Pickled Carrots and Fennel is an easy, quick, tangy snack. It’s a little bit spicy, crunchy, and flavorful! Add them to sandwiches, tacos, green salads, or just enjoy them as a healthy, low-calorie snack.
Our dad is an absolute pickle fanatic. He loves to sit in front of the TV watching the news with a drink, a bowl of pistachios, and a plate of homemade pickles. Yes, I said homemade!
We never had store-bought pickles in our house growing up. Our mom and dad pickled all of their own veggies, and whenever they come to visit us, they make some for us! Being the curious foodies that we are, we knew we had to give it a try, but we are using a quick pickling method, instead.
Have you ever pickled your own veggies? It’s one of those things that’s so easy to do but not many people realize it. That means your friends and family will be totally impressed! We love it when that happens!
Vegetables to Pickle at Home
For this recipe we pickled carrots, but you can use this same process on almost any of your favorite vegetables. Some absolutely delicious options:
- Cucumbers
- Radishes
- Eggplant
- Cauliflower
- Beets
- Cabbage
- Onions
How to Make Quick Pickled Carrots
Mix, pour, and leave it alone! It’s really that simple. We combined grated ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, salt, and water before pouring it over the carrots and fennel. Refrigerate them for at least 24 hours before devouring. Putting the carrots right into the refrigerator helps to create a crunchy pickled carrot while letting them sit at room temperature for a bit before chilling them softens the carrots a bit.
Spicy Pickled Carrots
If you want an extra kick of spice (which we always do!), sprinkle in red pepper flakes. You could also add jalapenos to your jar! Once you make basic pickled carrots and fennel you won’t be able to resist playing around with different flavors and combinations.
Pickled Fennel
Fennel isn’t as popular as it probably should be (if you have been following us for a while, you already know that we love fennel). Most people associate it with a strong, anise taste that not everyone enjoys. When it’s broken down a bit though, fennel loses its assertive licorice taste and becomes sweeter and so delicious. The process of pickling adds sweetness and acidity and helps bring out a fresh flavor that we love.
What to Serve with Pickled Carrots
If you’ve never tried pickled fennel or carrots, you might be thinking “Wait...how do I serve these?!” The simplest answer is to serve them as a snack. We’ll eat them straight out of the jar for a spicy, crunchy, tangy treat! They’re also delicious…
- On tacos
- As a salad topping...or even a salad base with some feta and a drizzle of oil!
- In sandwiches
- As part of a cheese board or an appetizer table
- Falafel
Other Fennel Recipes
- Braised Fennel With Apricots & Figs
- Stuffed Eggplant With Fennel & White Beans
- Persimmon Fennel Salad
- Fennel, Blood Orange & Hazelnut Salad
- Fennel and Chickpea Stew
- Warm Roasted Fennel Salad for Two
Other Carrot Recipe
- Moroccan Carrot Salad
- Roasted Rainbow Carrots
- Carrot and Raisins Quinoa
- Carrot Coconut Ginger Soup
- Coconut Ginger Carrot Rice
- Morning Glory Muffins
Pickled Carrots and Fennel
- Total Time: 10 mins
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Pickled Carrots and Fennel is an easy, quick, tangy snack. It’s a little bit spicy, crunchy, and flavorful! Add them to sandwiches, tacos, green salads, or just enjoy them as a healthy, low-calorie snack.
Ingredients
- 1 large fennel bulb, sliced
- 3 large carrots, sliced
- 2 tbsp grated ginger (about 1.5" piece)
- 1 tbsp chopped garlic (optional)
- 2 cups boiling water
- ½ cup seasoned rice vinegar or ½ of white or apple cider vinegar with 1 tablespoon of sugar
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes or Aleppo Pepper or to taste (optional)
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Place the carrots and fennel in a large glass jar or in a 4 cup mason jar
- In a large heat-proof container, dissolve the sugar (if using) and salt in the boiling water, then add the vinegars and ginger. Pour over the fennel and carrots until the jar is completely filled. Add the hot red pepper flakes
- Close the jar tightly, shake so everything is combined and refrigerate for 2 hours or longer
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Category: Condiments
- Method: Pickled
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ cup
- Calories: 16
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 162
- Fat: 0
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 3.5
- Fiber: .9
- Protein: .4
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: gluten-free, kosher, passover, vegetarian, pickling, pickled vegetables
DID YOU LIKE OUR PICKLED CARROTS RECIPE?
If you enjoyed this recipe, it would help us tremendously if you left us a star rating in the comments below or on the recipe card. Do you have any questions about the recipe? Do you need a swap for any of the ingredients? We are here to help, just leave us a question in the comments below.
This post was originally published in February 28, 2014. We have included more useful information, images to make it easier to enjoy this recipe.
Shashi @ http://runninsrilankan.com says
Your dad sounds like a pickling genius! Thanks for sharing the story that inspired these pickled carrots and fennel.
Vicky & Ruth says
Thank you, yep, if it can be pickled he will do it!
vicki levin says
Aloha from the tropics,
Have you actually 'hot bathed' this recipe so it can be put up in stores for some time later? I only hot bath my veges and happen to have some fennel from the garden...so was going to try that..but wondered how the kale would come out-? Thoughts?
Aloha e,
Vicki
Vicky & Ruth says
Aloha Vicki,you can definitely use hot water in this recipes, we are not sure what will happen with kale when using hit water, it may become too soggy to be a pickle.
C. Brown says
I am curious to know how to prep kale for pickling. Is it sliced like cabbage for sauerkraut or left in it's entirety for, I don't know, use on a corned beef sandwich?
Vicky & Ruth says
We actually tried it with bagged washed and chopped kale and it worked really well. It was delicious!
Davida @ The Healthy Maven says
I absolutely love pickling but don't do it nearly enough! I'm actually signed up for a pickling class in the spring and I can't wait 🙂
Vicky & Ruth says
That is so cool, we love going to cooking classes to learn new things.
Chanie@BusyInBrooklyn says
This looks like a great healthy recipe to nosh on - I love that there's no sugar in it.
By the way, your recipe says "Pickled Fennek & Carrots" 🙂
Vicky & Ruth says
Thanks, we don't really like sweet pickles
Hindy says
I love pickling vegetables but I've never done fennel before. I must get to this soon. Looks delicious!
Vicky & Ruth says
Thank you Hindy!
Mike @TheIronYou says
Pickled fennel...never had it before, but sounds amazing!!!!
Vicky & Ruth says
It is great, give it a try!
Consuelo @ Honey & Figs says
I love pickles too! And surprisingly enough, so does my little brother, who is the pickiest eater ever haha.
These look wonderful! xx
Vicky & Ruth says
Must be the salty and tangy flavor...
Shelley @ Two Healthy Kitchens says
Oh, I just love this! So simple - I've gotta try pickling some of my own veggies! My favorite Mediterranean restaurant has the most sensational pickled turnips - I'd really love to make my own, and I guess now I have just the inspiration I need to give that a try! Fennel? Awesome idea! And hey - your suggestion of kale?? I'm totally intrigued! Love this post, ladies! 😀 Pinning ASAP!
Vicky & Ruth says
We love pickled turnips, they are awesome Our Dad also makes pickled turnips and he adds some a beet so they turn pink.
Couldn't Be Parve says
Yum! I love pickled vegetables!
Billy says
I love this recipe! It looks delicious. I really love making pickled vegetables at home, and I have been compiling some recipes of pickled vegetables for later. Thank you for sharing!
Vicky & Ruth says
Thank you so much, it means a lot coming from you. We are huge fans of your pickles.
ReaderRita says
I have a question (okay, several questions): I harbor a soul-level loathing (!) of unnaturally sweet pickled things. I notice that this recipe calls for more sugar than salt- does that amount of sugar make these come out more sweet or simply tangy? If it does make them sweeter, does it need to be that way?
I guess it boils down (non-quick pickle joke? haha) to a question I have about pickled things in general: is sugar necessary for the pickling science to happen, or would it be possible for me to decrease or eliminate sugar and/or add more salt or vinegar instead? (or???)
Also, pertaining to this recipe in particular, if I don't have Seasoned Rice Wine Vinegar (that sweet thing again), may I use Natural Rice Wine Vinegar instead? The combo of the naturally sweet carrots and fennel sound SO good I really want to make these, but want to aim for more savory than sweet on the brine. If the sugar is necessary or merely makes them tangy, I'll go for it- but I don't want to waste food, so I thought I'd ask...
Vicky and Ruth says
Hi, thank you for your question. These pickles are not sweet. You don't need to add sugar to pickles if you don't like it. We used it simply to balance the acidity and the salt in the recipe, but you can totally skip it. I would not add any more vinegar or salt when omitting the sugar and you can use Natural Rice Vinegar instead of seasoned. Please let us know if you have any more questions and we would love to hear how you like the pickles, if you decide to make them.
Leah says
you say add sugar if using but you dont say how much sugar to use. please advise . thanks
Vicky and Ruth says
The recipe calls for 1 tbsp of sugar, but you can use more or less to taste
Leah says
also can i use reg vinegar in place of apple cider vinegar
Vicky and Ruth says
Yes!
Leah says
you say dissolve sugar if using but you do not say how much sugar to use and if we dont like apple cider vinegar can we use regular vinegar thanks
Vicky and Ruth says
Hi Leah, you can use 1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar or 1/2 of white OR apple cider vinegar with 1 tbsp of sugar. If you don't like apple cider vinegar you can use white or wine vinegar.
Leah says
thanks vicki and ruth i just have a few more questions. do you pour the vinegars and ginger in the hot boiling water immediately or let it cool a little. also 2 c water and 1 cup vinegar is 3 cups but when i tried to pour it over the carrots and fennel all the liquid did not fit because of the vegetables maybe only two cups of liquid fit is this okay that not all the liquid fit. thanks so much for your help
Vicky and Ruth says
We pour the vinegar and ginger into the hot water. We don't let it cool. You could use a bigger jar, or not use all the liquid.