How to Make Pickled Beets With Honey

Last Updated on August 16, 2021 by Ellen Christian

Have you ever made pickled beets with honey? Learn how to make these delicious honey beets with red or golden beets.

I know that most recipes use sugar, but I did a bit of experimenting and came up with a recipe that uses honey instead of sugar. The taste is fairly similar and it’s just as easy to make.

I’ve been working on purchasing more things that are produced locally, and while I can find honey and maple syrup that are sourced locally, I cannot find granulated sugar. 

How to Make Pickled Beets With Honey

When I went to the farmer’s market today, I wanted to buy vegetables that were in season now. In Vermont, we are just starting to get our spring greens and root vegetables.

So there was a lot of lettuce, spinach, kale, Swiss chard, beets, and radishes. I always pick up lettuce and spinach, but they don’t stay good in the refrigerator for more than a few days.

I wanted something that would feed us for the rest of the week after the lettuce started to wilt.

Can you use honey in pickling?

Yes, you certainly can. Just remember that honey is much sweeter than granulated sugar. So, you will need to adjust the taste slightly so it’s not too sweet.

Just cut the amount of honey you use by a bit so they aren’t too sweet. It’s all up to personal taste. Generally, 3/4 cup of honey is the same sweetness as one cup of sugar.

Are pickled red beets good for you?

Yes, they are. Pickled beets are low in fat and calories. Plus, they are gluten-free and contain whole ingredients provided you make them yourself rather than buy them at a store.

Are canned beets as healthy as fresh beets?

Canned beets from the store generally have more sodium in them than beets you cook at home. But, this pickled beets with honey recipe does not use salt.

If you are watching your sugar, beets without honey would be lower in sugar than this recipe. The fiber content should be similar in both versions.

I’m the only one that likes beets so I decided to pickle them so they’d last longer. I made four small jars which will last me all year pretty much.

So, I generally just eat one or two at a time. I added some organic onions I got at our food coop to help fill out the jars. Originally, I bought a bunch of golden beets at our local farmer’s market.

Then, when I went into the city, I decided I wanted to make a larger batch and picked up a bunch of regular beets. It doesn’t really matter what color they are.

These just aren’t as purple as normal because half are golden.

Pickled Beets With Honey Recipe

So, you’ll notice that I make pickled beets with onions instead of plain pickled beets with honey. I love the flavor that the onions give the recipe.

Normally, I will use regular yellow onions. If you would prefer not to use onions, you can certainly leave them out.

Canning pickled beets is an easy first canning recipe if you’re new to the process. It’s relatively simple and you only need a few basic ingredients to get started.

How long should I store these?

I let the jars sit for about a month before I eat them just to make sure they’re pickled enough. I’ve heard of people sampling them after seven days and enjoying them then. You’ll have to experiment and see what’s best for you.

Stored in a dark cabinet, these pickled beets with honey should last for about two years. Once you open a jar, store it in the refrigerator.

Have you ever made pickled beets with honey? Here are more ideas for using honey. We use honey in quite a few different ways including our breakfast oatmeal, to sweeten my coffee, and even to bake with.

What’s the best way to eat beets?

Well, I really like these pickled beets with honey. But, you could try steamed beets. Get the simple recipe here. And, don’t forget to try beet greens. You don’t want to lose out on all the health benefits!

You may also like:

• 13 Delicious Pickle Recipes

• 50+ Homemade Salsa Recipe

• Easy Pickled Asparagus

• Make sauerkraut in mason jars

• Homemade Garlic Dill Pickles