Quick Pickled Carrot Spears

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into spears

→ Brine

02 - 1 cup distilled white vinegar

03 - 1 cup water

04 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

05 - 1 tablespoon kosher salt

→ Aromatics & Spices

06 - 2 cloves garlic, peeled and halved

07 - 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

08 - ½ teaspoon mustard seeds

09 - ½ teaspoon coriander seeds

10 - ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

11 - 2 sprigs fresh dill (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Place the peeled and cut carrot spears vertically into a clean quart-size glass jar. Arrange the garlic cloves, dill, and spices around the carrots within the jar.

02 - In a small saucepan, combine white vinegar, water, sugar, and kosher salt. Heat over medium until it reaches a simmer, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve completely.

03 - Carefully pour the hot brine over the carrots in the jar, ensuring that all spears are fully submerged. Allow the jar to cool uncovered to room temperature.

04 - Seal the jar with its lid and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour to develop quick pickles. For optimal flavor, chill for 24 hours. Refrigerated pickles remain fresh for up to 2 weeks.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

They're ready to eat in an hour but taste even better the next day, so you can make them whenever and they'll be waiting.
The sharp vinegar cuts through rich foods in a way that makes people actually reach for vegetables instead of pushing them around the plate.
One batch lasts two weeks, which means you have something crunchy and tangy to sneak into lunches without any real effort.

02 -

If you skip letting the brine cool before sealing, the carrots will soften and you'll have pickled mush—patience here is everything.
Taste one after an hour; they're technically ready, but waiting twenty-four hours lets the flavors meld into something transcendent instead of sharp and one-dimensional.

03 -