Quick-Pickled Asparagus With Tarragon and Shallot Recipe

By
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Editorial Director

Daniel is the editorial director of Serious Eats, where he leads the site's editorial strategy and oversees everything from recipe development to articles on food science, cooking techniques, and more. He's a former food editor at Food & Wine and has cooked in New York City restaurants.

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Updated April 01, 2025

This simple quick-pickle recipe is made by soaking asparagus in a hot brine made from white wine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt, infused with the French flavors of tarragon and shallot.

20150521-spring-pickles-vicky-wasik-17.jpg
Photograph and video: Vicky Wasik

Recipe Details

Quick-Pickled Asparagus With Tarragon and Shallot Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Cook 5 mins
Active 15 mins
Cooling Time 20 mins
Total 30 mins
Makes 1 quart
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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) white wine vinegar

  • 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water

  • 1/4 cup (60 g) sugar

  • 1 tablespoon (15 g) kosher salt

  • 1 (3/4-ounce) bunch tarragon

  • 1 large shallot, thickly sliced

  • 1 pound (450 g) asparagus, woody ends trimmed

Directions

  1. In a medium saucepan, combine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring, until solids are dissolved. Remove from heat and add tarragon and shallot. Let stand 5 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile, arrange asparagus in an even layer in a baking dish. Pour brine on top. Press paper towels against surface to submerge asparagus and let stand until cooled. Transfer asparagus and brine to a large sealed container and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.

Special equipment

Baking dish

Notes

This recipe can easily be tweaked to suit your tastes. Add more or less sugar, salt, or water to the brine if you prefer a stronger or milder pickle.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
521 Calories
3g Fat
104g Carbs
18g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 521
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 3%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 5922mg 257%
Total Carbohydrate 104g 38%
Dietary Fiber 13g 47%
Total Sugars 73g
Protein 18g
Vitamin C 52mg 260%
Calcium 414mg 32%
Iron 12mg 68%
Potassium 1944mg 41%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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