How To Make Pickled Asparagus

Asparagus season is short and sweet just like this pickled asparagus recipe! Start making pickled asparagus now and you’ll have deliciously seasoned pickled vegetables to nosh on tomorrow!

Only 10 minutes of prep time is required to make this recipe for pickled asparagus, just like Pickled Green Tomatoes. No canning is necessary, unless of course canning asparagus is what you’re going for!

If you’re into pickling recipes, check out these favorites: Mexican Pickled Carrots, Pickled Peppers, Pickled Banana Peppers, Pickled Red Onions, Pickled Daikon, Pickled Peaches and Pickled Cucumbers.

Ingredients

Here are the key ingredients for pickling asparagus. For the full list of ingredients, reference the recipe card below.

• Fresh Asparagus 
• White Vinegar
• Sugar
• Kosher Salt
• Pickling Spices (such as dill, garlic, and peppercorns)

Pickled Asparagus Recipe

The pickling process is simple, quick, and requires only a few ingredients. Here’s a brief overview of the key steps. The full list of instructions are in the recipe card below:

Step 1. Boil the pickling liquid.

Step 2.  Trim the spears.

Step 3. Stuff as many asparagus spears as possible into a large jar, such as glass mason jars (24 oz). 

Step 4. Pour the vinegar mixture over the asparagus and let marinate for 24 hours.

How To Choose The Best Asparagus

High quality produce equals higher quality pickled vegetables. Fresh asparagus is no exception. When shopping, here’s what to look out for:

• Bright green coloring with a firm stalk. 
• Uniform thickness (when pickling).
• Avoid stalks with wrinkles or soft spots.

How To Trim Asparagus

There are two ways to trim asparagus, depending on your preference.

Knife – Place the asparagus on a cutting board so the bottom of the stalks line up. Use a knife to cut off the bottom 1″ or so, where the stalks starts turning green instead of white.

Hands – “Snap” the bottom part of the spear off using your hands. It should snap just like a twig when bent.

How Much To Buy

To fill a wide mouth pint size mason jar, you’ll use about 1.5 pounds of asparagus per jar. So if you want to prepare 2 jars, you’ll need 3 pounds of the green stuff. 

Variations

Sweet – Like sweet pickled vegetables? Increase the sugar by 1 tablespoon to add extra sweetness. We do recommend tasting the initial vinegar brine first to get a baseline flavor. 

Spicy – If you prefer spicy pickled veggies, add extra red pepper flakes, to taste. I’ve been known to add a full tablespoon of red pepper flakes. 

Korean – To make a Korean-flavored version, add in 1/2 Tablespoon of coarse ground gochugaru, and 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds to the bottom of the jar.

Top 10 Serving Ideas

In addition to serving as a snack, here are the top 10 ways we like to utilize pickled asparagus:

1. Cocktail Garnish (Michelada, Bloody Maria or Bloody Caesar)
2. Appetizer Platter
3. Simple Charcuterie Board (Next to Pickled Mustard Seeds)
4. Salad Ingredient
5. Sandwich Topping
6. Breakfast Side Dish (Asparagus and Eggs)
7. Deviled Eggs Topping (Smoked Deviled Eggs)
8. Pizza Topping
9. Grilled Cheese Ingredient
10. Bruschetta Topping

Canned Asparagus

This recipe hasn’t been testing for canning. If canning, follow the proper canning methods as outlined on the NCHFP website.

Tips

• For the best results, you want to pour the brine over the asparagus while still hot. You MUST use a glass jar that can withstand high heat.
• Once jarred, marinate for a minimum of 24 hours up to 3 days. The longer they marinate the more tender and flavorful they will be.
• Store the jars of pickled asparagus in the refrigerator for up to two months.