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.
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The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included 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.
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.
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.
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 ½ 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.
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.
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
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!
Quick Pickled Strawberries
Ingredients
- 1 cup Water
- ½ cup Balsamic vinegar
- ½ 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 ½ 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.
Daphne Worsham says
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 says
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.