Vegetables

How to make Pink Pickled Turnips

Turnip batons fermented with a slice of beetroot that dyes them a bright pink, in the Middle Eastern style. Expect about 20 minutes of active prep, then 7-14 days of fermentation, with a taste check to decide when to refrigerate.

Quick answer

Prepare the turnips, mix the brine, and pack everything into a clean jar with the turnips fully submerged. After 3 days, make sure the turnips stay submerged and look for the first signs of fermentation. After 7 days, taste the turnips and decide whether to refrigerate now or let them keep fermenting. After 14 days, do a final taste check, then refrigerate the turnips in their brine.

Difficulty
Beginner
Total time
14 days
Ingredients
5
Steps
4

Safety

  • • Keep the turnips fully submerged below the brine throughout fermentation.
  • • Use non-iodized salt and non-chlorinated water for a more reliable ferment.
  • • A clean sour smell is normal. A rotten smell, slimy brine, or fuzzy mold means the batch should be discarded.

Step-by-step

Day 0

Step 1: Prepare and pack

Prepare the turnips, mix the brine, and pack everything into a clean jar with the turnips fully submerged.

  • Set up clean equipment Wash the jar, weight, bowl, and any utensils before you start.
  • Cut turnips and beet Peel and cut the turnips into batons and slice a little beetroot for colour.
  • Mix brine Dissolve the salt fully in the water before pouring it over the turnips.
  • Pack jar Pack the turnips with the aromatics, pour in the brine, and keep everything below the surface.
Day 3

Step 2: Check fermentation

Make sure the turnips stay submerged and look for the first signs of fermentation.

  • Check submersion Press any floating turnips back below the brine if anything has shifted upward.
  • Check activity Look for a few bubbles, slightly cloudy brine, or a fresh sour smell.
  • Check aroma The jar should smell fresh and fresh and earthy rather than rotten.
Day 7

Step 3: Taste and decide

Taste the turnips and decide whether to refrigerate now or let them keep fermenting.

  • Taste Lift out a piece with a clean fork and judge the balance of salt and tang.
  • Resubmerge and cover Return the turnips below the brine before continuing the ferment.
Day 14

Step 4: Finish and store

Do a final taste check, then refrigerate the turnips in their brine.

  • Taste final batch Confirm the turnips are as tangy as you want before ending room-temperature fermentation.
  • Refrigerate Seal the jar and refrigerate the turnips in their brine to slow the fermentation.

What to look for

  • • Day 0: The turnips are fully covered by brine and held down with a weight. That gives the batch the best chance to ferment cleanly and stay mold-free.
  • • Day 3-4: The brine and turnips are turning pink and you may see a few small bubbles. Those are normal early signs that fermentation has started.
  • • Day 7 and beyond: A piece tastes lightly sour and crunchy. Use taste to decide whether to refrigerate now or ferment a few more days for more tang.

Troubleshooting

  • The brine does not cover the turnips. Some liquid was lost or the pack was loose. Top up with a 3 percent salt solution until everything is covered again.
  • No bubbles appear after a few days. The room is cool or fermentation is starting slowly. Give it another day or two and rely on smell and taste as well as visible bubbles.
  • A piece floats above the brine. The weight shifted or the jar was packed loosely. Push it back down, adjust the weight, and make sure all solids stay submerged.
  • It tastes too salty early on. The ferment is still young or the brine ran slightly strong. Let it ferment a little longer before judging, then serve with unsalted foods if needed.
  • The colour is uneven at first. The beetroot dye spreads gradually. Give it a few more days; the pink deepens and evens out as it ferments.

Storage

Seal the jar and refrigerate once it tastes balanced to you, keeping the turnips below the brine. It will continue to mature slowly in the cold.

Shelf life: about 2-3 months refrigerated

Serving suggestions

  • • Serve as part of a mezze spread.
  • • Tuck into falafel and shawarma wraps.
  • • Add to salads for colour and crunch.

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Frequently asked questions

What is Pink Pickled Turnips?

Turnip batons fermented with a slice of beetroot that dyes them a bright pink, in the Middle Eastern style. Expect about 20 minutes of active prep, then 7-14 days of fermentation, with a taste check to decide when to refrigerate.

How long does it take to make Pink Pickled Turnips?

Most batches of Pink Pickled Turnips are ready in about 14 days, though exact timing depends on temperature and how the ferment tastes along the way.

Is Pink Pickled Turnips hard to make?

Pink Pickled Turnips is a great beginner project — no special skills required, just clean equipment and a little patience.

What do you need to make Pink Pickled Turnips?

You'll need Turnips, Beetroot, Filtered water, Sea salt, Garlic.

How do I know when Pink Pickled Turnips is ready?

Watch for these cues: Day 0: The turnips are fully covered by brine and held down with a weight.; Day 3-4: The brine and turnips are turning pink and you may see a few small bubbles.; Day 7 and beyond: A piece tastes lightly sour and crunchy..

How do I store Pink Pickled Turnips?

Seal the jar and refrigerate once it tastes balanced to you, keeping the turnips below the brine. It will continue to mature slowly in the cold. Shelf life: about 2-3 months refrigerated.

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