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Tangy, garlicky and with a delectable crunch, these refrigerator pickled asparagus also have a little bit of heat and complexity with the addition of red chili pepper flakes.
Refrigerator pickled asparagus is my go-to spring appetizer that is always a hit on a charcuterie board. Tangy, garlicky, and with a delectable crunch, these pickled asparagus also have a little bit of heat and complexity with the addition of red chili pepper flakes. They are absolutely delicious and are a perfect complement to just about any meal or appetizer tray.
Every spring, I look forward to checking our asparagus patches and watching the spears emerge from the ground. Not only is it a sign that warmer weather is on its way, but it also means I get to make these tasty and easy-to-make refrigerator pickled asparagus. Taking only a few minutes to prepare, these quick-pickled asparagus involve a few steps and very little time. Since these are pickled in the refrigerator, there’s no fuss with traditional water bath canning equipment. You only need a measuring cup, measuring spoons, saucepan and a cutting board. Oh, you’ll need these great jars too!
Please note that since these asparagus are refrigerator pickled or quick-pickled, these are not shelf-stable. Once the recipe is complete, the jars need to remain in the fridge until eaten.
I love using what we grow on the farm to make delicious recipes that everyone enjoys. We are truly blessed to be able to grow a lot of our food. This recipe is made best using the freshest asparagus as possible, so consider visiting a farmer’s market to find freshly picked asparagus. However, I’ve also used asparagus from the grocery store and still have had this recipe turn out wonderfully.
For other recipes using food grown on our farm, click here.
Cheers!
Recipe Card
Refrigerator Pickled Asparagus
Ingredients
- About 2 lbs asparagus spears trimmed the freshest possible
- 6 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3 teaspoons dill seed
- ¾ teaspoons red chili pepper flakes
- 1 ½ teaspoons mustard seed
- fresh dill sprigs optional
Brine:
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups distilled vinegar
- ¼ cup pickling salt
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Wash and trim the asparagus spears – making sure they fit in your jars. I LOVE these Weck ¼ L jars and use them for this recipe. You will need 3 of these jars.
- Equally add the spices into each jar. I use 3 of the Weck jars for this recipe so I divide the pickling ingredients by 3 to make sure each jars gets the same amount of spices. So, if you are using 3 jars, each jar would get 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dill seed, ¼ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon mustard seed and 1 fresh dill sprig (optional). If you’re using more or less jars, divide the spices in the ingredient list above by the number of jars you have so each jar contains the same amount of pickling spices.
- Add trimmed asparagus spears and dill sprigs to jars.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine water, distilled vinegar, pickling salt and granulated sugar. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a simmer, and stir until sugar and salt have dissolved. Remove from heat.
- Pour hot brine into jars.
- Close the jar with an airtight lid, and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours to cool, use within 2 weeks.
Christy says
Easy and tasty - the perfect appetizer!