Best Pickled Eggs Recipe
If you are wondering what to do with all those leftover Easter eggs, I have the perfect recipe for you. I am talking about pickled eggs! They are so delicious, flavorful, and easy to make, with only 10 minutes of prep time and last for a few months in the fridge.
With three separate recipes in one, I offer several ways to enjoy pickled eggs. Everyone can choose their favorite flavor: beets, rosemary-garlic, or dill. I make this recipe every year, including my famous deviled egg dip, which is so good that I always double the recipe.
Table of contents
These are the perfect mouthwatering, tangy and delicious appetizer, that everyone will love. There is no need for expensive canning equipment or complicated canning process because this is a fast pickling recipe done in a day or two.
I love to make all three flavors because my family’s tastes vary. One of my kids does not like beets, and one refuses to eat the ones with a lot of garlic. I like to wait three days for the best flavor, but the longer I wait, the more flavor they get. Watch the short recipe video tutorial below and learn how to make this easy and delicious recipe!
Why you will love this recipe
- Three recipes in one: With my one recipe, you can make three different pickled egg flavors. They are all so delicious, I like to make all three every time.
- They are easy and last a while: They are so easy to make in just a few minutes. Making them takes less than five minutes, but they last for up to three months in the fridge. That is a nice length of time for a tasty, protein-packed snack!
- Cheap snack: What’s more, I can make these for just a few bucks.
- No canning involved: No need to worry about the confusing canning process. This is simple pickling process.
What you’ll need to make pickled eggs
Ingredients
- Hardboiled eggs (peeled) – I like my eggs cooked to a firm yet slightly creamy texture, so I boil mine for eight minutes. Check out my information on how to cook the perfect hard-boiled egg in the Expert Tip section below.
- Apple cider vinegar – I like the sweeter and milder taste that apple cider vinegar gives compared to white vinegar.
- White granulated sugar – To balance out the bitterness of the vinegar and add a slightly sweet taste.
- Garlic cloves – Using whole garlic cloves adds a complex, robust garlicky flavor to complement the tangy pickling taste.
- Black peppercorns – For a distinct spicy kick to add depth and a bit of heat.
- Canned beets – These give the eggs a vibrant purplish-red color and deep tangy flavor. They taste similar to bread-and-butter pickles.
- Lemon peel and rosemary sprigs – Used in the lemon rosemary version, I use the lemon peel for a bright and citrusy flavor with some extra zest. Gives the eggs a hint of pine, herbs, and slight sweetness.
- Carrot and zucchini rounds – For the veggies and dill eggs version. The carrots add a bit of crunch, some sweetness, and vibrant color. Zucchini rounds remain slightly crispy for a nice difference of texture.
- Fresh dill sprigs – Fresh dill adds an herbaceous taste to complement the rich flavor. It also looks appealing.
How to make
Make the pickled eggs with beets
- I drain the beets and save one cup of the juice. I boil some of the beet juice for two minutes with the vinegar, water, and sugar.
- Then, I place a few of the beets into a two-quart glass jar with the garlic cloves, peppercorns, six eggs, and salt.
- I pour the boiled liquid into the jars.
- After letting it cool completely, it goes into the fridge to chill for two to three days before serving.
Make the rosemary garlic eggs
- I boil the vinegar, sugar, and water for two minutes.
- I add the rest of the ingredients to a two-quart glass jar. The hot liquid goes into the glass, and I let it cool before letting it chill for two to three days before serving.
Make the dill pickled eggs
- First, I boil the vinegar, sugar, and water for two minutes before pouring it on the rest of the ingredients in a two-quart glass jar.
- After it cools, I let it chill for three to four days before serving. Since this one has vegetables in it, I sometimes let it chill for a day or two longer.
Expert tips
Cooking time and peeling the eggs
First, use older eggs. This may seem weird but fresh eggs do not peel as well as 7-10 days old ones.Now, put the eggs in a deep saucepan and cover them with cold water. Then, cover the pot with a lid and bring it to a boil over high heat. As soon as it comes to a boil, this is when to set the timer. I usually boil mine for seven minutes for creamy hard-boiled eggs.
To get the eggs hard-boiled all the way through, I cook them for eight minutes. Those who like very firm hard-boiled eggs, go ahead and boil them for nine minutes. Also, I have a bowl of ice water ready after the eggs are done boiling. I put the eggs immediately into the ice water bath and let them cool for several minutes before peeling. Adding vinegar, vegetable oil, or baking soda to the water can also help the peel come off easier.
More tips to consider
- Do not overcook the eggs. Pickling them makes them firmer so undercooking them a bit is better than overcooking them.
- Make sure the jars are completely cool before sealing them.
- The longer the eggs are pickled, the more potent the flavor. I like to let my eggs chill for about three days before eating them, but five to six days is good for a nice robust flavor.
- I highly recommend using a BPA-free glass jar for storing pickled eggs.
- Do not use plastic jars because they will stain and absorb the vinegar smell.
- Leave some room in the top of the jars to close them.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- Jalapeno eggs: I also like to make spicy pickled eggs with chopped jalapenos and red pepper flakes.
- Sweet eggs: For a sweeter taste, try some brown sugar, honey, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
- Other veggies: For a more interesting veggie mix, I also add chopped bell peppers, red onions, radishes, shallots, and turmeric.
- Cajun pickled eggs: To make these pickled eggs Cajun style, I leave out the beets and add my deliciously spicy and sweet Cajun seasoning made with red, black, and white peppers.
- Add other herbs and spices: There are so many flavors that can be added to these pickled eggs to make them taste delicious. For example, I have used different combinations of ginger, bay leaves, saffron, nutmeg, mint, anise, fennel, coriander, and cloves.
Serving suggestions:
- Sometimes I like to add a few of these to my cucumber tomato avocado salad to make it extra hearty and to add some protein. It makes this salad more of a meal. Any of the three varieties will work.
- For the most incredibly tangy and intense deviled eggs I add a few beet pickled eggs.
- These also make a wonderful side dish for my exquisite strawberry bacon grilled cheese sandwiches. They are just as unique as the sandwich itself.
- They make the perfect appetizer, I love serving them during my Superbowl parties with hot wings and chips.
- These eggs certainly go great with a glass of ice-cold beer and some of my homemade beer bread. It is easy to make in about an hour without yeast or kneading.
How to store:
- Refrigerate: Refrigerated pickled eggs can be kept for up to three months in a glass jar.
- Freezing: Freezing is not recommended.
Frequently asked questions
If there is too much vinegar in the mixture, it can toughen the egg whites, making them rubbery. Be sure the ratio of vinegar to other liquids is measured correctly. If the eggs are left in the vinegar too long, it will also cause this problem because it denatures the proteins in the egg whites, making them tough. Overcooking the eggs can also cause the eggs to turn rubbery. Be sure to cook them for the set time.
Too much vinegar can also cause bitter pickled eggs because there is not enough sugar to balance out the acid. Adding more sugar can help this problem. Burnt spices or using too many spices is another reason that makes pickled eggs bitter. If using beets, make sure the beets are not bitter before adding the juice to the mixture. Some are just more bitter than others.
If it is just slightly cloudy, this is normal and may just be from an exposed egg yolk that dissolved into the brine or the spices that mixed into the liquid. It may also just be a natural fermentation that happens when the bacteria from the pickling liquid create lactic acid. However, if the brine is excessively cloudy or has a foul odor, I would discard the eggs as they may be spoiled.
More egg recipes to try:
Best Pickled Eggs Recipe
Ingredients
Pickled Eggs with Beets:
- 6 hardboiled eggs peeled
- 1 can of beets in liquid
- 3/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 cup white sugar
- 6 cloves garlic whole
- 1/8 teaspoon black peppercorns or red whole
- Pinch of salt
Rosemary Garlic Pickled Eggs:
- 6 hardboiled eggs peeled
- 3/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 cup white sugar
- 6 cloves garlic whole
- Peel from 1 lemon
- 5 sprigs rosemary
- 1/8 teaspoon black peppercorns or red whole
- Pinch of salt
Dill Pickled Eggs and Veggies:
- 6 hardboiled eggs peeled
- 3/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 cup white sugar
- 4 cloves garlic whole
- 6 carrot rounds
- 6 zucchini rounds
- 5 sprigs fresh dill
- 1/8 teaspoon black peppercorns or red sprigs
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Pickled Eggs with Beets:
- Drain beets, reserving 1 cup juice.
- Place some beets, garlic cloves, peppercorns, salt, and six eggs in a 2-qt—glass jar.
- In a small saucepan, add sugar, water, vinegar, and reserved beet juice and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1-2 minutes and pour the hot liquid over beets and eggs, let it fully cool.
- Cover tightly with a lid and refrigerate for at least 24-48 hours before serving.
Rosemary Garlic Pickled Eggs:
- In a small saucepan, add sugar, water, and vinegar and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.
- Place eggs and the rest of the ingredients in a 2-qt—glass jar.
- Pour the hot liquid over the eggs and let them fully cool.
- Cover tightly with a lid and refrigerate for at least 24-48 hours before serving.
Dill Pickled Eggs and Veggies:
- In a small saucepan, add sugar, water, vinegar and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.
- Place eggs and the rest of the ingredients in a 2-qt—glass jar.
- Pour the hot liquid over the eggs and let them fully cool.
- Cover tightly with a lid and refrigerate for at least 24-48 hours before serving.