Quick Pickled Daikon and Carrot

Time: 20 minutes

If you've never had pickled daikon and carrots then here is your introduction! It's sweet, it's crunchy, it's refreshing, and it's so so so perfect alongside fatty pieces of meat! I love to have it whenever we have Korean-style BBQ night or in a Bahn-mi style sub!

Daikon radish is rich in vitamin C, a natural antioxidant. Carrots bring a burst of beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A, a powerhouse nutrient for skin repair, glow, and resilience.

Together, these vibrant root veggies also feed your gut with prebiotic fiber, helping to keep your microbiome balanced which helps reduce inflammation and break outs!

It only takes about 20 minutes plus brining time to make. They will keep in your fridge for about 2 weeks. It does get better with time as you allow the vinegar to really soak into those vegetables, so if you can, I definitely suggest letting them sit overnight. You can easily double or even triple the recipe as well. This recipe will fill roughly 1 and a half 500ml jars which is perfect for us since we will eat the half jar in one sitting! Yum!

Ingredients

1lb daikon

1lbs carrot

2tsp sugar

1tsp salt

For the brine

1.5 cups water

1 cup vinegar

1 cup sugar

Prep the veggies!

First, either by hand or with a mandolin slicer, cut your daikon and carrots into 2 inch long matchsticks and place into a medium size bowl. Toss the vegetables in 2 tsp sugar and 1 tsp salt. We want to get the vegetables to release some of their water and soften up so let the mixture sit for 3-5 minutes. You'll know the vegetables are ready for brining when you can bend a piece of the daikon in half without it snapping.

Make the brine!

While you wait for the vegetables to be ready, combine the brining ingredients in a pot and heat until all the sugar is dissolved. You won't need to bring it to a boil, just until all the sugar disappears and the liquid is clear.

Jar it up!

Take your vegetables from the bowl and give them a good rinse with cool water to get the excess salt and sugar off. Give them a good squeeze to remove some of the water and then put the vegetables in your desired pickling containers. I like to use glass tomato sauce jars that I've washed out but any non-metal container will work well!

Pour your vinegar brine over the vegetables! You can eat them right away but I like to let them sit for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Serve with pork belly, grilled chicken or shrimp, in a sandwich, or as part of a salad! These pickles tick all the boxes for me. They're crunchy, zesty, and glow-enhancing with every bite.

Give this recipe a shot! Let me know how it goes. How do you like to eat pickled daikon?