml. pint jars
Instructions
- Sterilize jars; I run mine through the dishwasher and then into boiling water for 5 min., including the lids and rings. If doing ahead of time, keep them warm in a 200F. oven.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil to blanch the carrots.
- Prepare carrots by washing, peeling and cutting into thin sticks. Measure them up to the jars to make sure they fit.
- With the water at a full boil, drop the carrots in and cook for 2-3 min. until tender-crisp. You can omit this step if you like your carrots crisper.
- Drain the carrots quickly and immerse them in an ice-water bath. Drain.
- Add vinegar, water, salt, and sugar to a large pot and bring to a boil; cook for about 5 min or until salt and sugar are dissolved.
- Divide spices between jars and add 1 garlic clove per jar. Pack in carrots tightly.
- Pour the hot brine into the jars using a canning funnel, leaving a 1/2" headspace.
- With a knife or skewer, remove any air bubbles.
- Wipe the lids and place the lids on the rings. Screw to fingertip tightness.
- Place in a water bath for 10 min. at sea level or according to altitude adjustment.
Comments & Reviews
Cindy says
What is the total time amount after boil begins?
Tara Noland says
If you are talking about the canning part it is 10 min. for sea level. What altitude are you at?
Gail says
I just used this recipe for the second time.
Waited a few weeks and they were devoured. Absolutely delicious!!
The first time I peeled and cut mature carrots into strips. That took such a very long time, especially cutting hard carrots into strips.
This time I used baby carrots and cut them in half lengthwise. I can handle that!
Each recipe yielded 7 pints for me in wide mouth jars.
This recipe will be a keeper for me! YUM!!
Tara Noland says
So glad you liked it!! Thanks for taking the time to tell me.
Michele says
I’m new to pickling, can I just use a medley of pickling spices?
Tara Noland says
Yes you can, you can use whatever you like.
Adam Ellis says
I really like this recipe for pickling cucumbers. I tried adding in a cucumber with a bunch of carrots the first time I made this and ended up liking the pickled cucumber so much this is my go to recipe for that now.
Good balance of sweet, salt, acid and heat from the pepper. I tried adding a jalapeno to my last batch since I had one laying around, excited to see how that works out.
Thanks for the recipe!
Tara Noland says
You are very welcome! Enjoy!
Pam says
Made these for the first time. My daughter wanted them crunchier so we skipped the blanching step so these were super easy to make! Should we leave them sit for any length of time before opening a jar or can they be opened right away?
Tara Noland says
You can try a jar right away and then leave some sit and see which you like better!!
Cynthia says
Can carrots be out in at room temperature or do they have to be hot packed? I get so confused with this process, as well as beets
Tara Noland says
Are you talking about cooking them versus not? Carrots you don’t need to but beets will be too hard if you don’t.
Theresa says
Is it necessary to blanch the carrots since they are put into a water bath?
Sherry Hudson-Smith says
If you like a crunchier texture you don’t need to blanch.
Sprout says
How do you adjust for altitude? I’ve never had to do it before.
Tara Noland says
I have a free cheat sheet, you can just sign up for it. Got to where it says, ” Now time for the water bath! Sign up for the helpful guide below to adjust to the altitude. We have to do that here in Calgary.” Click the image below that and it will be emailed to you!
Mitzi says
These are so good! I had family over and my 3 year old grandson loves them. Office agreed!! I am making a lot more!!!
Tara Noland says
I am so glad you are enjoying them!! Happy Canning!!
C says
I only boiled my carrots for 10 mins before I realized I should have adjusted for the altitude in Calgary… Is this a problem? Everything sealed properly but I don’t want to make anyone sick.
Tara Noland says
I would eat them sooner than later, your shelf life may not be as good with them. You can also refrigerate them but to be on the safe side I would eat them quickly.
Valerie says
Can you use baby carrots or sliced into discs instead of sticks
Tara Noland says
Sure, you can cut them or use whole small baby carrots.
Keikilani says
I am obsessed with picked veggies! I can’t wait to try your recipe.
Wren LaPorte says
This looks delicious and easy! I may have to make these for my brother, he is a fan of anything pickled!
Ruth I says
I’ve never tried or tasted pickled carrots before. It looks delicious for me!
Catalina says
wow! What a great snack idea! I am sure that my family will love it!
Romy Schorr says
My grandmas used to pickle all kinds of veggies from her garden. Pickled carrots was one of my favorites. This brings back great memories and I hope to eventually pickle some myself!
Heather says
I’ve never tried pickled carrots before. That sounds so good! I’m going to make them this weekend!
Brianne Tursi Manz says
I have only had pickled carrots when mixed with other veggies, like dilly beans. I need to get a canning pot, jars and carrots and get to pickling!
Tara Pittman says
I do like pickles. I need to try this recipe to see how they taste pickled.