The Quick-Pickled Side Dish Everyone Ate In The '60s But Is Overlooked On Tables Today

Making old-school food trends new again is a delightful way to taste the past while bringing it into the present. Of the many overlooked 1960s side dishes due for a comeback, one tangy treat is simple to prepare while providing a flavorful complement to a variety of meals. Quick-pickled beets might not be nearly as popular as they were in the '60s, but they're well worth revisiting.

To understand the beauty of quick-pickled beets, you'll first have to understand the process of quick pickling. Unlike traditional pickling, which involves canning and a longer wait time, quick pickles come together in the refrigerator in less than a day and require only a simple glass jar, vinegar, water, and sugar. Quick-pickled beets became prominent in the U.S. in the 1940s and '50s in part thanks to a staple Pennsylvania Dutch food: eggs pickled in beet brine. Advertised as "lollipops" by popular press, both pickled eggs and beets became a fixture of home-cooked meals and dining out into the 1960s.

Coinciding with the popularity of supper clubs in the 60s, pickled beets found their way onto relish trays as a sort of welcoming nosh with which to begin your multi-course meal. When this dining experience began to lapse in popularity, so too did the once well-loved side. Though long steeped in obscurity, these beets shouldn't be forgotten.

One of the best things about this '60s side dish is its convenient preparation. You can make a lightly-flavored batch of quick-pickled beets in just 15 minutes. Start by cleaning your beets and cutting them into bite-sized pieces. Either roast or boil them first before carefully removing the peels and adding them to a jar with your choice of vinegar, water, sugar, and, if you prefer, whole spices such as peppercorns, mustard seeds, or bay leaves.

Let your jar of beets sit in the fridge anywhere from 15 minutes to a full 24 hours depending on how strong you want the pickled flavor to be. You can keep homemade pickled beets in the fridge for no more than about three months with proper storage. These make a delightful snack on their own or can be added to salads, sandwiches, and party platters.

Beet fans on Reddit tout the virtues of the versatile yet overlooked side dish. One Redditor shares, "I pickle beets and then add hard boiled eggs into the leftover brine and get beautiful purple pickled eggs." Another Reddit commenter mentions, "They are great as a side for adding balance to a meal of say grilled meats and rice. The moisture and acidity adds contrast to the plate." If you're hosting a '60s throwback party, they'd make a great addition to a relish tray, too.