Asparagus is something I look forward to every year. Steamed and served with a Hollandaise sauce, sauteed with butter, added to stir-fries, made into a creamy soup, roasted or grilled and added to a Mediterranean salad…I love asparagus every which way. And that includes pickling.
Pickled asparagus is delicious for snacking on its own. But my favorite way to enjoy it is alongside a cheese and charcuterie board or antipasto platter. The pickled asparagus adds both the sour/salty element as well as that crunchy texture that so perfectly complements the cured meats and aged cheeses.
To learn everything you need to know about making one, check out our post on How To Create a Cheese and Charcuterie Board.
Pickling is also a great way to extend the shelf life of asparagus. In fact, it’s best eaten at least a week after it’s been pickled.
You’ll probably wish you had made a double batch so that you can give some away to family and friends who will think you’re the absolute bee’s knees. It also makes a great hostess gift.
Let’s get started!
Select the freshest asparagus you can find. I usually aim for medium to thick asparagus so that they maintain they’re crunch, but I gladly use whatever’s available.
Wash the asparagus, trim off and discard the ends, and cut them to fit the length of whatever jars you’re using, leaving 1/4 inch headspace from the top of the jar. If you’re using tall jars you can use long asparagus spears. If you’re using shorter jars, like pint-sized jars, you can cut them in half.
Pack them into sterilized jars as tightly as you can fit them. You may need to do some more trimming to ensure that there’s 1/4 inch headspace from the top.
You can either combine the heads and stems or keep them separated in different jars so you can reserve the best for your guests.
For an extra boost of dill flavor, tuck some fresh dill weed in with the asparagus.
To prepare the brine, add all the ingredients to a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes.
Get ready to pour the hot brine into the jars.
Carefully ladle the hot brine into the jars over the asparagus, making sure to get some of the seeds and garlic in each jar, and leaving 1/4 inch headspace from the top of the jar.
Screw on the lids (I usually don’t can the pickled asparagus because it makes them less crispy, so I use reusable plastic lids). Once the liquid has cooled, refrigerate the pickled asparagus and let it sit for at least a week before using it. Will keep in the fridge for at least a month.
(NOTE: If you really want to can these for long-term storage, immediately after pouring in the hot liquid and sealing the jars, process the jars in a water bath canner for 10 minutes. Remove the jars and let them sit undisturbed for 24 hours before moving them. Choose thicker asparagus. Will keep for up to a year.)
Enjoy!
Pickled Asparagus
Ingredients
- 3 pounds fresh asparagus medium to thick, ends trimmed and discarded
- Some sprigs of fresh dill weed
- For the Brine:
- 2 1/2 cups white vinegar 5% acidity
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1/4 cup pickling salt
- 1 tablespoon dill seeds
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon allspice berries
- 2 tablespoons cane sugar (see sugar-free alternative but don't use if canning)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
- Cut the asparagus to fit the length of whatever jars you're using, leaving 1/4 inch headspace from the top of the jar. Pack the asparagus into the jars as tightly as you can. Tuck some fresh dill weed in between the asparagus.
- To make the brine, place all the brine ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes.
- Pour the hot brine into sterilized jars, making sure to get some of the seeds and garlic in each jar, and leaving 1/4 inch headspace from the tops of the jars. Screw the lids on. Once the jars have cooled, refrigerate them for at least a week before eating. Will keep in the fridge for at least a month.
- NOTE: If you really want to can these for long-term storage, immediately after pouring in the hot liquid and sealing the jars, process the jars in a water bath canner for 10 minutes. Remove the jars and let them sit undisturbed for 24 hours before moving them. Will keep for up to a year. Note that canning the asparagus will make them less crispy. Choose thicker asparagus.
darlene l mathis says
I enjoy pickling asparagus so much ,I always waterbath mine that way it will be ok for a long time, I actually checked on the jars I did last year and they are still perfect, try to find the more mature stems the little skinny ones do not turn out as well as the thicker stems, when they are done it is Bloody Merry time, or just eating time, right out of the jar, have never posted any thing like this before just want every one to know how great the pickles can be, have been canning for over 50 years, and now that I am just by myself it is hard to not want to can for a whole family as I have been doing for so long
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks for sharing those insights, Darlene. I agree with your comment about using thicker stems, they’ll stay crunchy longer. Have a wonderful summer!
Tracey says
Darlene, Have you considered teaching how to can? It is an art that is coming back, especially now that people are realizing just how terrible commercially-processed foods are. If you are curious, contact your local county extension office for advice and contacts. I live in the country, and my extension office gave me numbers for 4H and Girl Scouts in the area. The kids loved it. And don’t forget the Boy Scouts! Some of the boys are more intrigued by cooking than some of the girls! Share your knowledge with the young folks. Trust me, many of them will surprise (and delight) you with their questions.
Virginia says
An easy cure for “squishiness” or softening of any pickled or brined product {like dilly beans, the asparagus, okra pickles, etc.} is just to add a large raw grape leaf or 2 to the jars before packing them….learned this trick from Rodale’s “Stocking Up” years ago and it has never failed! Try this with your asparagus or pickles and let everyone know how it turned out.
I use the leaves spread out around the inside of the jars and slices of garlic & fresh dill if used and they are pretty enough as gifts without a bow.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks for the tip, Virginia, I look forward to trying it!
Anonymous says
Do I need to Blanche them first ? Thanks
Jane Foster says
I also add some red pepper flakes for a lot bit of a kick. Delicious.
Cyndi Froehlich says
I made these a few days ago- they turned out great! Really good spice combination. This recipe is a keeper! I have one more question, I notice you have the storage caps on some of the jars. Are they okay to use if we are not canning? I would rather use those if I’m not trying to seal a jar.
thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Cyndi, I’m so glad you like them, thank you! Yes, you can use any lids you like. You only need to use the sealable lids if you are canning/water-bathing them.
Jim Taylor says
These are packed in a 5% salt brine yet the sodium in the nutritional analysis is only 4mg? Is that true? Sorry I’m trying to watch my sodium. Otherwise the recipe looks delicious.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jim, that is per serving with a total of 20 servings (3 pounds of pickled asparagus divided by 20).
Margo says
thank you so very much for replying so quickly…have very blessed day
Margo Haynes says
Hello Kimberly! I subscribe to your food blog and it is excellent, the amount of hard work & love that you put into is very obvious!
It is excellent!
Do you generally get 3 qts out of your 3 lbs.? I have a receipe for 2 lbs. & it yields 2 qts & they are delicious but I prefer your recipe as it has more spices. I didn’t water bath mine. Could you please give me a general idea just how much less crispy they are after a water bath, perhaps a third less? I’m asking because I’d love to make a bigger batch so they would keep out of the fridge, yet I don’t want to lose too much of the crisp! I pack mine with the tips up though.
Thank you again for so many outstanding recipes!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Margo, thank you so much! Yes, I generally get about 3 quarts from this. How much crispiness they lose via the water bath is hard to say, it’s largely dependent on how thick the asparagus is to begin with. What I would suggest is water-bathing just one can of them and then try them to determine whether you’re happy with the degree of crispiness before you water-bathe an entire batch.
Lauren @ Hall Nesting says
I can’t believe I still have never pickled anything!
Cookin Canuck says
These would be awesome dunked into a Bloody Mary!
Alyssa @ Everyday Maven says
This looks amazing! Picked veggies are the way to go!
Katerina @ diethood .com says
This is an awesome idea!! I can’t wait to try it!!
Maryanne | the little epicurean says
Oh! I’ve never tried pickled asparagus. This is going on my to-do list!
Adina says
I love asparagus too, but I have never had it pickled. What a good idea, it definitely looks great!
Kim Beaulieu says
I absolutely LOVE asparagus so this is right up my alley. I have 3 bunches in the fridge waiting for me to do something with them. Perfect timing.
Delaney | Melanie Makes says
This reminds me of my childhood family reunions!
Amanda | The Chunky Chef says
I love asparagus, can’t wait to try this!!
Jen says
I need to try this! We’re always doing snacky type meat/cheese board meals on Friday and this would be a great addition.
The Food Hunter says
I love asparagus so I can imagine this is delicious.
Lily Seitz says
…what’s the sugar free alternative?