Middle Eastern spicy pickled turnips are so easy to do at home. This recipe has just a few ingredients and a 3 to 4 day wait time. Not to mention, it's a huge batch that can be shared with those that are really special to you.
I love eating pickled turnips with some fried eggs and pita bread, chicken shawarma, or with some fresh falafel. The spicy, salt, sour flavors all coming together with the fresh crunch of the turnips. Oh my gosh, pickling turnips at home is so much better than the kind you buy at the grocery store!
For one, this recipe has the added flavor and spice from the red chili peppers. Secondly, the vinegar brine can be adjusted to your taste while making your own batch.
If you are interested in the health benefits of turnips, I found this article really helpful.
Ingredients Notes
- Turnips: The main ingredient for this recipe is turnips. In fact, you can skip the cauliflower and carrots if you would like. I like the cauliflower and carrots for variety.
- Cauliflower: I use just a normal cauliflower head.
- Carrots: I use regular size carrots, then peel and chop them.
- Beet: We only need one beet for this recipe.
- Spicy Red Pepper: Be careful when adding fresh red peppers, because the spicy level can be different. Fresno peppers are also a great red chili pepper to use.
- Salt: I like using sea salt, however any type of salt will work. The quantity of salt will change depending on the type of salt used.
- Sugar: I use regular white table sugar.
- Vinegar: Distilled white vinegar is needed. Don't substitute any other type of vinegar. The amount of vinegar might need to be adjusted slightly depending on the size of the jar.
How To Make Pickled Turnips
Prepare the vegetables. Peel the carrots and turnips. Chop the turnips, carrots, and cauliflower into similar-sized pieces.
Blend the spicy peppers and salt together using a food processor. Add the blended spicy peppers and salt to the sliced vegetables.
Let vegetables sweat. Add 5 tablespoon of salt to the vegetables in a large bowl. Let the vegetables sit for about 2 hours. The vegetables will sweat. Don't discard the liquid.
Add the vegetables and liquid to a large glass jar (or multiple jars). Add around 10 tablespoon of vinegar, 2 tablespoon sugar, and 5 tablespoon more salt.
Boil water. Completely cover the vegetables with boiling water. Taste the vinegar brine and adjust the salt and vinegar as needed.
Close the jar and keep it at room temperature for 3 to 4 days before eating. Once the turnips and vegetables have been pickled (after the 3 to 4 days at room temperature), store the jar in the fridge.
Day 1 Day 4
Equipment
- Chef's knife and cutting board to chop the vegetables
- Strainer to wash and drain the vegetables
- Peeler to peel the carrots, beets, and turnips
- Glass container (I use 2 large mason jars that are 10 cups each in size)
FAQs
Pickled turnips are pink because usually a beetroot is added. After a few days of pickling, the vinegar salt brine and pickled vegetables turn a light pink color.
Keep the pickled refrigerated after they have pickled for up to 1 month in the fridge.
This recipe needs 3 or 4 days to pickle the turnips at room temperature. After 3 or 4 days, move the jar to the fridge.
Eat Pickled Turnips With
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Spicy Middle Eastern Pickled Turnips
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 20 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These spicy Middle Eastern pickled turnips are so easy. Made with cauliflower, carrots, and red spicy peppers, they are delicious.
Ingredients
- 8 turnips
- 8 whole carrots
- ½ head of cauliflower
- 1 small beet
- 5 spicy large red peppers
- 10 tbsp salt (sea salt) ** see notes
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 10 tbsp white vinegar ** see notes
- boiling water (enough to cover the vegetables)
Instructions
- Wash the vegetables.
- Peel and cut the turnips, carrots, and beet. Cut the cauliflower. Cut the stems off the spicy red pepper. Cut the spicy red pepper into thirds.
- In a food processor, blend the spicy red pepper and 5 tablespoon of salt.
- In a large bowl add all of the chopped vegetables and the blended spicy pepper. Mix the vegetables well. Allow the vegetables to sit at room temperature for 2 hours and sweat out the moisture. There will be a few cups of liquid at the bottom of the bowl.
- Add the vegetables into an airtight container or multiple airtight containers (I used 2 half-gallon size mason jars). Pour the liquid on top of the vegetables (that sweated out). Add 10 tablespoon (this is the total amount) of white vinegar. Add 5 tablespoon of salt.
- Boil water. Pour the boiling water into the jar fully covering the vegetables. Seal the jar and shake it. Open the jar and taste the liquid. Don't put the spoon back into the jar!
- Adjust the salt and vinegar depending on the vinegar brine taste.
- Seal the jar and keep it at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. After 3 or 4 days once the vegetables have pickled, move the jar to the fridge. Keep in the fridge for up to 1 month.
Notes
- Depending on the salt used for this recipe, the quantity will change. I used crystallized sea salt, however, if using iodized table salt, the quantity will be less. I recommend tasting the vinegar brine and adjusting.
- Depending on the size of the jar, the amount of hot water and vinegar will change as well.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Pickling
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 52 calories
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 310 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: pickled turnips, Quick pickled turnips, Middle eastern pickled turnips, easy pickled turnips, Arabic pickled turnips
Sarah says
These were crunchy, spicy, and delicious. It made a large amount, so I had to give some to the neighbors.
★★★★★