Quick Pickled Carrots and Daikon

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Quick pickled carrots and daikon, also called Vietnamese banh mi pickles, add sweet tangy crunch to Asian sandwiches, rice bowls, and noodles.

What Are Pickled Carrots and Daikon?

Quick pickled carrots and daikon are sweet and sour pickled vegetables commonly used on the Vietnamese banh mi sandwich. Just like my refrigerator pickled beets and refrigerator pickles, there's no canning needed! The carrots and daikon are shredded, stuffed in a jar, and soaked in a solution of vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. The vegetables gain their flavor from the brine—the longer they rest in the liquid, the better they get!

When you eat a banh mi chicken sliders, or my veggie banh mi bowls, no doubt you’re enjoying a gorgeous mix of flavors where your taste buds dance to the tunes of savory, spicy, sweet, salty, and sour. Quick pickled carrots and daikon make up the sweet and sour flavors in that gorgeous stack of ingredients.

Why You'll Love Banh Mi Pickled Veggies

• No need to use a hot water pickling and canning method. Quick pickled carrots and daikon are just that—quick pickled.
• Easy to make in 15 minutes and enjoy almost immediately—but they also get better by the day.
• You save money. A quart of these cost $5 at the Asian market—you make them for a fraction of the cost.
• Use them on ALL of your favorite Asian foods, including banh mi sandwich, salads, noodles, wraps, and more!

Ingredients You'll Need

• Carrots – Whole carrots work best here. Shred or julienne them yourself for better texture than pre-shredded.
• Daikon Radish – Mild and crisp, daikon is easy to find in most grocery stores. Look for one that's firm and heavy for its size.
• White Vinegar – Adds sharpness and brightness. You can substitute with all rice vinegar if you prefer a milder flavor.
• Unseasoned Rice Vinegar – Mellow and slightly sweet, this balances the sharpness of the white vinegar.
• Water – Helps tone down the acidity so the brine isn’t overpowering.
• Sugar – Adds sweetness to balance the sour notes. Any granulated sugar will work.
• Sea Salt – Essential for flavor. It ties everything together and helps draw out moisture from the veggies.

How To Make Quick Pickled Carrots and Daikon

First, shred the vegetables with your favorite tool. Check out these perfect julienne cuts of daikon radish with that shredding tool! I use a standard vegetable peeler to make these carrot ribbons.

Stuff carrots and daikon into sterile mason jars. Note: these jars are for refrigerator storage—we are not canning this recipe.

Boil vinegar and water, add and dissolve sugar and salt, then pour over veggies in jars. Alternatively, you can use the microwave option by heating the liquids in a microwave-safe bowl, stir in sugar and salt until dissolved.

Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Use after a few hours, but for best flavor, cover and let it soak overnight. The taste improves over time—up to 2 weeks.

Recipe Tips

• Cut the carrots and daikon any way you prefer—julienne strips, matchsticks, or thin ribbons all work. Just aim for consistent sizes so they pickle evenly.
• Use a glass jar or deli round container. Just make sure it’s clean. No need to sterilize like you would for canning—these are quick pickles.
• Don’t skip cooling the brine. Let the brine rest for 5 minutes after boiling to prevent cracking your jar and help the veggies stay crisp.
• Pack the jar gently. Avoid overstuffing. Lightly packed veggies allow the brine to flow and coat everything evenly.
• Adjust sweetness if needed. Taste the brine before using. You can reduce the sugar if you prefer a less sweet pickle.
• Wait for flavor to develop. While the pickles can be eaten right away, they’re best after chilling for a few hours—or even better, overnight.

Tools I use for this recipe

• cutting board and chef's knife (if cutting by hand)
• julienne cutting tool or vegetable peeler or shredding tool of choice
• 2 quart saucepot or microwave-safe bowl
• mason jars with plastic lids

More Asian Recipes

• Asian Slaw with Sesame Dressing
• Thai Red Curry
• Stir Fry Veggies with Black Bean Sauce

📖 Recipe