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. 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: Pickled Peppers, Pickled Red Onions, and Pickled Cucumbers.
How To Pickle Asparagus
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. This also applies when making this sautéed asparagus recipe and Asparagus Casserole.
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.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Top 10 Serving Ideas
In addition to serving as a snack, here are the top 10 ways we like to utilize pickled asparagus:
- Cocktail Garnish (Michelada, Bloody Maria or Bloody Caesar)
- Appetizer Platter
- Charcuterie Board (Next to Pickled Mustard Seeds and Pickled Shallots)
- Salad Ingredient
- Sandwich Topping
- Breakfast Side Dish (Asparagus and Eggs)
- Pizza Topping
- Grilled Cheese Ingredient
- 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.
Pickled Asparagus
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup distilled white vinegar (*Note 1)
- 1 cup water
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- ½ tsp dill seeds
- 1½ lb asparagus, trimmed
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (*Note 2)
- ½ small onion, thinly sliced rings
Instructions
Make the Vinegar Brine:
- Add the vinegar, sugar, salt, water, peppercorn and dill seeds to a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Set aside.1 cup distilled white vinegar, 1 cup water, 1 Tbsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black peppercorns, ½ tsp dill seeds
Prep the Asparagus:
- Wash the asparagus and break off the woody ends of the spears. Trim so they fit vertically in the mason jar, leaving 1/2" on the top. I recommend a tall wide mouth mason jar (24 oz).1½ lb asparagus, trimmed
Marinate the Asparagus:
- Add the red pepper flakes, garlic cloves and onion rings to the bottom of the mason jar.2 cloves garlic, smashed, ½ tsp red pepper flakes, ½ small onion, thinly sliced rings
- Stuff as many asparagus spears into the jar as possible.
- Pour the hot vinegar brine over the asparagus, ensuring the liquid completely covers the spears. Marinate for a minimum of 24 hours up to 3 days, to maximize flavor.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.