Pickled grapes are tangy, sweet and aromatic. They are quick and easy to make, and go well on the side of everything from fast-food to fancy dishes.
If you like regular cucumber pickles, you will love these pickled grapes even more!
Pickled Grapes Ingredients and Substitutions
Like with all pickles, you can be quite flexible with the spices you use. For this very aromatic pickled grapes, I used a lot of warm and fragrant spices to infuse the sugar-vinegar solution. Note that they are whole spices rather than powders in order to not cloud the pickling liquid. Here are what you need.
- White Wine Vinegar: Choose one with the acidity of 6%.
- White Balsamic: Slightly sweet, fruity and floral, compared to white wine vinegar. It adds a little more depth to the pickling liquid. But if you don’t have it, substitute with white wine vinegar mixed with a pinch of sugar.
- Fresh Thyme
- Cinnamon Stick
- Star Anise
- Juniper Berries
- Coriander Seeds
- White Peppercorns: They are milder than black peppercorns, thus more suitable for the delicate picked grapes.
- Cane Sugar
- Seedless Green Grapes: They are firm and the lighter colour is pretty when pickled. If you don’t have green grapes, you can use other firm seedless grapes.
How to Make Pickled Grapes?
This quick pickled grapes takes only 1 day to be ready. Follow the following 4 easy steps.
- Place herbs and spices in the bottom of a glass pickling container.
- Slice grapes in half, and then place them on top of the spices. Cutting the grapes allow the pickling flavour to get into the grapes.
- Heat the sugar and vinegar mixture on the stove while stirring, until sugar completely dissolves.
- Let the sugar-vinegar solution cool and pour over the grapes. Close the jar, let the grapes pickle in room temperature for 1 day.
How Long Will Pickled Grapes Keep?
Although these grapes are ready in 1 day, you can certainly leave them in the pickling liquid for longer. The acidic pickling juice keep the grapes crisp and from spoiling for months. Make sure all of the grapes are submerged. You can leave the pickled grapes in room temperature for a month, or many months in the fridge.
What to Do with Leftover Pickling Liquid?
The leftover pickling juice is delicate and delicious. Here are some ways to use this tangy-sweet liquid.
- Once you pick out all the grapes from the pickling jar, you can reuse the pickling liquid to make another batch of grapes. I recommend only re-using the pickling liquid 1 more time, as the liquid turns sweeter and less acidic after pickling the grapes. You may want to add a splash of white wine vinegar when using the pickling liquid for a second batch of grapes.
- Mixing leftover pickling liquid with a quality oil makes a delicious salad dressing.
- Or simply use the pickling liquid in any dish to replace vinegar or lemon juice.
Serving Suggestions
Eat pickled grapes anyway you would eat the regular pickles and more. These tangy and aromatic grapes will make your everyday meals a little more elegant. Serve on your charcuterie board, with burgers and sandwiches, roasted meats, and summer BBQ. Try pickled grapes with these baked ribs or chicken liver pâté.
Related: More Delicious Pickle Recipes You Will Love
- Ginger Orange Pickled Daikon + Immune Shot (Paleo, Whole30, Vegan)
- Fermented Pickles /w Green Tea and Dill Flowers
Pickled Grapes
Ingredients
- 300 g seedless green grapes
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 whole star anise
- 1 tsp juniper berries
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp white peppercorns lightly crushed
- 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 2/3 cup white wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup unrefined cane sugar
Instructions
- Place fresh springs of thyme, cinnamon stick, star anise, juniper berries, coriander seeds, lightly crushed white peppercorns in the bottom of a glass pickling container.
- Slice grapes in half, and then place them on top of the spices. Cutting the grapes allow the pickling flavour to get into the grapes.
- Mix cane sugar, white wine vinegar, white balsamic vinegar in a saucepan. Heat the mixture in saucepan on the stove while stirring, until sugar completely dissolves. Turn off the heat immediately.
- Let the sugar-vinegar solution cool and pour over the grapes. Close the jar, let the grapes pickle in room temperature for 1 day.
Nutrition
Do you think you’d get the benefits from fermentation if they sit longer? I have no idea. But I want my kid to get more fermented food so I might give this a go!
Oooh, interesting recipe! I’ve never heard of pickled grapes but they sound like they’d make a great snack!
Love these! I’m going to finish the whole jar in one sitting probably, lol.
These pickled grapes are delicious and delightful! So good as a garnish or snack!