Red Beet Eggs
intro
Vibrant magenta pickled eggs with a tangy, slightly sweet beet brine, a classic cold side perfect for outdoor summer spreads.
Ingredients
Steps
Place 8 large eggs in a medium 2L saucepan, cover with 2.5cm / 1 inch of cold tap water. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium-high heat, then immediately cover the pan with a tight lid, remove from the stovetop burner, and let rest for 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer eggs to a prepared ice water bath (equal parts ice and cold water) for 5 minutes to halt cooking and loosen eggshells.
Drain cooled eggs completely, then gently tap each egg on a hard countertop to crack the shell across its entire surface, rolling the egg between your palms to loosen the thin membrane under the shell. Peel eggs under a thin stream of cool running water, then set smooth, fully peeled eggs on a clean plate; discard all shell fragments.
Use the same 2L saucepan to make the brine: combine the reserved 120ml / ½ cup beet canning liquid, 180ml / ¾ cup apple cider vinegar, 60ml / ¼ cup water, 80g / ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp (5g) kosher salt, 1 tsp (3g) whole black peppercorns, and 4 whole cloves. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon until sugar and salt fully dissolve, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and let the brine cool for 10 minutes at room temperature.
In a clean, dry 1.9L / 2 quart glass mason jar with a tight-sealing lid, alternate layers of peeled hard-boiled eggs, drained sliced red beets, and thinly sliced yellow onion to distribute ingredients evenly. Leave 2.5cm / 1 inch of headspace at the top of the jar, and do not pack ingredients so tightly that brine cannot circulate between pieces.
Pour the slightly cooled brine (including all the whole spices) over the layered ingredients in the jar, ensuring all eggs and vegetables are fully submerged under the red liquid. If any eggs float to the surface, place a small clean glass fermentation weight or a folded piece of food-safe plastic on top to hold them under the brine, then seal the jar tightly with its lid.
Transfer the sealed jar to the refrigerator set to 4°C / 40°F, and let the eggs pickle for a minimum of 24 hours (up to 7 days for deeper magenta color and tangier flavor) before serving. Gently flip the jar upside down and back right-side up once every 8 hours during the pickling process to ensure even color distribution across all eggs.
Tips
2.If canned beets are unavailable, substitute with 2 medium (200g total) roasted, peeled red beets and 120ml / ½ cup water mixed with ¼ tsp (1g) beet powder to replicate the signature deep color and earthy flavor.
3.Wait to slice pickled eggs until right before serving; pre-slicing eggs before pickling will cause yolks to absorb excess brine, turn gray at the edges, and develop an overly sour, unbalanced flavor.
OMG I grew up eating these at every church potluck in Lancaster and this recipe tastes exactly like my grandma’s! So easy to throw together, I made a batch for our family cookout last weekend and every single egg was gone before the burgers even came off the grill. 10/10 will be making these monthly for meal prep too!
Game changer for road trip snacks! I hard boil eggs every Sunday for the week but never thought to do the pickled beet version. These are tangy, just the right amount of sweet, and that bright pink color is so fun. My trucking buddy thought I bought them from a fancy deli until I told him I made ‘em in my kitchen in 25 minutes.
My kids went crazy for these! I was worried the tang would be too much for them but they loved the bright pink color and kept asking for ‘purple eggs’ with their lunch all week. Super easy recipe, no fancy ingredients needed, which is a win for this busy mom.
Perfect snack to toss in my pack for day hikes! They hold up really well in a cooler, don’t get squished like sandwiches, and the salt/vinegar kick is exactly what I need halfway up a trail. I did add a little extra horseradish to my batch because I like a zing, but the base recipe is chef’s kiss.
I’ve been making pickled beet eggs for 40 years and this is the most straightforward, reliable recipe I’ve found. No weird additives, perfect ratio of sugar to vinegar, and the eggs come out perfectly firm every time. Brought a jar to my retired teachers’ brunch and everyone asked for the recipe.
Okay I was skeptical at first because beets + eggs sounded weird, but my roommate made these for a house party and I ate like 4 of them. Tangy, earthy, not too sweet — SO good. I’m making my own batch tonight, already grabbed the beets and eggs from the grocery store on my way home.
Quick question — do I have to wait the full 24 hours to eat these? I made them last night and I’m dying to try one already 😂
Has anyone tried making these with apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar? I’m out of white and don’t feel like running to the store.
I used fresh beets from my garden for this recipe and it came out incredible! Way better than using canned beets, if you ask me. The texture is so much firmer and the beet flavor is brighter.
How long do these keep in the fridge for? I want to make a big batch to have for snacks all work week.
I made 6 dozen of these for a recent backyard wedding appetizer spread and they were such a hit! People kept coming back for seconds, and they looked so pretty on the charcuterie board next to the cheese and cured meats.
I added a couple cloves of garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes to my brine and oh my gosh, next level. If you like a little heat, definitely give that a shot.
Wait, do you leave the beet chunks in the jar with the eggs the whole time they’re pickling? I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to strain them out or not!
Y’all, I took these to my neighborhood block party last weekend and I had three people chase me down the street for the recipe. The brine is perfectly balanced — not too vinegary, not too sweet, the eggs get that gorgeous magenta ring around the edge. Absolute home run.
I have a pretty sensitive stomach and usually can’t handle super vinegary pickled things, but these were so gentle! I swapped the white sugar for a little honey and they were perfect for me. No weird aftertaste, no tummy ache, just a great tangy snack.
I’m a broke college student with basically zero cooking skills and I nailed these first try! Total cost for all the ingredients was like $8, and I have snacks for a whole week. Way cheaper than buying protein bars between classes.
My partner and I went to Lancaster last fall and had these at a little roadside stand, and I’ve been chasing that flavor ever since. This recipe is dead on! I even served them with soft pretzels like the stand did, and it felt like we were back on our little weekend trip.
These are the perfect low-carb snack! I’ve been missing fun, flavorful snacks since I cut out processed carbs, and these fit perfectly into my diet. Zero guilt, tons of flavor, and the protein keeps me full for hours between client meetings.
I made these after Easter with all the leftover hard-boiled eggs from our egg hunt, and it was the best leftover hack ever! Instead of letting half the eggs go to waste like we usually do, we ate every single one of these over the week. Will definitely be making these year round now, not just after Easter.