How to make a Guatemalan Curtido Recipe
This Guatemalan curtido recipe is quick and easy. Curtido is a cabbage slaw with a blend of pickled vegetables. It can be eaten with tacos, enchiladas, or alongside grilled meats. While there are many varieties of this recipe, I tried to go as traditional as possible, so you would get the truest sense of this dish.
I’ll give you variations and substitutions where I can, plus helpful tips and tricks for success. Read on for this info as well as the recipe. If you’d like to skip straight to the recipe, use the jump to recipe button at the top of the post.
You may also be interested in my chirmol and my pickled radishes recipes. For ease of browsing, you can find all of my condiments in one place.
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Curtido Recipe
This vinegary blend of pickled vegetables with the slightest bit of sweetness is known as curtido Guatemalteco, or Guatemalan curtido. It is different from other cabbage slaws in that it also has beets, which gives it its gorgeous color.
Curtido is typically eaten around Easter week or Semana Santa, and it is eaten on Guatemalan enchiladas. They are similar to what most people know as a tostada if we are comparing it to typical Mexican food you would find at a Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurant. That being said, you don’t have to wait until Easter to make or devour this.
What you need to know
The most important thing I can share with you before you begin is that beets stain. To avoid ruining any clothing, make sure you wear an apron and/or dark clothing. If you don’t want your hands stained pink when you’re handling the beets, wear gloves.
Secondly, you’ll need an ice bath. This is just a big bowl of ice water, but you’ll need have it ready as soon as you start to blanch the vegetables. When you remove the vegetables from the simmering water, they go straight into the cold water to stop the cooking. This keeps them crisp.
Curtido Ingredients
- Cabbage – Cabbage is the base of this Guatemalan curtido recipe.
- Cauliflower – Adds a nice crunch to the slaw.
- Carrots – Carrots give the curtido a bit of sweetness.
- Beets – Beets differentiate this curtido from, for example, a curtido from El Salvador.
- Green beans and peas – Green vegetables add some color and texture.
- Red onion – This will also provide the rosy hue this curtido is known for.
- Jalapeño – This is optional – if you like heat, add in a bit of diced chili.
- Oregano and thyme – Dried herbs give this slaw great flavor.
- Sugar – A small amount of sugar balances the acidity from the vinegar.
- Apple cider vinegar and white vinegar – Necessary for pickling vegetables.
- Substitutions: You can omit the white vinegar if you prefer, and only use apple cider vinegar. The white vinegar has a bit more of a bite to it and good for pickling, while ACV is fruity and slightly less acidic.
How to make curtido
Here’s a quick summary of how to make this Guatemalan curtido recipe. Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe.
- First, you’ll need to roast the beets. Some people prefer to boil them, I prefer roasting because it intensifies their natural sweetness and retains the nutrients.
- While the beets are in the oven, chop up the vegetables, and set up an ice bath. Blanch (cook) the curtido vegetables in simmering water for a few minutes just to soften them. Use a spider strainer to remove them from the water.
- Place the blanched vegetables on clean kitchen towels to drain.
- Toss the vegetables in a large bowl with vinegars, salt, sugar, and dried herbs. Mix well and refrigerate.
Overnight, the vegetables will take on the bright pink color from the beets and the red onion. The longer they sit, the deeper the color will become. The flavors of the beet curtido, or curtido de remolacha, will develop more after sitting in the fridge for a couple of days. You’ll want to give it a stir occasionally to make sure all of the vegetables soak in the vinegar.
FAQ’s
Yes, curtido needs to be refrigerated. This recipe is a “quick pickle” or a “refrigerator pickle”.
This curtido salad will stay fresh in the refrigerator for a few weeks. The vegetables will eventually get softer, the longer it sits.
Storage / Freezing Information
To store: Curtido should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
To freeze: Although you can freeze curtido, I don’t recommend it. It will lose it’s texture.
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Variations and substitutions
- Spicy – Add in a finely diced jalapeño pepper for some heat. Most recipes do not use it, but it can be nice if you like a little spice.
- Vinegar – If you prefer your vegetables less vinegary, you can reduce the amount of vinegar by a half cup. You can add a splash of water to dilute the vinegar as well.
Serving suggestions
I can eat this cabbage slaw as is, but the vegetables are delicious on a sandwich made on a crusty roll (think giardiniera), sprinkled on top of your salad for a little extra punch, or eaten alongside a bit of braised meat as the vinegar helps balance out the fat and richness.
It makes a great topper for tacos, nachos, tostadas, or anything else that you’d eat with pickled vegetables.
Helpful tools and equipment
- Food processor – For a super speedy solution to slicing and chopping, a food processor is the way to go.
- Mandoline slicer – This slicer makes cutting up the vegetables much faster.
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Guatemalan Curtido Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 medium sized beets
- 3 medium carrots peeled and julienned or diced – 1 ¼ cups / 165g
- ⅓ head medium sized green cabbage finely shredded – approximately 3 ½ cups / 325g
- ¾ cup green beans cut into 1-inch pieces / 80g
- ¼ head cauliflower broken into small pieces – 1 ¼ cups
- ½ cup frozen peas 75g
- ½ medium red onion very thinly sliced
- salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano preferably Mexican
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 ½ tablespoons sugar
- ½ cup white vinegar 120mL
- ¾ cup apple cider vinegar 180mL
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F / 190°C. Wrap beets in aluminum foil and set on a baking pan. Roast for 60 minutes, or until a knife easily pierces the beet. Set aside to cool.
- While beets are cooling, put on a pot of salted water and bring to a simmer. While you are waiting for the water to come to a simmer, prepare the ice bath: fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. Set aside.
- Add green beans, peas and shredded cabbage to the simmering water and cook for 3 minutes. Remove from water with a slotted spoon or a spider (don't throw out the water) and plunge the bean mixture into the ice bath.
- Add carrots and cook for 5 minutes, then add cauliflower to the carrots. Let them cook for a few minutes more until softened. The goal is to soften the vegetables, they should still have a little resistance when you bite them. When carrot and cauliflower mixture is to your liking, drain and add to ice bath.
- Remove all the vegetables from the water and set aside on clean kitchen towels to drain completely.
- When beets have cooled enough to handle, peel them by rubbing the outside with your (gloved) hands or using a paper towel, and the skins will slip right off.
- Dice the beets into small pieces, and add all of the vegetables to a large, non-aluminum bowl. Add the oregano, vinegars, sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt (or to taste), mix to combine and refrigerate.
- Stir vegetable mixture after an hour to ensure the vinegar has coated everything.
- Taste vegetables and adjust seasoning if needed. Stir again, pack into containers and refrigerate.
Chef’s Notes
- When dicing your vegetables, try to keep everything a similar size. This makes for a better bite. You can get a little bit of everything.
- Some people prefer to boil the beets, but I find roasting them makes them sweeter and much more delicious.
- The flavors will develop overnight and it will be ready to devour the next day, but if you can wait an extra day, you will be rewarded with even tastier pickled vegetables.
- This recipe yields approximately 2 quarts. You can halve the recipe for a smaller quantity.
- Reminder to wear gloves when peeling beets if you don’t want your hands to stain.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. Use your preferred nutritional calculator using the products and brands you are using for exact information.
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Originally published 2/11/16, most recent update 3/18/26.