This Korean-style pink pickled radish is crisp, sweet, tangy, and naturally bright pink thanks to fresh red beets. It’s an easy refrigerator pickle recipe, which means there’s no canning required. Just slice the vegetables, pour over the hot brine, chill, and let the color and flavor develop in the fridge.
I especially love making this recipe with Black Spanish radish because it has a bold, peppery flavor that balances beautifully with the sweet pickling liquid. The beets mellow the sharpness, add earthy sweetness, and turn the radish a gorgeous hot pink color without any artificial dye.
This is a great way to use a fall or winter harvest of radishes and beets, and it makes a perfect condiment for rice bowls, Korean barbecue, sandwiches, tacos, salads, or snack boards.
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Ingredients
- 1 lb 10 oz radish, peeled and sliced into sticks
- 4 oz fresh raw red beet, peeled and sliced into sticks
- 1 cup rice vinegar
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1½ tablespoons salt
How to Make Korean Pink Pickled Radish
1. Start by preparing the vegetables. Trim the tops and bottoms from the radishes and beets, then peel away the skins. Slice both vegetables into thin rounds, then cut those rounds into sticks. Keeping the pieces similar in size helps them pickle evenly.
2. Next, make the sweet pickling brine. In a medium pot, combine the rice vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar and salt fully dissolve. Once dissolved, remove the brine from the heat.
3. Pack the sliced radish and beet sticks into clean, sterilized glass jars. Mix the beets throughout the radishes so the color distributes evenly as the jars sit.
4. While the brine is still hot, carefully pour it over the vegetables until everything is fully submerged. The hot brine helps pull the deep red pigment from the beets, which gradually stains the radish a vibrant pink.
5. Let the jars cool slightly, then seal and transfer them to the refrigerator. Allow the pickles to chill for at least 24 hours before eating. During that time, the radishes soften slightly, the flavor mellows, and the color becomes brighter.
Storage
Because this is a refrigerator pickle recipe, the jars do not need to be processed in a water bath unless you want shelf-stable storage.
Stored in the refrigerator, these pickled radishes will keep for about 2 weeks.
Serving Ideas
These pink pickled radishes are crisp, refreshing, and flavorful enough to use in many different meals. They are especially good with:
- Rice bowls
- Korean barbecue
- Sandwiches and wraps
- Tacos
- Salads
- Charcuterie boards
- Grilled meats
- Snacks straight from the jar
Tips for Best Results
Use fresh raw beets if you want the brightest hot pink color. Pre-cooked beets may still tint the brine, but the color usually won’t be as vibrant.
Black Spanish radish works especially well because its strong peppery bite balances the sweet brine. If you prefer a milder flavor, you can use daikon, Korean radish, or another fresh garden radish instead.
Let the jars sit at least overnight before serving. The flavor improves after 24 hours, and the color becomes much more dramatic.