Pickled Asparagus Recipe (2024)

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Pickled Asparagus Recipe (1)

I don’t remember where I first heard the idea of pickling asparagus, but as soon as I did I had to try it for myself. I love almost anything pickled and I love asparagus, so it just seemed right. This is a sweet spicy pickle with red pepper flakes, whole garlic and whole mustard seed. A perfect crunchy summer picnic treat!

It’s a short post today. I just spent the weekend learning the ins and outs of filmmaking with the 5DMarkII from Gale Tattersall, the DP of House. Yes, totally cool!

Did you know you can pickle pretty much any vegetable? I’ve pickled carrots, zucchini, beans, peas, cauliflower and of course cucumber. There is something classy about pickled whole small vegetables like baby carrots and asparagus. I plan on doing a ton of pickling this summer to give as gifts at Christmas when asparagus season is long gone.

I’m loving the flavor of mustard seed in my pickles, whether sweet or dill. I bought a couple bags of mustard seeds from Azure Standard, not only for pickling but also to make my own mustard!

I guess asparagus is the most unique thing I’ve pickled now. I’ve yet to try eggs or pigs feet 😉 Have you pickled anything? Cucumbers totally count!

Pickled Asparagus Recipe (2)

Pickled Asparagus Recipe (3)

Prep Time15 minutes

Cook Time10 minutes

Total Time25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 30 (2.5 lbs) asparagus spears
  • 1 cup kosher salt
  • 5 3/4 cup white vinegar
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 4-5 garlic cloves
  • 4-5 sprigs fresh dill
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tsp mustard seed
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced (optional)

Instructions

  1. Wash and sterilize 4-5 wide mouth pint jars, lids and rings (you can sterilize them by running them in the dry setting in your dishwasher, or just soak in a sink of very hot water). You should need five jars if you’re adding onions, or four if it’s only asparagus.
  2. While jars are sterilizing, rinse asparagus and snap off the woody ends (save them for asparagus soup!). Cut the asparagus into 2-3 inch lengths.
  3. In a large pot, mix kosher salt, vinegar and sugar. Heat on medium high stirring until salt and sugar are dissolved. Turn heat to the lowest setting.
  4. Remove jars from sterilization and dry them off. Place one garlic clove and one sprig of dill in each jar. Divide the red pepper flakes and mustard seed among the jars.
  5. Pack asparagus tightly into the jars, interspersing with onion slices if desired.
  6. When jars are filled, pour brine (the vinegar mix) into each jar to cover all the asparagus. Put the lid on and seal with the rings. Let sit until sealed (at least one hour). If any lids did not seal (center of lid shouldn’t be able to be pressed down), refrigerate the jars.

Notes

Approximate cost/serving:I got 30 asparagus spears for about $3. I grow my own dill and get mustard seed in bulk from Azure Standard. I get my jars for free from various sources like freecycle and friends. All together this cost me about $2.50 per jar. Each jar has 6-10 servings. So it’s only25-45 cents a servingor $2.50 if you’re giving it away as a gift.

Vegetarian/gluten free:This is naturally vegetarian, gluten free and vegan too!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

5

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 300Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 22642mgCarbohydrates: 63gFiber: 1gSugar: 61gProtein: 1g

Nutrition information is an estimate only.

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6 thoughts on “Pickled Asparagus Recipe”

  1. Oh yummy, I love pickled aspargus and green beans. I am going to use the same recipe for green beans later this summer unless you have another one for those. I just transplanted two small “volunteer” dill plants from my mom’t garden and have mustard seed for some reason and lots of jars from mom and Gma, so I am set. Off to the farmer’s market this Saturday. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Tonja if you like sweet and spicy you can definitely use this for the green beans. I really like dill though and have a dill green bean pickle recipe. https://eatingrichly.com/dill-pickled-green-and-purple-beans/

      Reply

  2. This sounds great, I love pickled onions and gherkins so there is every reason that I should love pickled asparagus.

    Reply

  3. I used this recipe last night and canned in pressure cooker. The asparagus are very shrunken and shriveled. Have you experienced this?

    Reply

    • Sorry I got behind on comments while adjusting to mommyhood. Babies keep you busy and tired! I have not experienced this Michele, but I use a waterbath canning method. Because of the acidity, you can do a waterbath instead of pressure canning. Hope you’ll give it another try!

      Reply

  4. I don’t pickle from scratch, but I buy pickles and when there is enough room in the jar, I will put in fresh cucumber sticks or celery or carrot sticks. After a week or so, they pick up the brine and pickle taste. I buy spicy pickles and put the mini gerkins in with spicy pickles and they
    take on the spice, but not as strong.

    Reply

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Pickled Asparagus Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you have to blanch asparagus before pickling? ›

While blanching the asparagus is not strictly necessary, it's worth the time investment to allow that tasty brine to fully permeate the stalks. Blanching should be brief to soften the flesh enough to allow the brine to fully penetrate the firm stalks without cooking the vegetable to mush.

How long is pickled asparagus good for? ›

Refrigerate up to 4 weeks.

Are pickled asparagus good for your gut? ›

We've heard great testimonials from some of our regular customers who tried our pickled asparagus and were amazed at how much it helped their digestion. They were able to say goodbye to bloating and constipation, and some even experienced a bowel cleanse that left them feeling lighter, cleaner, and more energized.

What are the bumps on pickled asparagus? ›

But after preserving your prized asparagus, have you noticed some little yellow/white spots form on the surface? Is it safe to eat? The answer is yes, it is safe to eat. These little specks are called rutin.

What happens if you don't blanch asparagus? ›

Like most vegetables, if frozen raw, the texture, taste, colour and nutritional value of asparagus deteriorates. Make sure you blanch or cook the veg first to preserve these elements.

What is the GREY stuff on pickled asparagus? ›

The gray flecks are RUTIN, a plant based antioxidant, which is harmless. According to the University of Califorina Cooperative Extension, when asparagus is heated with vinegar, the bioflavonoid rutin is drawn out of the asparagus. It becomes insoluble and crystallizes, leaving the spots on the surface of the asparagus.

What is the white stuff on pickled asparagus? ›

These flakes are called rutin and occur naturally in canned asparagus. The spears also may be wrinkled. The acidic brine sometimes pulls liquid out of the asparagus spears. It will probably plump up after setting for about two weeks.

What is the pink stuff on pickled asparagus? ›

These flakes are called rutin and occur naturally in canned asparagus. The asparagus is perfectly safe to eat as long as it was prepared and processed correctly.

Is pickled asparagus healthy to eat everyday? ›

Is Pickled Asparagus Good for You? Pickled asparagus is full of fiber and probiotics, which makes it great for digestion. Asparagus, in general, is a great, healthy, and delicious vegetable source of Vitamin B6, calcium, zinc, and magnesium.

What organ is asparagus good for? ›

The dietary fiber in asparagus helps your stomach and intestines continue to work normally. Dietary fiber fuels good bacteria, which help your body digest food and absorb important nutrients. Eating enough fiber also helps prevent problems like hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome, or other painful digestive problems.

What happens to your body when you eat asparagus everyday? ›

Heart health:

Asparagus has more than one gram of soluble fiber per cup, which lowers the risk of heart disease, and the amino acid asparagine helps the body flush out excess salt. Asparagus has excellent anti-inflammatory effects and high levels of antioxidants, both of which may help reduce the risk of heart disease.

What is the healthiest pickled vegetable? ›

Cabbage, radishes, onions, carrots, beets—the limit does not exist. And they're all great for the gut. Here's more about the best plant-based pickled foods, why they're beneficial for our health, and how to enjoy them in vegan recipes.

Why you shouldn snap the end of asparagus? ›

What did we find? Spears that were snapped lost an average of half their weight, while trimming and peeling resulted in a loss of less than 30 percent. The thicker the spear, the more pronounced the difference when snapped. SNAPPED: Snapping the natural breaking point means losing half the weight of almost every spear.

Why do you snap off the end of asparagus? ›

But whether you prefer your asparagus on the thick or thin side, it's essential to trim the pale ends of each stalk before cooking because they tend to be woody and tough. Learning how to trim asparagus properly will help ensure every asparagus dish is enjoyable for everyone at the table.

Do you have to refrigerate pickled asparagus after opening? ›

There are two types of pickled asparagus: canned and quick. Canned asparagus spears do not have to be stored in the refrigerator until they are opened. They are processed with high heat and are shelf stable. Quick pickled asparagus such as this recipe do have to be refrigerated.

Do you need to blanch before pickling? ›

If you're using green vegetables — to make, for example, green bean pickles or zucchini pickles — you can blanch vegetables first in boiling water for two to three minutes and then shock them in an ice bath to preserve their color, but this step is purely optional.

Should you always blanch asparagus? ›

Blanching seasons the spears and also gives them a kick-start in the cooking process. "Whenever you grill, sear, or roast, you're using a really high temperature. Without blanching, you'd char the outside but the inside would still be raw." To blanch, bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and salt the hell out of it.

What happens if you don't blanch asparagus before freezing? ›

But you can't just freeze fresh asparagus spears. You'll need to blanch them first. Blanching asparagus preserves the color and nutrition, and it keeps the texture and taste as close to fresh as possible. If you freeze raw asparagus, you can expect a mushy, mealy mess when it's used.

How long do you blanch asparagus before canning? ›

To hot pack cover washed asparagus with boiling water and boil for 3 minutes. Place the hot asparagus spears into hot jars, cover with boiling water and remove the air bubbles. Salt if you wish. Cover with a two-piece lid and process in a pressure canner.

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