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A close-up of a glass jar filled with taqueria style pickled carrots, sliced onions, a bay leaf, and pickling spices in brine, with a metal fork inside the jar.
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5 from 36 votes

Mexican Pickled Carrots or Zanahorias En Escabeche

These authentic Mexican pickled carrots are tangy, lightly spicy, and crisp-tender. This easy refrigerator escabeche recipe is perfect for topping tacos, tortas, soups, and more.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: accompaniment, Appetizer, garnish, topping
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 61kcal
Author: Nancy Lopez & MexicanMadeMeatless.com

Equipment

  • jars and lids sanitized ( I used one 32oz jar + one 8oz jar)
  • large frying pan
  • medium pot

Ingredients

Your Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. carrots peeled and cut into coins*
  • 1 medium large white onion sliced into slivers
  • 3 fresh jalapeños sliced into strips (or use serranos)
  • 4 whole garlic cloves if small use more
  • 3 whole bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon oregano preferably Mexican oregano
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1.5 cups plain white vinegar (1 1/2 cups) see notes
  • 1.75 cups water (1 3/4 cups) see notes
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil more if needed

Instructions

Sanitize Jars and Lids

  • You can do this quickly by placing the jars and lids inside a large and deep pot filled with water and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes and remove and drain off the water while you prepare the carrots.
    Labeled ingredients for mexican pickled carrots recipe on a colorful tablecloth: sliced carrots, jalapeños, white onion, garlic, oil, salt and peppercorns, bay leaf, and oregano in bowls—perfect for zanahorias en escabeche.

Cook The Carrots

  • Heat the oil in a very large pan then sauté the carrots for a few minutes.
    Sautéing sliced carrots in a stainless steal pan to make spicy pickled carrots.
  • Add the chiles, onion, garlic and bay leaves and cook for about 8 minutes.
    Sautéing carrots, jalapenos and white onion in a stainless steal pan.
  • Next add the salt, oregano, and peppercorns to the carrot mixture and cook for about 3 minutes, stir to combine the spices and vegetables well.
    Adding oregano, salt, and peppercorns to sautéed Mexican pickled carrots.

Prep The Vinegar Brine

  • In a medium pot (while your carrots are cooking), mix the water and vinegar and bring to a soft boil under medium-low heat. Once boiling cover and turn heat to low and allow to simmer until it’s ready to be poured over the carrots in the jars.
    Boiling water with white vinegar to make pickling brine for Mexican carrots.

Assemble Jars with Carrots and Brine

  • Fill each jar 3/4 full with the carrot mixture. Then pour in vinegar mix but leave about 1/8th inch of space from the rim. This is to leave enough room so it doesn’t spill.
    Filling a large mason jar with carrots, spices and pouring in pickling brine.
  • Seal tightly and set jars aside to allow to sit and cool down to room temperature. Once at room temperature you can put them in the refrigerator.
    Two mason jars filled with spicy Mexican pickled carrots.
  • Allow to sit in overnight to allow flavors seep into the carrots and make them more flavorful. Tightly sealed they will keep up to a week or two in the refrigerator, that’s if they last you that long! 
    A fork holds up two slices of Mexican pickled carrots above a glass jar filled with more carrot slices and brine, with herbs and spices visible in the liquid.

Video

Notes

* As you can see in the video, I sliced the onions into coins. But I also like to slice them into diagonal slices. It doesn't really matter. But keep in mind that the larger sizes may require more jar space or a little bit more brine.
  • If you need more brine just double boil a bit more until you have enough to cover the carrots. 
  • On occasions I've needed up to 2 cups vinegar and 3 cups water.
** Sautéing Time
If you slice the carrots into diagonal pieces or larger slices they may require a bit more sautéing time. Simply pay attention to how tender or crispy they are and how you want them to be. Some people like them crispier and others a bit softer. It's up to you! 

Nutrition

Serving: 10servings | Calories: 61kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 268mg | Potassium: 193mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 7642IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 0.5mg
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