by HollyThese Easy Pickled Eggs are a delicious and healthy snack that everyone will enjoy! With no canning required, this recipe contains just the right combination of sweet, sour and salty. These Pickled Eggs are the perfect on the go snack or a make a yummy sandwich filling!
Way back in the day, when refrigeration was a problem or even non-existent, canning or pickling was the only option to preserve foods meant for consumption at a later date. Many people would preserve their fruit, vegetables and even meats such as sausage and chicken in order to store them for the long winter months.
Today we are fortunate to have fresh fruit, vegetables and meat year round so the need to ‘can’ or pickle our food is really not necessary. While pickling isn’t needed for preservation, it definitely is delicious to pickle foods from eggs and cucumbers to jalapenos and even cherries!
My husband absolutely LOVES pickled eggs and he swears that these are the best he’s ever had! They’re so simple to make and don’t require any canning or special equipment, just a very quick brine, a few slices of onion and some boiled eggs.
While this Pickled Egg Recipe is simple enough to make, I love to use my Instant Pot, which makes it even simpler! Not only is it super quick, but using a pressure cooker makes the perfect hard-boiled egg every time. If you do not have an Instant Pot, you can also prepare the perfect hard-boiled egg with this simple stove top method.
Pickled Eggs are great as an appetizer, as a snack or even chopped up for a delicious egg salad sandwich! Very often you will see pickled eggs in pubs or bars and this is because they go very well with a nice cold glass of beer! Once your eggs are gone, be sure to keep the onions… they’re the most delicious addition to salads and sandwiches (I actually just love eating them right out of the jar)!
Tips for Pickled Eggs
Hard boil your eggs using a pressure cooker for perfect results everytime.
Choosing a pickling spice without cloves will help keep the brine from turning brown.
You can substitute cider vinegar for the white vinegar for a different flavor.
Using red onion or a few slices of beets will make your eggs, pretty and pink!
Add extra dill or even a few slices of jalapeno for a little bit of zip!
I love the look of homemade goods – they just look like they were made with love (and they always seem to be received with love too)! These Pickled Eggs make a great gift for a special occasions or simply to bring as a hostess gift the next time you are asked over for dinner! Simply tie some ribbon or raffia around the lid and you have an instant homemade gift that will surely be appreciated!
Rediscover the art of pickling with this yummy Pickled Eggs Recipe! Your friends and family will be so impressed – you don’t even have to confess how easy it really was!
EASY PICKLED EGGS (NO CANNING REQUIRED)
Ingredients
- 12 hard boiled eggs peeled and cooled
- 2-3 sprigs fresh dill
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 cups white vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 4 teaspoons pickling spices
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Instructions
- Place all ingredients except eggs, garlic, and dill in a saucepan.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Cool slightly.
- Add garlic clove to the jar. Place 3 eggs in a large jar. Top with some of the cooked onion slices and a sprig of dill. Repeat until the jar is full.
- Pour the liquid over the eggs and seal the jar.
- Refrigerate at least 3-4 days before eating (1 week is best).
Recipe Notes
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)
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I could not find a pickling spice without cloves so I made my own without cloves. I really wanted the clear batch when finished instead I got the nasty looking tea color. I used white vinegar must be something else in the spices I used. Disappointed.
Sorry this didn’t work out for you, since i don’t know exactly what was in your spice mix, I can’t say for sure. I hope they tasted great!
If I make these tonight and keep them sealed and covered in the liquid in the fridge, can I expect them to be good for thanksgiving??
They should last a few weeks in the fridge.
Holly, we sometimes have dill pickle juice left after the pickles have all been eaten …I always hate to waste that juice…could hard boiled eggs be added to that?
Absolutely!! You can add in other veggies too (like cucumbers and cauliflower). It’ll last a week or so.
Can you use Dried Dill weed and if so how much ? These sound really good! Going to make!
The flavor is not quite the same, but you can substitute 1 teaspoon of dried dill weed for 3 teaspoons of fresh. About 2 teaspoons of dried dill weed should work!
These pickled eggs are pretty pleasant to eat and easy to make. I always enjoy cooking eggs in many ways which is often so easyy
– Natalie Ellis
Hi Penny, I just made these this afternoon. Couldn’t find my recipe from years ago. I made 2 small adjustments to your recipe so it would be closer to how I remember making them: only 1 tsp pickling spice, extra peppercorns, and no sugar. They look fantastic and we can hardly wait to try them! My husband is thrilled since I haven’t made them in at least 7 or 8 years.
Glad you and your husband enjoyed the recipe Diane!
Hi Holly, love the recipe. I use quart jars for pickling and it takes very little liquid to fill the jars with the eggs in them. Could this recipe be for four quart jars?
As long as you have enough liquid to cover the eggs, it should work just fine. You may need to make a bit extra of the brine.
If I want to double or triple the amount of eggs, would I also double or triple the rest of the ingredients?
Yes, you’ll want to make sure the eggs are covered in liquid.
I can’t wait to taste them!i am a journey person cook and this is exactly how i would have done them!love garlic and onions and bay leaves!and not so much cloves ,i will save the excess liquid(brine)throw the cloves back in and pickle some beets!thank you for the wonderful recipe,Colin
You’re welcome Colin! Great idea about the beets
How should the onions be cooked? Looking forward to pickling the eggs!
The onions are cooked with the rest of the ingredients in step 1.
I just tried the red wine eggs that have been sitting for 2 weeks. Delicious.
I’m having trouble finding pickling spices. Do you make your own. If so can you share that recipe?
I don’t make my own, but you can find pickling spices here! Enjoy :)
I substituted 1 to 1 basalmic vinegar and water, no dill. Let sit for 7 days. Wonderful. Especially on a salad dresses with a basalmic based dressing.
That does sound wonderful James!
I followed this recipe & was pleased with the results. However, I think the sugar sweetens the brine. I prefer dill pickles over sweet pickles so next time I think I’ll substitute the sugar for extra Dill.
Thanks for the tip about the clove turning the eggs brown-eww gross! I hear things like red onion or beets brine well & also turn your eggs pink/red!
Definitely, the beets or beet juice make these super pretty! Let us know how it goes if you sub the sugar for Dill!
I want to add jalapenos, when would you suggest to do that?
I suggest adding your jalapeno slices when you add the garlic. Enjoy!
What color onion do you use? I’m so excited to try this recipe! :)
I prefer white onions (with the white papery skin).
I am trying your 12 egg recipe for the first time how big of a jar do i need for the eggs and all the ingredients.
Any size jar would work so long as all of your eggs fit. Enjoy Jerry!
i put 4 eggs in a 500 ml jar
So I don’t get what actually “pickles” these eggs?!??!! I mean hard boiled eggs will last a few weeks just in their shells alone without any refrigeration..! So yeah my self and many others here just do not get it!
You pickle these more for the taste, rather than actually preserving them. However, I’ve heard people doing experiments keeping pickled eggs in the fridge for up to a year. It was still edible! (not that I’d recommend trying that)
Pickle for taste. Can to preserve.
If you have the mason jars and lids boiling in a big pot to sterilize them, the lids will pop after filling with the eggs, will last a long time
Because they taste amazing! The longer you let them pickle, the stronger the flavor. I love them after at least a week or so. Add extra garlic, too, if you’re a garlic lover. (At least 3 cloves.) And the beet juice not only adds a lovely flavor but tints them the prettiest color.
I made these without sugar. … best recipe by far…. thanks!!
Glad to hear you enjoyed it Julie!
Holly…thanks,,,i live in Thailand so some things are hard to get…..i can get all of your stuff…..can’t waot to try it….new business in Thailand….Holly’s Pickled Eggs……ha ha…
LOL! Enjoy!
These pickled eggs look great! I’ve never made them at home before but this makes it seem easy and like something I could definitely do! Thanks for sharing!
Enjoy Billy!
In the receipe doesnt say what to do with the garlic actually?
The garlic is added to the jar along with the eggs.
Drop whole cloves in the jar with the other ingredients.
I never cover eggs or chicken while cooking is this a false hood from old wives
I made these and they are Great! Left them in the fridge for 1 week. My wife said that they tasted better than her mother’s, and her’s were Good!
A great compliment! So glad you loved them Warren!
Is it absolutely necessary to use a glass jar/jug or would a plastic container Work?
Yes, but probably only one time. At least that’s what I have often done with my own version of pickled eggs.
Anything air-tight and leakproof will do, but they look prettiest in a glass jar with lid.
Can you reuse the brine in the jars
I wouldn’t recommend it Don. If the pickled eggs were left at room temperature, even with adequate reheating of the brine, you could run the risk of botulism toxins. i always play by the motto of better safe than sorry.
Can you reuse the brine for a new batch
Do you add the garlic with the dill and onions uncooked?
The garlic and dill are uncooked. The onions are cooked in step 2.
Can this be made without dill or is there a substitute I can use I’m allergic.
You could exclude the dill or substitute an equal amount of tarragon.
Hi,
What kind of onion do you use Holly?
Thanks
Hello – just making these now – would they keep out of the fridge in a sealed Jar on a shelf in the kitchen? How long for more or less?
So pretty I’d like them on show!
Many thanks,
Liza
I would suggest you store these in the refrigerator.
If you want to keep them out of the fridge you can easily can them
I haven’t tried canning these.
Made these a couple weeks ago and they were delicious and very easy to make. Just started on another batch!
Can I use beet juice instead of the water? I always use apple cider vinegar, I love the flavor of it more so than white vinegar. I love pickled eggs and honestly I’m not sure I could eat one that isn’t pink. It would be too weird… I too live in Ohio and I leave them in to soak until the egg whites are all pink… YUM!
I haven’t tried it that way but I’m sure that would work just fine. Please let us know how it works for you if you do try it!
These are great, do you have a receipe for pickled garlic, our family loves it but does not like the look of it as the receipe I use makes the garlic go green.
Thank you
I’m sorry I don’t have a pickled garlic recipe however my friend Mary at Barefeet in the Kitchen has a great recipe.
Can this process also work with vegetables? Also, is this how you make “banana peppers”?
This works with almost any veggie! Enjoy!
Wanting to do these for food storage.Do you have any idea how long they stay good?
They will last about a month (although they never last that long around here).
How long is the shelve life?
They will last about a month (although they never last that long around here).
How long do you cook the eggs in pressure cooker. I have an old one I use all the time. It has a “spinner ” on top with 3 different pressure settings
We make pickled eggs all the time. and do add jalapeno slices we pickled.
You can find my pressure cooker eggs recipe here.
I never cover eggs or chicken while cooking is this a false hood from old wives
how long do you recommend leaving eggs in jar in fridge to safe?
They will last about a month (although they never last that long around here).
I have gone over the recipe three times and do not see where or when to add the garlic,I so do want to make these, but I don’t want to be disappointed by the taste, because of a missing ingredient.Thanks for taking my question.
I add the garlic to the jar before putting the eggs in.
At what point do I add the garlic? Thank you :)
I add the garlic to the jar before putting the eggs in.
Can you tell me if the sugar is needed? My husband is diabetic and would like to try these if it’s possible to omit the sugar.
I have only made this as written. Are you able to try a sugar substitute? I haven’t tried it so if you do, please let us know how it works out for you!
you don’t need to use sugar I have 4 jars in my frig and the guys at work eat the up like its nothing they want to buy some from me now just don’t know how much to sale my quail eggs for.
Dixie…love the name…..Im from Georgia living in Thailand…i have plenty of quail eggs….do you use the same process..or something different…. been craving pickled eggs since i left Ga.10 yrs ago….
Pickled eggs are great made with just vinegar, beet juice, onion slices, and garlic cloves. You can pickle beets along with the eggs as well. Add salt if you wish, but it’s no needed if you put salt and pepper on the eggs as you eat them, just as you might do with a plain hard-boiled egg.
First time I tried pickled eggs going to be hard to wait a week. 5 stars on prep work not going to rate yet I’ll be back. Lol
Hello…. well first time I tried pickled eggs I’ll let you know how this turns out. Going to be hard to wait a week lol.
Is the sugar a necessary absolute? looking for low carb recipe.
I’ve only made this as written so while I do think it would work without the sugar, it would also change the flavor and would be more sour. Are you able to try a sugar substitute in place? If you do try it, please let us know how it works out for you!
You can use stevia for low carb ….that is what I use.
Lisa, you can check out Holly’s Easy Low Carb website for more low carb recipes!
Here in Ohio, we make our pickled eggs in pickled beets juice. We don’t just add a few slices of beets to the eggs. We add the eggs to the pickled beets. YUM!
That sounds delicious too!!