Chive Blossom Vinegar is a pretty pink vinegar with a delicate onion flavour. This homemade infused vinegar is great to use in salad dressings, vinegar-based potato salads, marinades and more.
One of the first herbs to pop up in my garden every year are my chives. This underrated herb with its delicate onion flavour has become a new favourite to toss into salad dressings and bake into savoury biscuits.
I enjoy finding new uses for using chive stalks, but chive blossoms are edible too yet I often neglect them and let them go to waste. Did you know that you could eat chive blossoms? I have seen numerous recipes showing chive blossoms added into salads or laminated between pasta sheets. Despite knowing I could do this, I have never had a desire to do the former or the patience to do the latter.
The inspiration to make Chive Blossom Vinegar came from my sister in law and what a great idea it is! It’s easy, no fuss, and let’s not forget, it results in the prettiest vinegar! It is an easy way to preserve the delicate flavours and make use of them throughout the summer months.
Only two ingredients are needed to make chive blossom vinegar. Chive blossoms and vinegar. That’s it. I opted for equal parts of both which makes this recipe easy to do, no matter how many chive blossoms you have! Have only 1/2 a cup of chive blossoms? Use only 1/2 cup of vinegar. Have 1 cup of blossoms? Use 1 cup of vinegar. It’s easy to adjust and make use of as many blooms as you are lucky to get your hands on.
Why you should make Chive Blossom Vinegar
- It’s a great way to preserve the delicate flavours of chive blossoms
- It is incredibly easy to do!
- Just 5 minutes of hands on time is needed!
- You only need 2 ingredients.
- Its a delicious addition to dressings, salads, marinades and so much more!
- It’s the perfect way to use those chive blossoms instead of letting them waste away!
Ingredients needed for Chive Blossom Vinegar
As mentioned above, you only need 2 ingredients to make this recipe!
- Chive blossoms: Opt for freshly bloomed blossoms that haven’t yet gone to seed.
- Vinegar: I used white wine vinegar but regular white vinegar works too.
How to make Chive Blossom Vinegar
- Prep the chive blossoms: Wash the chive blossoms well and then dry them. [You can gently pat them dry with paper towel or dry them in a salad spinner.]
- Combine with vinegar: Place the chive blossoms in a clean glass jar. Pour the vinegar over the chive blossoms and seal the jar tightly. [Note: if you are using metal lids, place a piece of parchment paper between the vinegar and the lid to avoid corrosion.]
- Seal and store jar: Place the sealed jar in a dark location at room temperature for 1 week.
- Filter: Run the vinegar through a fine-mesh strainer and discard the chive blossoms. Store the infused vinegar in a glass container.
How long does it take to make Chive Blossom Vinegar?
Using the method described in my recipe, it takes about 1-2 weeks for your chive blossom vinegar to be infused with the perfect amount of flavour. If you are looking for a quicker method, you can have the vinegar ready in just a few days. The steps for this method are described below.
The Quick Method (aka the Hot Vinegar Method)
While this recipe only requires 5 minutes of hands-on time, it does need to sit for 1 week before the vinegar is infused with the chive flavour. If you are eager to put this chive blossom vinegar asap, you can try this quick method:
- Wash and dry the chive blossoms as described in the recipe.
- Place the chive blossoms in a clear, heat proof jar (like a mason jar).
- Heat the vinegar in a saucepan until heated but not boiling.
- Pour the hot vinegar over the chive blossoms. Seal the jar and store in a dark place at room temperature and store for 3 days.
- Run the infused vinegar through a fine-mesh strainer and discard the chive blossoms. Store the infused vinegar in a glass container.
Tips and Variations
- Use chive blossoms that have fully bloomed but are not yet going to seed for the best flavour.
- For stronger chive flavour, add some stalks to your jar.
- Use a clear (or almost clear) vinegar for the best colour!
- Feel free to use your favourite vinegar. I opted for white wine vinegar but regular white vinegar works too. You could also try it with apple cider vinegar and red wine vinegar (in this case, you will be sacrificing the pretty pink colour but still get the infused flavour).
- This recipe uses regular chives (onion chives) whose blooms have a purple colour which results in a pink vinegar. You can make this with garlic chives which have white blooms. You won’t get a pink vinegar but will get a garlic-infused vinegar!
- If you are using a mason jar with a metal lid, place a piece of parchment paper between the lid and the vinegar to prevent corrosion. Vinegar and metal do not react well to each other and you do not want to spoil your efforts.
Can you use this method with other herbs?
Yes, you can absolutely use this method to infuse flavour into your vinegar using other herbs! Other herbs you can try this method with include:
- thyme
- rosemary
- tarragon
- dill
- basil
- parsley
- sage
How to use Chive Blossom Vinegar
- Use in homemade salad dressings for added flavour
- Use it in vinegar-based salads like potato salad or coleslaw
- Use it in marinades
- Drizzle it into your meals, where you would normally use regular vinegar (e.g. with fish n chips or, my favourite, drizzled into a bowl of Greek Lentil Soup)
I’m looking forward to putting this bottle to good use! I hope you enjoy this idea as much as I do!
-Cathy
Salads and salad dressings you can use this vinegar with:
Asian Citrus Soy Salad Dressing
Peach, Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Salad
Cucumber Feta Salad
Chive Blossom Vinegar
Ingredients
- 1 cup chive blossoms
- 1 cup vinegar (white wine or regular)
Instructions
- Wash the chive blossoms well and then dry them. [You can gently pat them dry with paper towel or dry them in a salad spinner.]
- Place the chive blossoms in a clean glass jar. Pour the vinegar over the chive blossoms and seal the jar tightly. [Note: if you are using metal lids, place a piece of parchment paper between the vinegar and the lid to avoid corrosion.]
- Place the sealed jar in a dark location at room temperature for 1-2 weeks [2 weeks will result in a stronger flavour].
- Run the vinegar through a fine-mesh strainer and discard the chive blossoms. Store the infused vinegar in a glass container.
Note: Metric ingredient measurements are provided as a courtesy using a third-party calculator and are rounded to the nearest unit. The recipes provided on this site have not been tested with metric measurements and their accuracy cannot be verified.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is based on third-party calculations and is an estimate only. Accurate nutritional facts will vary based on the particular brands used, portion sizes, measurement accuracy and more.
