Skip to Content

Quick Pickled Strawberries

A delightful tangy twist to the classic summertime fruit – pickled strawberries. Bursting with vibrant flavors, these tangy-sweet gems are a must-try for those seeking a unique experience. Dive into the world of pickled strawberries and discover how this unexpected combination will soon be one of your favorites.

Fresh strawberries in a bowl.


 

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.

How beautiful would these strawberries look on toasted bread with cream cheese or goat cheese? Whether you’re planning an elegant dinner party, a cozy brunch gathering, or simply seeking a unique twist for your everyday meals, pickled strawberries are a perfect choice.

The pickling process preserves the freshness of the berries while infusing them with a delightful tang. Their versatility allows them to shine in a wide array of dishes, from savory to sweet.

Pickling is fun and delicious! Try my refrigerator pickles, these tangy pickled red onions, or these tasty pickled asparagus.

A mason jar full of fresh pickled strawberries.

Pickled Strawberry Ingredients

  • Water
  • Balsamic vinegar – For this recipe I’ve used dark balsamic vinegar. Check below for other vinegar options, like white balsamic vinegar.
  • Granulated sugar – Regular white granulated sugar is best for this recipe.
  • Kosher salt – Salt is great for balancing flavors.
  • Fresh strawberries rinsed – Fresh berries should be hulled, rinsed, and sliced in half. Make sure that you’re using firm strawberries and not any that have already started to go soft.
  • Basil leaves – Fresh basil leaves are a great flavor addition, try not to skip it.
Pickled strawberry ingredients.

Tools needed for this recipe

  • Small saucepan
  • Mason Jar

How To Make Pickled Strawberries

In a medium saucepan, combine water, balsamic vinegar, sugar, and kosher salt.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar completely dissolves.

Pickling ingredients added to a saucepan.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the mixture cool completely, for about 1 hour.

Once the mixture is cool, prepare the pickled strawberries by placing strawberries and basil leaves in a 24-ounce jar, leaving about 1/2 inch of space at the top.

Strawberries added to the mason jar.

Pour the cooled vinegar mixture over the strawberries, ensuring the liquid covers all the strawberries. Seal the jar with a lid and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Chill overnight for the best flavor.

pickling liquid added to the mason jar.

How to store pickled strawberries

Store your pickled strawberries in a sealed airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Because strawberries have a soft and spongy texture, they’re shelf life isn’t as long as other pickled fruits or vegetables. Make sure to store them properly so they’ll stay fresher, longer.

Dark or White Balsamic Vinegar?

For this specific recipe we’re using dark balsamic vinegar, however, either dark or white balsamic vinegar can be used depending on the flavor profile you prefer. The dark vinegar will bring a stronger, more robust taste, while the white vinegar will give a milder, fruitier flavor.

This is your perfect chance to experiment with both to see which you prefer!

Try champagne vinegar or rice vinegar for other flavor profiles.

Fresh strawberries in a bowl.

How to serve pickled strawberries

Pickled strawberries are a wonderful addition to a sweet or savory charcuterie board, salad, or to top a dessert. Add them along with these dehydrated strawberries for the best spread.

Garnishes – Pickled strawberries can make a great garnish for cocktails.

Sandwiches or wraps – Add a sweet and tart touch to a wrap for lunch.

FAQ’s

What are the best fruits to pickle?

Some lovely fruits that take really well to pickling are watermelon rinds, pineapple, grapes, and cherries. It’s worth it to try and pickle whatever you can to find the ones you love.

Expert Tips

  • Enjoy these tangy and sweet pickled strawberries as an accompaniment to a cheese platter, salad, or dessert. Or just eat them alone as a snack.
  • These pickled strawberries will last in your fridge for up to 1 week.

Looking for more pickled recipes? Try these out:

 If you have tried this recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!

Fresh strawberries in a bowl.
Print Pin Save
5 from 1 vote

Quick Pickled Strawberries

A delightful tangy twist to the classic summertime fruit – pickled strawberries. Bursting with vibrant flavors, these tangy-sweet gems are a must-try for those seeking a unique experience. Dive into the world of pickled strawberries and discover how this unexpected combination will soon be one of your favorites.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword pickled strawberries
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings 1 Pound
Calories 643kcal
Author Tanya

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Water
  • 1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
  • 1 lb Fresh strawberries rinsed, hulled, and cut in half
  • 4 Basil leaves

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan, combine water, balsamic vinegar, sugar, and kosher salt.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar completely dissolves.
  • Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the mixture cool completely, for about 1 hour.
  • Once the mixture is cool, prepare the pickled strawberries by placing strawberries and basil leaves in a 24-ounce jar, leaving about 1/2 inch of space at the top.
  • Pour the cooled vinegar mixture over the strawberries, ensuring the liquid covers all the strawberries. Seal the jar with a lid and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Chill overnight for the best flavor.

Notes

  • Enjoy these tangy and sweet pickled strawberries as an accompaniment to a cheese platter, salad, or dessert. Or just eat them alone as a snack.
  • These pickled strawberries will last in your fridge for up to 1 week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 643kcal | Carbohydrates: 156g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 4698mg | Potassium: 844mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 141g | Vitamin A: 139IU | Vitamin C: 267mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 3mg
My Southern Air Fryer ECookbookFind all my Top Southern Air Fryer recipes in one place! My Southern Air Fryer ECookbook!
Subscribe to my YouTubeSubscribe to my YouTube Channel for full length recipe videos. Click the bell icon to be notified when I upload a new video.
Tried this recipe? Share on InstagramMention @Myforkinglife or tag #myforkinglife!
Although myforkinglife.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Under no circumstances will myforkinglife.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.
5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)
Recipe Rating




Daphne Worsham

Saturday 26th of August 2023

I've never heard of "pickled strawberries" before, but why not? Growing up one of my favorite pickles was watermelon....small squares of thick rind, minus the peel, in a sweet pickle syrup. My other favorite was pickled figs...so sweet and yummy! I can't wait to add pickled strawberries to my list of favorites! Thanks for the recipe!!

Tanya

Monday 28th of August 2023

Thanks so much Daphne! I've had pickled watermelon rind (I love it) but I've never had pickled figs. I'm going to have to give that a try, sounds delish.