Pickled Dirt Stems (Quick Asian Pickles)
Yep, we said dirt stems—because beet stems taste earthy in the best way. What started as a root-to-tip experiment turned into these tangy, no-waste quick pickles. We used beet stems, but you could sub in carrots, radishes, or cucumbers. Give them a try on Fried Rice, Korean Sloppy Joes, salads, or wherever you like to use pickled vegetables.Ingredients with an asterisk (*) are available seasonally right here in North Iowa! Click on select ingredients to find them nearby or stop by your local farmer's market.
Servings: 8
Calories: 27kcal
Equipment
- Sauce Pan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar or vinegar of choice
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- beet stems* removed from green leaves
Instructions
- Combine water, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Place on stove and heat gently until sugar and salt have dissolved.
- While vinegar mixture is heating prepare vegetables.Remove beet tops from root. Tear, or cut leaves off stems, and set leaves aside for another use. Chop beet stems into 1/4 inch pieces.If using carrots, slice into matchsticks. Slice cucumbers and radishes in half length-wise, and then into half moons.
- Place vegetables into pint jar or other air tight container. Pour vinegar mixture over vegetables and seal with a lid.
- Allow vegetables to rest in fridge for at least 24 hours before using. Pickles will last for up to 5 days depending on the vegetables used.
Notes
While you can make this recipe with beet stems and other vegetables, the beets will turn everything they are mixed with red. You may want to make 2 batches and keep the vegetables separated to avoid them changing colors.
Food Photography by Sierra Buchholz
Nutrition
Calories: 27kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 582mg | Potassium: 1mg | Sugar: 6g | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 0.01mg