This simple and straightforward Vietnamese Pickled Vegetables recipe is incredibly easy to prepare, delicious, versatile and comes together in under 30 minutes. Use these pickles on sandwiches and subs (bahn mi), bowls or as a side to rich proteins.
This recipe is considered a refrigerator pickle, meaning that the finished product should be refrigerated and not canned for shelf storage.
Table of Contents
What is Do Chua (Vietnamese Pickled Carrots and Daikon)
Đồ Chua is a Vietnamese pickled vegetable dish made from equal amounts of julienned carrots and daikon radish. The vegetables are typically soaked in a mixture of vinegar, water, sugar, and salt, creating a sweet and tangy pickle.
I use it as a condiment or side dish with Vietnamese dishes, adding a refreshing crunch and flavor to bánh mì (Vietnamese sandwiches), noodle bowls, rice dishes, and various grilled meats. It can also be added to fresh spring rolls.
If you are a fan of making homemade pickles, check out my summer pickle recipes.
Ingredients
This 6-ingredient pickled Vietnamese carrots and daikon recipe is made with standard pantry ingredients. As for the vegetables, I recommend that you use the freshest produce you can get your hands on.
- Daikon Radish: Traditionally, daikon radish is used in this recipe. It is easy to cut and pickles really well. Try my Korean pickled radish recipe too!
- Carrots: It wouldn’t be do chua without carrots. If you’re a fan of pickled and fermented carrots, check out my fermented carrots, giardiniera and escabeche recipes.
- Rice Wine Vinegar: the ideal vinegar for this recipe. It’s flavorful, not too harsh and balances the sweetness really well. It is not available at most if not all grocery stores, but you’ll definitely find it at your local Asian grocery store. If you don’t have rice vinegar, you can use distilled white vinegar instead. Apple cider vinegar can also be used in a pinch.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Pickled Vietnamese Carrots and Daikon
This recipe is straightforward, but it does have a few steps. I recommend you read through everything before you start!
Step 1. Shred. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, shred the daikon radish and carrot into thin, 3-inch (10cm) strips.
Step 2. Salt. Transfer the shredded carrots and daikon to a fine mesh sieve placed over a large bowl. Add the salt and mix well to incorporate. Set aside to rest for 15 minutes.
Step 3. Make the pickle solution. While the vegetables rest, make the brine by combining the sugar, water and rice wine vinegar in a pot. Set on medium heat and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside to cool.
Step 4. Drain. By now, you should see a pool of liquid at the bottom of the bowl. Wash the sliced and salted daikon and carrot under cold water.
Step 5. Squeeze. Squeeze the sliced vegetables to remove as much water as possible.
Step 6. Pack. Pack the drained sliced vegetables into a mason jar.
Step 7. Pour pickling liquid. Pour the pickling solution over the vegetable mixture, making sure everything is submerged.
Step 8. Pickle. Place the jar in the fridge and pickle for at least 24 hours before using. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Expert Tips
- Use a mandoline slicer. I highly recommend that you use a Japanese mandoline (affiliate link) or slicer for this job. It will give you even slices. Use the hand guard to avoid cutting yourself.
- Use a food processor. If you don’t care too much about the evenness of the slices, you can use a food processor with the shredding attachment.
- Make it spicy! Add some fresh chilies to the mason jar if you want to make a spicy version of this recipe. If you like spicy pickles, try my pickled jalapenos and pickled banana peppers.
- Reduce the sugar. Traditionally these pickles are sweet and tangy, which offsets the rich and spicy nature of bahn mi and vermicelli. But you can totally reduce the amount of sugar if you prefer.
- Use glass containers and mason jars. Glass is not reactive and is quite safe to use. I use glass jars for all my pickles and ferments.
- Speed up the process. Can’t wait 24 hours? Bring the pickling solution to a boil and pour it over the sliced vegetables quickly. Seal the jar and wait for it to come to room temperature.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, I recommend that you make do chua at least 24 hours before you need it. The flavor will improve over time.
Because of the rice wine vinegar and sugar, the finished pickles should last in the fridge for up to 4 weeks. Always use clean utensils and not your fingers when grabbing pickles from the jar to make sure you’re not introducing any bacteria that can spoil the batch too quickly.
Other Pickle Recipes
Preservation
Preservation
Preservation
Preservation
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Vietnamese Pickled Carrots and Daikon (Do Chua)
Equipment
- ¾ quart mason jar (750ml)
Ingredients
- 1 Medium daikon
- 1-2 Medium to large carrots
- 1 tbsp Kosher salt, sea salt or pickling salt
- ⅓ cup White sugar
- ¾ cup Water
- ½ cup Rice wine vinegar
Instructions
- Shred. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, shred the daikon radish and carrot into thin, 3-inch (10cm) strips. The goal is to have an equal amount of julienned daikon and radish.
- Salt. Transfer the shredded daikon and carrots to a fine mesh sieve placed over a large bowl. Add the salt and mix well to incorporate. Set aside to rest for 15 minutes.
- Make the pickle solution. While the vegetables rest, make the brine by combining the sugar, water and rice wine vinegar in a pot. Set on medium heat and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside to cool.
- Drain. By now, you should see a pool of liquid at the bottom of the bowl. Wash the sliced and salted daikon and carrot under cold water.
- Squeeze. Squeeze the sliced vegetables to remove as much water as possible.
- Pack. Pack the drained sliced vegetables into a mason jar.
- Pour pickling liquid. Pour the pickling solution over the vegetable mixture, making sure everything is submerged.
- Pickle. Place the jar in the fridge and pickle for at least 24 hours before using.
Notes
- Daikon Radish: Traditionally, daikon radish is used in this recipe. It is easy to cut and pickles really well.
- Carrots: It wouldn’t be do chua without carrots. Make sure to slice the carrots to the same length and thickness as the daikon for even pickling.
- Rice Wine Vinegar: the ideal vinegar for this recipe. It’s flavorful, not too harsh and balances the sweetness really well. If you don’t have rice vinegar, you can use distilled white vinegar instead. Apple cider vinegar can also be used in a pinch.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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