I made a 5-ingredient Quick Pickled Ginger that recreates the pale pink ginger served with sushi in Japanese restaurants.

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I chase big flavors in tiny things. I fell down a How To Pickle Ginger rabbit hole last month and got weirdly obsessed.

I never thought thin slices of young ginger bathed in rice vinegar could taste so much like that pink stuff at sushi places, but they do. My first batch was clumsy, a little too bright, and oddly addicting, like a happy mistake that made leftovers exciting.

It cleanses the palate, wakes up bland rice and makes simple meals feel sneaky fancy. Call it Diy Pickled Ginger if you want, I just call it my secret jar of trouble.

Ingredients

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Young ginger: spicy, crisp root; antioxidants, helps digestion, gives sushi it’s fresh zing
Rice vinegar: light acidic tang, low calorie, preserves flavor, makes pickles bright and sharp
Granulated sugar: sweetener, balances acidity, adds body, not much nutrition but essential taste
Fine salt: enhances flavor, draws moisture for crispness, supplies sodium, use sparingly
Small beet: natural colorant, earthy sweetness, vitamin rich, stains hands, makes ginger pink

Ingredient Quantities

1 lb (450 g) young ginger

1 cup (240 ml) rice vinegar

3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar

1 tsp fine salt

1 small beet, for pink color

How to Make this

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1. Peel the young ginger with the edge of a spoon to keep as much flesh as possible, then slice as thin as you can with a mandoline or sharp knife — paper thin is best, about 1 mm if you can.

2. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and blanch the ginger slices 30 to 60 seconds just until they soften a bit; drain and pat dry with a towel.

3. In a small saucepan combine 1 cup rice vinegar, 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 tsp fine salt; warm over medium heat and stir until the sugar and salt fully dissolve, then remove from heat.

4. Slice the small beet very thin or grate a little so it releases color fast; drop the beet into the hot pickling liquid and let it steep 3 to 5 minutes to bleed pink into the brine.

5. Meanwhile pack the blanched ginger tightly into a clean jar, tamping down so theres as little air as possible.

6. Remove the beet from the brine if you want gentler color, or leave it in for a stronger pink; pour the hot vinegar mixture over the ginger making sure all slices are submerged.

7. Press the ginger down with a spoon or small lid so it stays under the brine, seal the jar and let it cool to room temperature.

8. Refrigerate at least 6 to 8 hours but overnight is better for that sushi-restaurant flavor and full pink color where the beet touched the ginger.

9. Use clean utensils each time, keep refrigerated and eat within 2 to 3 weeks for best flavor; if the color gets too intense remove the beet earlier next time.

Equipment Needed

1. Large pot for boiling/blanching the ginger
2. Mandoline or very sharp knife for paper thin slices, be careful
3. Slotted spoon or tongs to lift and drain the ginger
4. Small saucepan to warm the rice vinegar, sugar and salt
5. Measuring cups and spoons (1 cup, 3/4 cup, 1 tsp)
6. Fine grater or small knife for the beet to release color quick
7. Clean jar with tight lid plus a small spoon or lid to press the ginger down
8. Colander and a clean kitchen towel to pat the ginger dry

FAQ

Q: How do I get that pretty pink color? A: Add the small beet while you heat the pickling liquid or toss a few thin beet slices in the jar, the beet stains the ginger pink. If you dont want any beet flavor use a tiny piece or use red shiso instead.

Q: How thin should I slice the ginger? A: Paper thin. Use a mandoline or very sharp knife so slices are almost translucent. Thick slices stay fibrous and chewy, you can blanch thick ones for 30-60 seconds to soften.

Q: When can I eat it? A: You can eat it the same day after it cools, but it's much better after 24 hours. Flavor keeps getting better for 2 to 3 days.

Q: How long will it keep in the fridge? A: In a clean airtight jar refrigerated it stays good for about 3 to 4 weeks for best texture and color, maybe longer but quality drops. Toss it if it smells off or looks moldy.

Q: Can I use mature ginger instead of young ginger? A: Yes but mature ginger is tougher and more fibrous. Slice extra thin or shave it, maybe blanch a bit. Young ginger is preferred because it's tender and turns pink easier.

Q: Is this a fermented ginger or a shelf stable canned ginger? A: This recipe is a quick vinegar pickle, not a lacto fermentation or shelf stable canned product. It must be kept chilled unless you follow a tested canning method with proper heat processing.

Pickled Ginger (Sushi Ginger) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Young ginger: use regular mature ginger instead (peeled and sliced extra thin, it’s a bit spicier so use slightly less), or try frozen grated ginger (thaw and squeeze out excess moisture), or just use store bought pickled ginger to skip the pickling step.
Rice vinegar: swap for apple cider vinegar (1 to 1), or white wine vinegar (a touch sharper so add a little more sugar), or seasoned rice vinegar (reduce recipe sugar a bit since it’s already sweetened).
Granulated sugar: substitute with light honey or agave nectar (use about 3/4 the volume since they are liquid and sweeter), or coconut sugar for a less refined taste, or maple syrup if you don’t mind a slight flavor change.
Small beet (for pink color): use 1–2 tbsp beet juice from a jar of canned beets, or 1 tsp beetroot powder, or a few thin slices of red pickled radish or a tiny splash of cranberry juice to tint the ginger pink.

Pro Tips

– Partially freeze the ginger for about 10-15 minutes so it firms up, youll slice paper thin much easier and safer. Also try slicing against the grain for less stringy bites, and if you dont have a mandoline use a very sharp knife and a steady rocking motion.

– Right after blanching plunge the slices into ice water to stop the cooking, that keeps them crisp and the brine clear. Dry them really well on towels though, extra water will dilute the pickling liquid and mute the flavor.

– For fast, even pink color grate a little beet or use a microplane and squeeze a bit of juice into the hot brine, it stains less and colors quicker than dropping in big beet pieces. Wear gloves, and dont use your nice cutting boards or clothes cause beet stains are stubborn.

– Pack the jar tight so theres minimal air and press everything under the brine with a small lid or weight, that prevents mold and keeps the texture even. Keep it refrigerated, always use clean utensils, and label the jar with the date so you know when to finish it off.

Pickled Ginger (Sushi Ginger) Recipe

Recipe by Jot Punji

0.0 from 0 votes

I made a 5-ingredient Quick Pickled Ginger that recreates the pale pink ginger served with sushi in Japanese restaurants.

Servings

servings

Calories

123

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large pot for boiling/blanching the ginger
2. Mandoline or very sharp knife for paper thin slices, be careful
3. Slotted spoon or tongs to lift and drain the ginger
4. Small saucepan to warm the rice vinegar, sugar and salt
5. Measuring cups and spoons (1 cup, 3/4 cup, 1 tsp)
6. Fine grater or small knife for the beet to release color quick
7. Clean jar with tight lid plus a small spoon or lid to press the ginger down
8. Colander and a clean kitchen towel to pat the ginger dry

Ingredients

1 lb (450 g) young ginger
1 cup (240 ml) rice vinegar
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp fine salt
1 small beet, for pink color

Directions

Peel the young ginger with the edge of a spoon to keep as much flesh as possible, then slice as thin as you can with a mandoline or sharp knife — paper thin is best, about 1 mm if you can.
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and blanch the ginger slices 30 to 60 seconds just until they soften a bit; drain and pat dry with a towel.
In a small saucepan combine 1 cup rice vinegar, 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 tsp fine salt; warm over medium heat and stir until the sugar and salt fully dissolve, then remove from heat.
Slice the small beet very thin or grate a little so it releases color fast; drop the beet into the hot pickling liquid and let it steep 3 to 5 minutes to bleed pink into the brine.
Meanwhile pack the blanched ginger tightly into a clean jar, tamping down so theres as little air as possible.
Remove the beet from the brine if you want gentler color, or leave it in for a stronger pink; pour the hot vinegar mixture over the ginger making sure all slices are submerged.
Press the ginger down with a spoon or small lid so it stays under the brine, seal the jar and let it cool to room temperature.
Refrigerate at least 6 to 8 hours but overnight is better for that sushi-restaurant flavor and full pink color where the beet touched the ginger.
Use clean utensils each time, keep refrigerated and eat within 2 to 3 weeks for best flavor; if the color gets too intense remove the beet earlier next time.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.