Quick-pickled asparagus is one of my favourite ways to preserve the fresh, crisp flavour of a spring harvest. If you’re lucky enough to have an abundance of asparagus—either from your own garden or a market haul—this easy refrigerator pickle is a simple, satisfying way to make the most of it. These pickles are crunchy, tangy, and packed with flavour, making them perfect for snacking, adding to grazing boards, or tossing into salads and wraps.
Refrigerator Pickles are Great for Beginners
Refrigerator pickles are one of the easiest ways to experiment with preserving at home—no canning or complicated steps needed. This recipe uses a basic hot brine made with apple cider vinegar, water, a little sugar or honey, and salt. Mustard seeds add a subtle zing, while red onion (or shallot), dill, and optional chilli give the spears depth and a burst of visual appeal.
Preparing the asparagus is simple: just snap the ends at their natural breaking point and trim them to fit your jar. You can even add the leftover ends into the jar—they soak up the flavour just as well and help minimise waste.
Once packed into a sterilised jar and covered with the hot brine, the pickled asparagus just needs time to chill in the fridge. After 24 hours, the flavours will develop beautifully, and they’ll be ready to enjoy. These will keep for up to a month in the fridge, though they rarely last that long in my house!
Easy Refrigerator Pickled Asparagus Spears
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Additional Time: 1 day
Total Time: 1 day10 minutes
Quick and easy way to extend your Asparagus harvest. Add other in-season veggies or herbs to the mix. Enjoy as a snack or added to wraps and sandwiches.
Ingredients
1 cup water
1 cup ACV
1 bunch asparagus
2 TBSP sugar (or honey)
1/2 TSP salt
2 tsp mustard seeds
2 sprigs dill or fennel frond
2 red chilli (optional for spice)
1/4 red onion sliced or 1 shallot
Instructions
Clean and sterilize a Jar (approx 700gram).
Rinse Asparagus and hold the bottom to snap the spear at the freshest part. Cut fresh spears to fit in the height of your jar.
Stack spears the jar. The excess cuts can also be added. Push dill, onion and chilli in the jar and add mustard seeds.
In a saucepan add water, vinegar, sugar (or honey), and salt. Bring to a simmer or until sugar is dissolved.
Add the hot liquid to the jar. The liquid should completely cover the spears. Secure the lid and flip it upside down to help seal. Leave on the bench until cool (room temperature). Place in the refrigerator for at least 24/hours before eating. Eat within 1 month.
Final Tip
Try swapping out the dill for fennel fronds or tarragon for a twist, or add garlic cloves for extra bite. It’s a quick, easy way to enjoy asparagus long after the season is over.
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Make the most of your abundant Cucumber harvest with these delicious, quick, and easy refrigerator pickles. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties and the Apple Cider Vinegar has anti-microbial properties and anti-oxidants. These quick pickles are great for adding to sandwiches, salads, burgers, and of course a cheese platter!
Quick Sweet & Sour Turmeric Pickles
Yield: 2 jars
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Additional Time: 2 days
Total Time: 2 days13 minutes
Sweet and sour Refridgerator pickles are so quick and easy to make!
Ingredients
2-3 Medium Cucumbers or two jars of whole small pickling Cucumbers
1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 cup Water
1 TBSP Mustard Seeds
2 TBSP Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp ground Turmeric powder
Instructions
Sterilise your jars by heating them in the oven face down at 120degrees Celsius or in the dishwasher on high heat. Sterilise the lids in a bowl by pouring boiling water on them.
In a saucepan add your vinegar, water, sugar, turmeric, salt, and mustard seeds (*optional chili flakes see notes) and bring to a simmer.
Slice your Cucumbers into spears or round slices and place them in the clean jar.
Pour over your pickling liquid and secure the lid. Carefully place the jar upside down to cool. This helps create a secure seal.
Once the jars are close to room temperature, turn them up the right way and add them to the refrigerator.
They will be ready to eat after 48 hours and use within a month or two.
Notes
Add sliced Red Onion, Dill, or Chilli flakes to your cucumber pickles for extra flavour.
This recipe also works with Zucchini in replace of Cucumbers too.
Pickled Rainbow Chard Stalks are a great way to preserve and utilise the whole vegetable. If you have made a recipe or cooked a meal using only the leafy greens, then this quick pickle is the way to go! Rainbow Chard is such an abundant and generous vegetable. In many areas Rainbow Chard can be grown all year round. Choose a shady cool location during the warmer month and keep it well watered. A great staple to grow in any home garden.
Pickled Rainbow Chard stalks absorb all the flavour from the pickling liquid but remain crunchy and fresh. Delicious!
Quick Pickled Rainbow Chard Stalks
Yield: 1-2 jars
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Make the most of your Rainbow Chard and make these easy and delicious quick pickles. Pickled rainbow chard stalks stay super crunchy and absorb all the flavour of the pickling liquid.
Ingredients
8-10 Rainbow Chard Stalks
1 3/4 cup White Wine Vinegar
3/4 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Chilli Flakes (optional)
2 tsp Brown Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Fennel Seeds
Instructions
Rinse the Rainbow Chard well. Remove the green leafy part (see below for other Rainbow Chard Recipes). There are two ways to cut the stalks. Either slice into 1cm pieces or leave as long stalks. If leaving them long, make sure they will fit in the jar you have selected to use. Cut the stalks length ways down the centre.
Add the vinegar, sugar, salt, chilli, mustard seeds and fennel seeds into a sauce pan and simmer until the sugar is dissolved.
Sterilise the jars by heating them in the oven face down at 120degrees Celsius or in the dishwasher on a high heat. Sterilise the lids in a bowl by pouring boiling water on them.
Add your Rainbow Chard to the hot sterilised jars and pour over hot pickling liquid to fill. Place the lid on top tightly and sit the jars upside down to seal. Leave to cool and then place in the refrigerator.
Wait a couple of days to allow the flavours to infuse. Pickles will last in the refrigerator unopened 2-3 months.
Notes
Add in any other leftover vegetables you have such as red onion, carrot, cauliflower or zucchini.
