Quick Pickled Turnips With Middle Eastern Flair

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, 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 You'll Need:

• 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.

You will also need:

• Chef's knife and cutting board
• Glass container (I use 2 large mason jars that are 10 cups each in size)

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How To Make Arabic Pickled Turnips

1. Prepare the vegetables. Peel the carrots and turnips. Chop the turnips, carrots, and cauliflower into similar sized pieces.
2. Blend the spicy peppers and salt together using a food processor. Add the blended spicy peppers and salt to the sliced vegetables.
3. Let vegetables sweat. Add 5 tbsp 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.
4. Add the vegetables and liquid to a large glass jar (or multiple jars). Add around 10 tbsp of vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar, and 5 tbsp more of salt.
5. Boil water. Completely cover the vegetables with boiling water. Taste the vinegar brine and adjust the salt and vinegar as needed.
6. Close the jar and keep it at room temperature for 3 to 4 days before eating.
7. Once the turnips and vegetables have pickled (after the 3 to 4 days at room temperature), store the jar in the fridge.

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How Long Does It Take To Pickle Turnips?

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.

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How Long Do They Last?

Keep the pickled refrigerated after they have pickled for up to 1 month in the fridge.

Why Are Pickled Turnips Pink?

Pickled turnips are pink because usually a beet root is added. After a few days of pickling, the vinegar salt brine and pickled vegetables turn a light pink color.

What Do You Eat Pickled Turnips With?

These pickled turnips go great with:

• Egyptian Ta'ameya
• Lebanese Falafel
• Fried Eggplant in Tomato Sauce (Mesa'ah)
• Fried Sumac Eggs
• Minced Meat Stuffed Pita Sandwiches (Hawawshi)
• Lebanese Lentils and Rice With Caramelized Onions (Mujadarrah)

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