Winey Briny Asparagus Refrigerator Pickles

Asparagus makes the best refrigerator pickles!  These are tart and crisp and require no canning!  Pickled in a wine brine, these asparagus pickles are perfect for brunch, snacks, on a charcuterie board or as a side dish.

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Quick or Refrigerator Pickles

Have you discovered the joy that is quick pickles?  They are called either quick pickles or refrigerator pickles.   They are simply pickles that you make that don't require any canning.  Since they aren't canned, they must be refrigerated.

Refrigerator pickles are so easy to make!  They are the perfect small batch preserving method for when you have some vegetables that you need to use up or want to save for later.

Like these refrigerator asparagus pickles.  This asparagus had been sitting in my produce drawer for four days.  I had no plans for it, but I didn't want it to go bad.  Quick pickles to the rescue!

If you're wondering how long you can keep refrigerator pickles, most will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 months!   I recommend that with these asparagus pickles, you use them up within a month.    So, I took a vegetable that would have lasted only a few more days in my produce drawer and turned it into something we can snack on for a month!

Ingredients in these Winey Briny Quick Pickled Asparagus

• Kosher Salt - do not use iodized table salt, can also use pickling salt.
• Sugar
• Mustard Seeds - white or brown.
• Shallots
• White Wine Vinegar - preferably 6% acidity
• Dry White Wine
• Tarragon Sprigs - can substitute dry, but fresh is ideal.
• Asparagus

How to make Winey Briny Refrigerator Pickles

1. Assemble your ingredients:  kosher salt, sugar, mustard seeds, white wine vinegar, dry white wine, and tarragon.
2. Prep your vegetables:  peel and thinly slice the shallots.  Trim the bottom of the asparagus and then snap off the ends to make asparagus that is just long enough to fit in your jars.
3. Pack the jars - place the long asparagus stalks into your bigger jar.  Place the ends in a smaller jar.
4. Prepare the brine - combine the kosher salt, sugar, mustard seeds, shallots, white wine vinegar, and tarragon (if using dried)  in a lidded jar.  Shake until the sugar is dissolved.   Add 1 cup of water and pour the brine over the vegetables, tuck in the tarragon sprigs.   Add extra water if needed to keep vegetables submerged.
5. Close the jar and refrigerate for up to one month.

Tips for making refrigerator pickles:

Use fresh herbs when possible.  If using dried, depending on the strength of the herb, one half to one teaspoon per jar is usually enough.

Refrigerator pickles need to age for a couple of days before sampling to let the pickled flavor develop.  You can eat them earlier, but they are best if allowed to brine for a couple of days.

You can reuse refrigerator pickle brine two times as long as it is not murky or cloudy and hasn't been heated up.  So, if you pick up another bunch of asparagus, make another batch!

You can also use other vegetables with this brine - cucumbers or zucchini would be good!

You Have to Make These Quick Pickles

These were so good!!  We couldn't stop snacking on them.  The combination of the white wine with the asparagus really made these pickles special.  They would be perfect for a brunch - maybe Easter or Mother's Day - or any brunch!

We snacked on them like we would any pickle.  I also used them in salads and even in a Bloody Mary!   They are amazing on a charcuterie board.

Looking for More Refrigerator Pickles

Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

Quick Summer Squash Pickles

Quick Pickled Onions

Spicy Quick Pickled Cucumbers

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5 from 7 votes

Winey Briny Quick Pickles–Asparagus

You're going to want to have a jar of these quick pickled asparagus in your fridge all during asparagus season! 

Course Condiment

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 10

Calories 71kcal

Author Pam

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons mustard seeds
• 1/4 cup shallots sliced lengthwise
• 1 1/4 cups white wine vinegar 6 percent acidity
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
• 8 small tarragon sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried
• 2 pounds asparagus trimmed

Instructions

• Pack vegetables into 2 clean 1-quart glass jars. 
• In another jar, combine the salt, sugar, mustard seeds, sliced shallots, vinegar and white wine (add dried herbs if using) and shake until the salt and sugar dissolve. Add 1 cup of water and pour the brine over the vegetables. 
• Tuck the tarragon sprigs between the vegetables. Add enough water to cover the vegetables and keep them submerged. Close the jars and refrigerate overnight or for up to 1 month.

Notes

• Kosher Salt - do not use iodized table salt, can also use pickling salt.
• Mustard Seeds - white or brown.
• White Wine Vinegar - preferably 6% acidity
• Tarragon Sprigs - can substitute dry, but fresh is ideal.

Use fresh herbs when possible.  If using dried, depending on the strength of the herb, one half to one teaspoon per jar is usually enough.

Refrigerator pickles need to age for a couple of days before sampling to let the pickled flavor develop.  You can eat them earlier, but they are best if allowed to brine for a couple of days.

You can reuse refrigerator pickle brine two times as long as it is not murky or cloudy and hasn't been heated up.  So, if you pick up another bunch of asparagus, make another batch!

You can also use other vegetables with this brine - cucumbers or zucchini would be good!

Nutrition

Calories: 71kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Sodium: 2099mg | Potassium: 260mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 720IU | Vitamin C: 5.8mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2.6mg

I am sharing this post with Full Plate Thursday

I found this recipe originally at Food & Wine and modified it slightly.

This post was originally published in 2011 and has been updated for 2019.