Pickled Strawberries

Quick Pickled Strawberries are a fabulous and easy treat. Unexpected and fresh, serve in any tossed green salad or serve with cheese and crackers or charcuterie board.

Strawberries shown in this picture were chilled in the refrigerator for about three hours.

When we think of eating strawberries we usually picture that classic sweet bite that signals the peek of summer and all things that can be made with these jewels- Hello strawberry shortcake, jam, ice cream, or just washed out of the garden. But most of us don’t think of tossing strawberries in a pickling brine. I sure never did but was instantly intrigued the first time I saw a recipe in an article from Bon Appetit. I was instantly drawn in because the recipe is beyond simple and the pickled strawberries looked so pretty in the clear glass jar.

Why You’ll Love Pickled Strawberries

• Unexpected and delicious: Pickling brings out a sweet-tangy flavor in strawberries that makes them completely different from the usual desserts and jams.

• Ready in about an hour: Unlike traditional pickling recipes, these strawberries are quick. After chilling for about an hour, they’re ready to enjoy.

• Perfect for entertaining: Their beautiful pink color and bright flavor make them a standout addition to salads, cheese boards, and charcuterie platters.

• Made with simple ingredients: Just strawberries, vinegar, sugar, salt, and water create a brine that transforms fresh berries into something really special.

• Incredibly versatile: Serve them on crackers with blue cheese, toss them into a salad, or enjoy them straight from the jar with a fork.

• Nothing goes to waste: Once the strawberries are gone, the leftover strawberry vinegar can be used to make a delicious homemade vinaigrette.

Pretty much everyone loved my first try at the briny strawberries; I took my first bottle up to our family’s cabin and we didn’t even get around to serving them with accompaniments or on a salad. Forks in hand, we all just finished them off. After making them a couple of times, I tweaked the original recipe just to play around and based on the raves I got from those who tried both batches, the recipe you’re getting today is that much better. One friend even sent me a picture of her empty container within five minutes after receiving it that she and her six year-old son devoured, with the caption “obsessed”. I think we have something here. 😉

Serving the pickled strawberries with a nice slice of Gorgonzola on baby toasts is my favorite way to enjoy them!

Tips for the best Pickled Strawberries-

• Sugar: I increased the sugar from the original recipe by two tablespoons. If you’re looking for as little sugar as possible, feel free to decrease the sugar, but the slight increase helped to maintain the natural sweet integrity of the strawberries.
• Heatproof jars: Canning (mason) jars work very well in the recipe but you can use empty mayo jars or the light, too. Anything that is safe for pouring the hot brine into with a tight fitting lid will work. The original recipe called for a quart jar for one pound of strawberries. You can use pint jars to make smaller batches for sharing, etc. I distributed one batch between four pint jars.
• Vinegar: The recipe calls for white balsamic vinegar. In my area, this is not the easiest vinegar to find, however Trader Joe’s brand is my favorite because it’s clear in color and reasonably priced. The only other brand I found at supermarkets was Alessi. If you use the Alessi brand, you’ll find it’s a little golden in color and stronger tasting than the Trader Joe’s version. I would increase the water by a few tablespoons in the recipe with the Alessi (I mention this in the printable recipe for you). If you cannot find white balsamic vinegar at all, you may substitute white wine vinegar. Do NOT use regular Di Modena balsamic. It’s too dark and heavy for this recipe.

When are Pickled Strawberries ready to eat?

• When to eat the pickled strawberries: The pickled strawberries are ready to eat about an hour after they’re placed in the refrigerator to chill but can sit in there for up to five days before serving. The longer they’re in the fridge, the strawberries will become a lighter pink and will be a little softer texture. Still fabulous but if you’re also REALLY interested in aesthetics, serve them within a few hours of chilling.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do pickled strawberries last?

Pickled strawberries keep well in the refrigerator for up to five days. The flavor will continue to deepen as they sit in the brine, and the berries will gradually soften and turn a lighter pink color. They’re still delicious either way, but if you want the brightest color and firmest texture, enjoy them within the first day or two.

When are pickled strawberries ready to eat?

They’re technically ready to eat after about one hour of chilling in the refrigerator. At that point, the berries have absorbed just enough of the brine to become sweet, tangy, and refreshing. The flavor continues to develop over time, so they’ll taste slightly more pickled after a day or two.

Can I reuse the pickling liquid?

Yes! Once the strawberries are gone, you can add another batch of fresh strawberries to the same brine for a second round of pickling. The leftover vinegar is also fantastic for making a quick strawberry vinaigrette.

Can I substitute a different vinegar?

White balsamic vinegar works best because it adds brightness without overpowering the strawberries. If you can’t find it, white wine vinegar is a good substitute. Regular dark balsamic vinegar isn’t recommended because its flavor and color are too strong for this recipe.

How to Serve Pickled Strawberries

• Tossed in a spring salad with blueberries and goat cheese

• On crackers with Gorgonzola or blue cheese

• On charcuterie boards

• Spoon over grilled chicken or pork

• Add to grain bowls or arugula salads

If you’re serving the pickled strawberries in a salad, let me recommend pairing some fresh blueberries for a nice color contrast. The other salad ingredients that worked particularly well were red onions, crumbled blue cheese or Gorgonzola, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. And even though we loved the strawberries in the salad, overwhelmingly, most of my tasters preferred them with a slice of blue cheese on a cracker to get the best benefit of the combination of pickled strawberries, sharp cheese, and good crunch from toasted crackers.

Pickled strawberries might sound a little unexpected at first, but one taste and it’s easy to see why they disappear so quickly. Their sweet-tangy flavor adds something special to salads, cheese boards, or even simple crackers topped with blue cheese. They’re quick to make, beautiful to serve, and a fun way to enjoy fresh strawberries in a completely different way. And don’t forget to save that gorgeous pink vinegar once the berries are gone—it makes a wonderful base for homemade salad dressings, especially something bright and fresh like my Strawberry Basil Dressing. If you give these pickled strawberries a try, I’d love to hear how you served them—or if you ended up doing what many of us did and just ate them straight from the jar.

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5 from 5 votes

Pickled Strawberries

Pickled Strawberries are a simple, surprising way to enjoy fresh strawberries in a whole new way. A quick brine of white balsamic vinegar, sugar, and salt gives the berries a sweet-tangy flavor that pairs beautifully with salads, cheese boards, or even crackers with blue cheese. Ready in about an hour and made with just a handful of ingredients, these quick pickled strawberries add bright color and fresh flavor to almost any dish.

Course Appetizer, Salad

Keyword appetizers, pickles, salad, strawberries

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8 people

Calories 95

Author Sally Humeniuk

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• 1 pound strawberries, ripe but firm. Hulled and halved if large
• 1 ½ cups white balsamic vinegar. May use white wine vinegar if cannot find white balsamic
• 6 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp kosher salt
• ⅔ cup water

Instructions

• Place 1 pound strawberries in a 1-qt. or two 1-pint heatproof jars. Bring vinegar, sugar, salt, and ⅔ cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt. Pour over strawberries. Let cool; cover and chill.
  1 pound strawberries,, 1 ½ cups white balsamic vinegar., 6 tbsp granulated sugar, 2 tbsp kosher salt, ⅔ cup water
• Ready to serve in one hour but the pickling intensifies over several days. They're equally delicious either way. If appearance matters, the strawberries will start to lose their bright color after 24 hours but are still perfectly fine.
• After the strawberries are gone, you can refill the vinegar with more strawberries for another batch. Also, the vinegar from the pickled strawberries can be substituted like any vinegar in a homemade salad dressing.
• The pickled strawberries are good for any use you can think of; serve the strawberries with a good Gorgonzola/blue cheese on little multi-grain toasts or favorite crackers; in any tossed green salad for tang and color; eat just plain out of the jar!

Equipment

Small sauce pan

Pint or quart heatproof jars with tight fitting lids. Canning jars work well

Notes

Notes & Tips

• Use ripe but firm strawberries. Very soft or overripe berries will break down too quickly in the warm brine. Slightly firm strawberries hold their shape best and give the best texture.

• White balsamic vinegar works best. It has a mild sweetness that pairs beautifully with strawberries and keeps the brine a pretty pink color. If you can’t find it, white wine vinegar is the best substitute.

• Avoid dark balsamic vinegar. Traditional balsamic (Di Modena) is too strong and dark for this recipe and will overpower the strawberries.

• Serve within a few hours for best color. The strawberries are ready after about an hour of chilling, but they look their brightest and most vibrant within the first day.

• Flavor deepens over time. After a day or two in the refrigerator, the strawberries will taste more pickled and the texture will soften slightly. They’re still delicious—just a little different.

• Don’t throw away the leftover vinegar. Once the strawberries are gone, add another batch of fresh berries to the same brine or use the bright pink vinegar to make a quick strawberry vinaigrette.

• Make smaller jars for sharing. Pint jars work great if you want to divide a batch between friends or bring them to a gathering.

Nutrition Facts

Pickled Strawberries

Amount Per Serving

Calories 95 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 1757mg76%

Potassium 140mg4%

Carbohydrates 21g7%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 19g21%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 5IU0%

Vitamin C 33.3mg40%

Calcium 22mg2%

Iron 0.6mg3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Recipe slightly adapted from Bon Appetit.