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Pickled Asparagus might be my most favorite pickled vegetable, especially when it’s marinated in this slightly spicy pickle brine. Learn how to pickle asparagus to preserve this spring vegetable for a full month.
Pickled asparagus might be my most favorite pickled vegetable. Sorry cucumbers, this is really that good. Crisp, tangy, and safe to eat for up to 4 weeks(!), this Pickled Asparagus recipe is the thing I turn to again and again when I accidentally overbuy. Hey, what can I say? When spring finally arrives after a long winter, I get a little excited when I see that the stalks are finally in season come March through June.
This pickling recipe requires zero special canning equipment and a mere 25 minutes of prep time. The choice is yours whether you’d like to create 2 pints or 1 quart (the stems can stay whole in the latter; they must be cut in half in the former). The flavor either way is briny, tangy, just a hint spicy, and totally irresistible.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Asparagus: When trimming asparagus, the stalk naturally breaks near the woody, inedible stem. Depending on the age and thickness of each piece, up to 50% of a piece of asparagus can be too woody to chew comfortably. With that in mind, I plan to purchase about 2 pounds of asparagus knowing that after trimming, I can reasonably expect to have 1 pound of edible asparagus, enough for this Pickled Asparagus recipe.
Step by step instructions
- Wash the jars, lids, rings in warm water and rinse well. Set aside to dry or dry completely by hand. Rinse the asparagus under cool running water and drain well. Halve them if using short, pint-sized jars. Leave whole if using a quart jar.
- Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, mustard seeds to the jar. Tilt the jar on its side. Tuck the dill sprigs in first, then stack the stalks inside the jar, orienting them so that they will stand up vertically when the jar stands upright. Pack the jar as tightly as possible with stalks. A full pound should fit into a one-quart jar, or about ½ pound in two pint jars.
- In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil. Pour the pickling brine over the asparagus, leaving about ½ inch headspace at the top.
- Gently tap the jars against the counter a few times to remove all the air bubbles. Top off with additional pickling brine if needed. Place over the jars and screw on the ring until tight.
- Let the jars cool to room temperature, then store the pickles in the refrigerator. Wait 24 hours before opening. The pickled asparagus will get more flavorful as they age.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This Pickled Asparagus recipe makes enough for 2 pint jars or 1 quart jar, either filled with a full pound of pickled produce.
- Storage: Transfer the jar to the refrigerator and the pickles will last for up to 1 month. No canning required!
- Make ahead: As with other pickled items, Pickled Asparagus is one of those creations that’s actually designed to age. The stalks just get better with a few days under their belt. Prepare them 4 to 7 days in advance and refrigerate to let the asparagus max out their flavor.
Recipe FAQs
Toss it into Asparagus Salad, use it instead of plain stalks in my Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus appetizer, add it to a charcuterie or Mezze Platter, tuck it inside an Omelet, or fold it into Egg Muffins or Asparagus Frittata filling.
Try this same savory pickling solution with other vegetables like cauliflower florets, carrot sticks, green beans, radishes, turnips, fennel, or mushrooms. If you enjoy briny flavors, also try my Pickled Shallots, Pickled Beets, and Pickled Garlic recipes next.
Asparagus Frittata
In less than 20 minutes, this spring Asparagus Frittata recipe can be ready to slice and serve. This easy frittata recipe is destined to steal the spotlight at your next brunch party, and also makes…
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Pickled Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus woody ends trimmed (see note 1)
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
- 2 sprigs fresh dill
- 1 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 2 teaspoon pickling salt or 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Instructions
- Wash the jars, lids, rings in warm water and rinse well. Set aside to dry or dry completely by hand.
- Rinse the asparagus under cool running water and drain well. Halve them if using short, pint-sized jars. Leave whole if using a quart jar.
- Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, mustard seeds to the jar. Tilt the jar on its side. Tuck the dill sprigs in first, then stack the stalks inside the jar, orienting them so that they will stand up vertically when the jar stands upright. Pack the jar as tightly as possible with stalks. A full pound should fit into a one-quart jar, or about ½ pound in two pint jars.
- In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil. Pour the pickling brine over the asparagus, leaving about ½ inch headspace at the top.
- Gently tap the jars against the counter a few times to remove all the air bubbles. Top off with additional pickling brine if needed. Place over the jars and screw on the ring until tight.
- Let the jars cool to room temperature, then store the pickles in the refrigerator. Wait 24 hours before opening. The pickled asparagus will get more flavorful as they age.
Notes
- Asparagus: When trimming asparagus, the stalk naturally breaks near the woody, inedible stem. Depending on the age and thickness of each piece, up to 50% of a piece of asparagus can be too woody to chew comfortably. With that in mind, I plan to purchase about 2 pounds of asparagus knowing that after trimming, I can reasonably expect to have 1 pound of edible asparagus, enough for this Pickled Asparagus recipe.
- Yield: This Pickled Asparagus recipe makes enough for 2 pint jars or 1 quart jar, either filled with a full pound of pickled produce.
- Storage: Transfer the jar to the refrigerator and the pickles will last for up to 1 month. No canning required!
- Make ahead: As with other pickled items, Pickled Asparagus is one of those creations that’s actually designed to age. The stalks just get better with a few days under their belt. Prepare them 4 to 7 days in advance and refrigerate to let the asparagus max out their flavor.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
So good, love it.
So glad you loved it, Linda! Take care! – Meggan