Hot Honey Pickled Carrots: A Sweet and Spicy Delight Recipe
Hot Honey Pickled Carrots are a vibrant and flavorful treat that combines the natural sweetness of honey with a spicy kick from red pepper flakes. These quick-pickled carrots are perfect as a zesty snack, a tangy side dish, or a delicious topping for salads and sandwiches. The combination of apple cider vinegar, garlic, and spices creates a balanced pickling liquid that infuses the carrots with a bright, bold flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 1 day 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Pickles
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Carrots
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
Pickling Liquid
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
Instructions
- Prepare the pickling liquid: In a saucepan, combine apple cider vinegar, honey, red pepper flakes, salt, black peppercorns, and garlic. Heat the mixture over medium heat until it reaches a gentle simmer, allowing the flavors to meld.
- Add the carrots: Once the pickling liquid is simmering, add the peeled and cut carrot sticks. Stir well to ensure all carrots are evenly coated with the hot honey mixture.
- Cool off the mixture: Remove the saucepan from heat and let the carrots and pickling liquid cool for about 10 minutes. This step helps to slightly soften the carrots and infuse them with the pickling flavors.
- Transfer to a container: Carefully transfer the carrots along with the pickling liquid into a clean jar or airtight container to store.
- Refrigerate and marinate: Refrigerate the jar for at least 24 hours before serving to allow the carrots to fully absorb the sweet and spicy pickling flavors, creating a deliciously tangy treat.
Notes
- For crisper carrots, reduce refrigerator marinating time to a few hours instead of 24+ hours.
- Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to control the spice level according to your preference.
- Use a glass jar or container to store the pickled carrots to avoid any reaction with vinegar.
- These pickled carrots can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Add fresh herbs like dill or thyme to the pickling liquid for an extra herbaceous flavor.
Keywords: hot honey pickled carrots, spicy pickled carrots, quick pickled carrots, sweet and spicy pickled carrots, apple cider vinegar pickled carrots
