How to Make Chive Blossom Vinegar

If you grow chives in your garden, you already know that glorious moment in late spring when they burst into bloom, those beautiful purple pom-pom flowers covering the whole plant. Most people either cut them off or let them go to seed. But here’s the thing: those blossoms are actually one of the most useful (and prettiest!) things you can harvest from your garden. Making chive blossom vinegar is one of our favorite springtime kitchen projects, and once you try it, you’ll be looking forward to chive blossom season every single year.

This is one of those recipes that sounds fancy but is almost embarrassingly easy. The result is a gorgeous pink vinegar with a mild onion flavor that works beautifully in salad dressings, marinades, and so much more. Let’s get into it.

What Is Chive Blossom Vinegar?

Chive blossom vinegar is simply white wine vinegar (or another mild vinegar) infused with fresh chive blossoms. As the blossoms steep, they turn the vinegar the most amazing shade of pink and leave behind a gentle oniony flavor. It looks beautiful on your kitchen shelf and tastes even better.

What You’ll Need

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh chive blossoms (loosely packed)
• 1½ to 2 cups white wine vinegar or white vinegar

Supplies:

• 1 quart mason jar (clean and sterilized)
• Plastic lid or parchment paper between the lid and jar (vinegar corrodes metal)
• Fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth
• A small bottle or jar for storing the finished vinegar

How to Harvest Chive Blossoms

The key to great chive blossom vinegar starts with picking the blossoms at the right time. You want flowers that are fully open but haven’t started to dry out or fade. Fresh, bright blossoms will give you the best color and flavor – you can see my guide on how to grow chive plants to get started.

Snip the blossoms just below the flower head, leaving the stems on the plant. A couple of cups of blossoms is a good starting point — it will fill a jar loosely. Don’t worry if you have a little more or less, this recipe is very forgiving.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Wash the blossoms Place your harvested blossoms in a bowl of cool water and let them soak for a few minutes. This will help dislodge any dirt or tiny insects hiding in the flower heads. Drain and gently pat dry with a clean towel.

Step 2: Fill your jar Pack the blossoms into your clean quart mason jar until it’s about two-thirds full. You can gently press them in but don’t compact them too tightly.

Step 3: Warm your vinegar Pour the vinegar into a small saucepan and warm it over medium-low heat until it’s warm but not boiling — you want it steaming gently. Heating the vinegar slightly helps speed up the infusion process and draws out more color and flavor from the blossoms. If you skip this step, no big deal — it will just take longer to steep.

Step 4: Pour and steep Pour the warm vinegar over the blossoms, making sure they are all submerged. Give the jar a gentle stir or press the blossoms down with a spoon. Cap the jar with a plastic lid (or place a piece of parchment paper between the jar and the metal lid to prevent corrosion). Set the jar in a cool, dark place — a kitchen cabinet works perfectly.

Step 5: Wait (the hardest part!) Let the blossoms steep for 2 to 3 weeks for the best flavor and color. You’ll notice the vinegar turning pink within just a few days — it’s such a satisfying thing to watch. Taste it along the way and stop when you’re happy with the flavor intensity.

Step 6: Strain and bottle Strain out the blossoms using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Pour the finished vinegar into a clean bottle or jar. It will keep for up to a year in a cool, dark cabinet.

Tips for the Best Chive Blossom Vinegar

Choose the right vinegar. White wine vinegar is our top choice because it’s mild enough to let the chive flavor shine and light enough to show off that beautiful pink color. Plain white distilled vinegar also works well and gives a more straightforward flavor. Avoid dark vinegars like red wine or apple cider vinegar — the color just won’t be the same and the flavor can overpower the chives.

Use fresh blossoms. The fresher the flowers, the better the result. Older, dried-out blossoms won’t give you the same intensity of flavor or color.

Use a plastic lid. Vinegar and metal don’t mix well — the acid will corrode a standard canning lid over time. A plastic storage lid for mason jars is the easiest solution.

Scale up if you have a lot of blossoms. This recipe doubles or triples easily. If your chives are having a bumper year, make a few extra jars — it makes a wonderful gift.

How to Use Chive Blossom Vinegar

Once you have a bottle of chive blossom vinegar, you’ll start finding reasons to reach for it all the time. Here are some of our favorite ways to use it:

• Salad dressing — Drizzle straight over salad greens with a little olive oil, or use it as the acid in any homemade vinaigrette. It’s especially good on a simple green salad or a classic Greek salad.
• Potato salad — Add a few tablespoons to your potato salad in place of regular vinegar. It adds a great depth of flavor.
• Boiling potatoes — Pour a couple of tablespoons into the water when boiling potatoes for an extra layer of savory flavor.
• Roasted vegetables — Drizzle over roasted veggies just before serving for a bright, punchy finish.
• Marinades — Use it anywhere you want a hint of onion and acid in a marinade.
• Dips and sauces — A small splash in hummus, tzatziki, or pesto adds a wonderful zing.

Don’t Forget the Leftover Blossoms

Once you strain out the blossoms, don’t throw them away! They’ve essentially become pickled chive blossoms at this point — and they taste like pickled onions. Add them to salads, sandwiches, or grain bowls anywhere you’d use pickled onions.

When Are Chive Blossoms Available?

Chive blossoms typically bloom in late spring, usually late May through mid-June depending on your climate. The season can feel short, so keep an eye on your plants so you don’t miss it! If you’d like to have chives to harvest from every year, check out our guide to growing chives.

Making chive blossom vinegar is one of those simple homestead kitchen projects that feels a little like magic. A handful of flowers, some vinegar, a few weeks of patience — and you end up with something beautiful and delicious that lasts all year. Give it a try this spring!

Chive Vinegar

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups fresh chive blossoms loosely packed
• 1½ to 2 cups white wine vinegar or white vinegar

Method

 

1. Step 1: Wash the blossoms Place your harvested blossoms in a bowl of cool water and let them soak for a few minutes. This will help dislodge any dirt or tiny insects hiding in the flower heads. Drain and gently pat dry with a clean towel.
2. Step 2: Fill your jar Pack the blossoms into your clean quart mason jar until it’s about two-thirds full. You can gently press them in but don’t compact them too tightly.
3. Step 3: Warm your vinegar Pour the vinegar into a small saucepan and warm it over medium-low heat until it’s warm but not boiling — you want it steaming gently. Heating the vinegar slightly helps speed up the infusion process and draws out more color and flavor from the blossoms. If you skip this step, no big deal — it will just take longer to steep.
4. Step 4: Pour and steep Pour the warm vinegar over the blossoms, making sure they are all submerged. Give the jar a gentle stir or press the blossoms down with a spoon. Cap the jar with a plastic lid (or place a piece of parchment paper between the jar and the metal lid to prevent corrosion). Set the jar in a cool, dark place — a kitchen cabinet works perfectly.
5. Step 5: Wait (the hardest part!) Let the blossoms steep for 2 to 3 weeks for the best flavor and color. You’ll notice the vinegar turning pink within just a few days — it’s such a satisfying thing to watch. Taste it along the way and stop when you’re happy with the flavor intensity.
6. Step 6: Strain and bottle Strain out the blossoms using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Pour the finished vinegar into a clean bottle or jar. It will keep for up to a year in a cool, dark cabinet.