These Quick and Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickled Carrots are simple to make, and are ready in hours, not days!
I have been absolutely in love with pickled carrots since my mom used to make them when I was a kid. Mr. Dreamboat loves them too. We've tried buying them at specialty stores and farmers' markets, but they're usually very expensive and usually not the style we like.
We both like our pickled carrots similar to dill pickles. Sour, a bit salty, garlicky, dilly, and crunchy. This probably reflects our Ukrainian roots. The pickled carrots we've purchased are often on the sweeter side, and sometimes too soft.
Lucky for both of us, I learned how to make them the way we like them, and now you can too with this Quick and Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickled Carrots recipe.
How to make Quick and Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickled Carrots:
The first step to making these pickled carrots is to peel and cut up the carrots. I like to cut them into strips, but if you prefer slices, knock yourself out. You want them thick enough that they don't get too soft, but not so thick that they won't absorb enough of the briny goodness.
Then lightly boil the carrots to soften them. Be very careful not to overcook them. No one likes a mushy pickle. Cool them in ice water immediately (again, to prevent mushy pickles), then layer the dill, garlic, and carrots in a glass storage container or jar.
Note that because these are refrigerator pickles, you want the container to be clean, but it doesn't need to be sterilized because these dill pickled carrots aren't going to be shelf-stable.
Now for the brine - this is what makes pickles pickles. Mix the water, vinegar, salt, dill seeds, and pepper together in the same pot you used for the carrots (unless you really want to wash another pot - up to you) and bring it to a boil just until the salt dissolves.
Pour the hot brine over the carrots/dill/garlic and let it cool. Once it's about lukewarm, put on the lid and stick it in the fridge until the pickles are completely chilled.
If you can't resist sneaking a carrot now, don't be disappointed if they're not as vinegary-salty-dilly as you would like. Once they've sat in the fridge for a few hours (or even a couple of days) the pickle flavor will get stronger.
Quick and Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickled Carrots Ingredients:
- Water - tap water is fine
- Carrots - they don't need to be anything fancy like garden-fresh or organic. Regular grocery store carrots will work just fine.
- Fresh dill
- Garlic
- White vinegar
- kosher salt - It's important that you use kosher salt here, not table salt.
- Dill seeds
- Black peppercorns
Unlike canned pickled carrots, these aren't shelf stable and they won't last for months in the fridge. They'll be good for up to a month, but you'll probably have devoured them by then anyway. And since they're so easy, you can just make more!
Note that these pickles are not fermented, so will not contain any probiotics. If you're looking to experiment with fermentation, check out my recipe for Lacto Fermented Dill Pickled Carrots, which is even closer to the pickled carrots I remember eating as a kid.
Want more Carrot recipes?
Quick and Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickled Carrots Nutrition Notes:
The nutrition information in the recipe below assumes that you don't consume the majority of the brine, so only a portion of the brine is included in the calculations.
These Dill Pickled Carrots are naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.
Quick and Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickled Carrots
Ingredients
- water
- 8-10 medium carrots peeled and cut into strips
- 8-12 sprigs dill
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 ½ cups white vinegar
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons dill seeds
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the carrots and cook until slightly softened, but still crisp. Don't overcook them unless you like your pickles soft. Remove carrots from boiling water and immerse them in ice water to cool.
- Layer dill sprigs, garlic and carrots in a glass food storage container or jar.
- Mix 3 cups of water, vinegar, salt, dill seeds and peppercorns in the same medium saucepan that you cooked the carrots in. Bring to a boil to dissolve the salt. Pour brine over dill, garlic, and carrots. Let the jar sit at room temperature until cool, then cover and refrigerate to chill completely. Will last in the fridge for about 1 month.
Brenda says
How much water do you put in the brine I can't find an amount in the recipe
Carissa says
Hi Brenda,
I'm sorry, my fault! You use 3 cups of water in the brine, plus extra for blanching the carrots. I've updated the recipe. Thank you for letting me know about the mistake.
Rox says
Do you use the blanching water in the brine or do you use fresh water from the tap?
Carissa says
Use fresh water for the brine. Discard the blanching water, or let it cool and use it to water plants.
John says
Carissa.....Thank you for this recipe. This is the quick 'pickling carrots' recipe I have been looking for. I don't want to do Pressure Canning or Water Bath Canning. I just want a quick and easy result which is safe to eat. Does the Vinegar have to have a 5 percent acid value? I printed a copy of your Recipe for my Kitchen.
Carissa says
Hi John, I'm glad my recipe meets your needs! I have only ever used distilled white vinegar making these pickled carrots, which is, indeed, 5%. I can't say whether using a different concentration of vinegar would work, as I've never tried. If you did try it, you could try to adjust the water slightly, using a little more water for more concentrated vinegar or less water for more dilute vinegar. Hope this helps!
Don Hines says
Carissa, a question for you< how can I make pickled carrots so they will stay good for 12 months?
Carissa says
Hi Don, you would need to follow a canning process to make pickles that last for a year or more, complete with sterilized canning jars and lids, a canning pot, and canning tongs. In this case, the pickles would be shelf stable and could be stored at room temperature. I have never actually done any canning myself, so I can't vouch for any recipes personally, but you could try this recipe from a fellow Canadian blogger. https://dishnthekitchen.com/pickled-carrots-with-dill-and-garlic-2/