Cocktail Carrots are easy to make and take only a couple hours to pickle in the fridge. Make them earlier in the day and you have an instant appetizer to offer your guests while dinner cooks.
I used to eat at a place that served a little dish of Moroccan spiced carrots alongside its sandwiches. The sandwiches were excellent, but I would have eaten there for the coriander and cumin flavored carrots alone. 
I started pickling my own carrots with those spiced carrots in mind. One day I accidentally dumped caraway instead of cumin seeds into the brine. It was a happy accident—the pickles were delicious.
It was also a good lesson: carrots are like the little black dress of the vegetable world. They can be basic and uninspired, but with the right “accessories,” they are smashing.
I make these carrots regularly with garlic, oregano and hot chilies, but I also love them with cumin, caraway, or fennel. You can mix up the spices however you like. (I’ve offered several variations below.) Crunchy, spicy, and a little bit sweet, they are terrific for serving with cocktails or beer, or for garnishing a Bloody Mary.
PrintPickled Cocktail Carrots
- Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 jar 1x
Description
These pickled cocktail carrots are crunchy, spicy, and a little sweet, making them a perfect appetizer or a flavorful garnish for a Bloody Mary.
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 carrots, cut into 4-inch lengths to fill jar
- 1 clove garlic, whole
- 1 teaspoon hot red peppers, sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin seed, whole
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine 1 cup of water, 3/4 cup of white vinegar, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the brine cool slightly.
- Place the 5 cut carrots, 1 whole clove of garlic, 1 teaspoon of sliced hot red peppers, and 1/4 teaspoon of whole cumin seeds into a clean jar.
- Pour the hot brine over the carrots and spices in the jar, ensuring the carrots are fully submerged.
- Seal the jar with a lid and let it cool to room temperature for about an hour.
- Transfer the jar to the refrigerator and let the carrots pickle for at least 2 hours before serving. For best flavor, allow them to pickle overnight.
Notes
Feel free to experiment with different spices such as caraway or fennel seeds for a unique flavor. These pickled carrots are best served chilled. Store them in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. They are perfect for serving with cocktails or as a side dish with sandwiches.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 30
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 7
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 1
- Cholesterol: 0
