Vietnamese Quick Pickled Carrots and Daikon

Make your Banh Mi sandwiches pop with these Vietnamese Quick Pickled Carrots and Daikon! Ready to eat in just 15 minutes, the tangy flavors and delicious crunch of these pickled vegetables give sandwiches, grain bowls, and salads a much needed boost.

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small glass jar with pickled carrots and daikon.

Quick pickled carrots and daikon

You can expect a wide range of vibrant flavors once a Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwich is in your hands. One element that makes the experience complete are these Vietnamese Quick Pickled Carrots and Daikon!

Otherwise known as Đồ Chua, Vietnamese pickled carrots and daikon are a crisp, tangy, and crunchy condiment that will cut through fatty meats and spicy flavors. Just like my quick pickled radishes and pickled red onions, you can use them on practically anything! They’re a must-have on Air Fryer Chicken Banh Mi or my Chicken Meatball Banh Mi, as well as grain bowls, salads, spring rolls, and Asian-inspired tacos.

The quick pickling method is my favorite because you only need simple ingredients to make the brine and the pickled veggies are ready to use in about 15 minutes. They also last for weeks in the fridge, meaning you can add bright and bold flavors to your meals whenever you want.

carrots and daikon next to small white bowls with sugar, vinegar, and water.

Vietnamese pickled vegetable ingredients

Daikon – Daikon is a long, white vegetable that’s a part of the radish family. Just like red radishes, daikon radish is sweet and mild in flavor with a crispy crunchy texture.

Carrots – Julienne the carrots into small matchsticks so they’re easy to eat once pickled. This is easy if you have a mandolin, julienne tool, or vegetable peeler.

Vinegar – You need both unseasoned rice vinegar and white vinegar for the pickling brine. Try not to swap the vinegars for other varieties or else the authentic flavor will be lost.

Sugar – This is dissolved in the pickling brine and helps balance the punchy flavors from the vinegars.

Water – Water is a must when putting pickling brine together. Without it and the vegetables will have an overpowering vinegary taste!

How to make Vietnamese quick pickled carrots and daikon

You can always rely on the quick pickling method when you want to add tangy, crunchy vegetables to your meals in a matter of minutes. It’s done in just 3 easy steps:

Make the brine.
Add the water, vinegars, sugar, and salt to a small pot. Heat over medium-high heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.
Pickle the veggies.
Add the julienned carrots and daikon to a large mason jar and pour the pickling brine over top. Let the brine cool at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes.
Serve or store.
You can serve the quick pickled veggies after they’re done cooling or store them in the fridge to use whenever you want later on.

What do you eat pickled daikon and carrots with?

Vietnamese pickled vegetables are especially delicious (and a necessary ingredient) on my Air Fryer Chicken Banh Mi or my Chicken Meatball Banh Mi. The bright flavors cut through the marinated chicken and help cool down the heat from the jalapenos.

If you have extra pickled veggies in your fridge, use them as a topping on salmon rice bowls, sandwiches, lettuce wraps, or salads for weeks on end.

Variations

You can make this recipe your own by adding a few things for extra flavor, like:

A pinch of red chili flakes
Garlic cloves
More vegetables, like sliced cabbage, red onions, or cucumber
Black peppercorns
Jalapeno slices
Serrano peppers

small glass jars with pickled daikon and carrots.

Frequently asked questions

How long can you keep pickled carrots and daikon?

When kept in a sealed jar in the fridge, the pickled carrots and daikon will last for up to 3 weeks.

What does pickled daikon taste like?

Raw daikon is sweet and mild. It still tastes sweet after it’s been pickled while taking on the salty, punchy flavors of the pickling brine.

What’s the best vinegar for pickling?

While I don’t recommend substituting the rice vinegar and white vinegar combination in this recipe, you can use other combinations when pickling other varieties of vegetables. Use this guide for more information:

Rice Vinegar is my favorite vinegar to use because of its mild flavor.
Champagne Vinegar will add a touch of natural sweetness.
White Wine Vinegar will also add a touch of sweetness.
Apple Cider Vinegar will give pickled vegetables a slightly funky flavor (in the best way).
White Vinegar is the strongest of the bunch. Use less in your vinegar to water ratio.

What other vegetables can you pickle?

Almost anything! This brine can be used to pickle sliced cucumbers, jalapenos, cabbage, radishes, onions, turnips, and so much more.

Use the pickled carrots and radishes on these recipes and more:

Did you try these Vietnamese Quick Pickled Carrots and Daikon? Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below and giving this recipe a rating! Don’t forget to take a picture tag me on Instagram or use #lenaskitchenblog to be featured in my stories! I love seeing what you come up with!