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How to Make Chive Blossom Vinegar

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Here's an easy method for making and using chive blossom vinegar.

Beautiful Chive blossoms are a spring delicacy! They grow on chive plants from mid to late spring into early summer. They are typically in full bloom when the weather is warm but not hot.

If you grow chives in your herb garden or find some of these beautiful blooms at the farmer's market, you've got to try making this homemade vinegar.

A bottle of chive blossom vinegar.
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This beautiful bright pink vinegar is one of my favorite recipes to make in the spring and early summer! This homemade infused vinegar is a special treat to use in the kitchen and makes a lovely hostess gift.

It's important to make sure your chive blossoms are pesticide-free and otherwise safe to eat.

For some instructions on where to purchase and how to use edible flowers, you can consult my edible flower guide

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make your own chive blossom vinegar.

  • Fresh Chive Blossoms
  • Vinegar of your choice
  • Ball Jar (or any other clean glass jar with a lid)

Instructions

Thoroughly wash your chive blossoms. Pat them dry with a paper towel.

Pick the purple chive blossoms off the green stems and place them in a glass jar.

chive blossoms

Pour the vinegar into the jar to cover the blossoms. Place the metal lids on the jar and screw to close. Flip the jar a few times to make sure all the blossoms are covered in vinegar.

Store for 2 weeks to 2 months in a cool, dry place.

A jar with vinegar and chive blossoms.

Remove the blossoms from the vinegar and strain the vinegar in a fine mesh sieve if necessary.

Scooping chive blossoms out of vinegar.
A jar of chive blossom vinegar and discarded blossoms.

Ways to Use Chive Blossom Vinegar

Chive vinegar can be used in a number of ways. The mild onion flavor is a perfect accompaniment to many dishes.

I personally love using it in salad dressings. I usually add it to a mustardy vinaigrette and serve it with a spinach and arugula salad. Here are a couple of ways to use it:

  • drizzled over freshly roasted asparagus
  • drizzled over potato salad
  • in place of balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar in a vinaigrette
  • stirred into some ricotta cheese and served with toast
  • drizzled over fries

How to Use Chive Blossoms

There are lots of other ways you can use beautiful chive flowers. An easy way to use them is to tear them up and sprinkle the purple petals on a salad.

It adds a really nice allium kick to a salad and a lovely pop of color. There are lots of wonderful recipes for chive blossoms - a few of them include:

A small white bowl with chive blossom vinegar and a silver spoon.

Substitutions & Variations

Feel free to swap the type of vinegar you use in this recipe. I find plain white vinegar easy to use and readily available, but I know some people prefer using apple cider vinegar, champagne vinegar, white wine vinegar, or rice vinegar in this recipe!

The color will be different depending on the type of vinegar you use, but the soft onion flavor is a great addition to many types of vinegar!

You can use the blossoms from garlic chives in place of regular chive blossoms - they tend to have a stronger onion flavor.

Storage

Chive blossom vinegar will last for up to 2 months when stored at room temperature. Store it in a cool, dark place for best results.

If you'd like to refrigerate it, the vinegar will last for up to 6 months.

Tips for Making this Recipe

Recommended Tools - I highly recommend using a glass jar for this recipe. If you use plastic you'll never get the vinegar smell out of it!

Alternate Methods - If you want to make a faster version of this recipe, you can heat the vinegar on the stovetop till it's simmering. Pour the warm vinegar over the chive blossoms and allow it to cool before closing the jar. Allow the jar to sit in direct light. With this quick method, your vinegar will be ready in just 3 days!

If you try this recipe, let us know! Connect with us on Instagram and share your photos or leave us a rating.

Yield: 1 cup vinegar

Chive Blossom Vinegar

A bottle of chive blossom vinegar.

Here's an easy method for making and using chive blossom vinegar.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup vinegar
  • 1 cup chive blossoms

Instructions

  1. Combine the vinegar and chive blossoms in a glass jar.
  2. Cover with a piece of parchment paper, instead of the metal top of the glass jar. The metal will react with the vinegar.
  3. Keep in a dark, cool place for 2 weeks to 2 months to infuse the vinegar.
  4. Remove the blossoms from the vinegar and strain the vinegar through a fine mesh sieve if there are any small pieces left behind.
  5. Store in

Eileen

Thursday 6th of May 2021

What type of vinegar do you like to use when making the Chive Blossom Vinegar? Is there one vinegar you like the taste of more in this recipe?

jack burton

Monday 5th of June 2023

@Eileen, we have always used white wine vinegar. For us, plain white vinegar has just a bit too much of a bite to it. Either way, because both are clear colored, you are going to get a beautiful, pink vinegar out of the process. Very pretty and appealing.

Emily

Thursday 6th of May 2021

Hi Eileen, I use plain white vinegar because I think it's the most neutral vinegar that allows the chive blossom flavor to shine. It's also the one that makes the prettiest colored vinegar :)

Calyn

Monday 17th of August 2020

Can you Use dried chive blossoms?

Emily

Monday 17th of August 2020

I think they would work just fine!

CJ

Saturday 1st of August 2020

CAn you use acv?

Emily

Saturday 1st of August 2020

For sure - the flavor will be different but the infusion will still be the same.

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