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.
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 95kcal
Equipment
- Small sauce pan
- Pint or quart heatproof jars with tight fitting lids. Canning jars work well
Ingredients
- 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!
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
Calories: 95kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1757mg | Potassium: 140mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 33.3mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 0.6mg