Sweet, tart and tangy, pickled cherries are a great topping for dips, salads, meat and vegetables. They’re easy to make, store well, and are a great way to add a punch of flavor to meals all week long.
Ingredients Needed to Pickle Cherries
- Apple cider vinegar
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Dried sweet cherries
Tips for Making the Best Pickled Cherries
Use the right dried cherries. Since the dried cherries are getting pickled, it’s important to use sweet dried cherries. If you use tart dried cherries, or unsweetened dried cherries you will have a verrrrry tart cherry on your hands. Look for dried cherries labeled as “sweet” or “sweetened.”
Use a vinegar you enjoy. Apple cider pairs nicely with the cherries, but you can also use white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, tarragon vinegar or sherry vinegar.
Also consider how you plan to use these. Are you spooning them over a green salad with thyme, Parmesan and pine nuts? Try a red wine vinegar. If you plan to use them over roasted carrots, try tarragon vinegar.
Store them correctly. If you plan to use them within a day or two, you can store the cherries at room temp in an airtight container (I prefer a glass container—ball or mason jars work well). If you’re planning to use them throughout the week or in a few days, pop them in the refrigerator.
How to Use Pickled Cherries
- Spoon over hummus.
- Swap the dried cherries in this Fall Cobb with pickled cherries!
- Spoon over labneh.
- Add cherries to this crunchy, savory French Lentil Salad.
- Serve alongside Roasted Pork Tenderloin, cherries and pork are a perfect match!
- Serve the tart-sweet cherries with Pan-Seared Filet Mignon and mashed potatoes.
How to Use the Cherry Vinegar
Once the cherries are all gone, save the pickling liquid for vinaigrettes and dressings! The cherry-infused vinegar has so much flavor, making it great for all kinds of salads. You can also add it to marinades for pork and chicken.
Variations
- Simmer coriander seeds or mustard seeds right along with everything else—they’ll add flavor and texture!
- Add some honey, maple syrup or brown sugar for sweeter pickled cherries. If you plan to serve these sweet pickled cherries over a dessert (ice cream would be fabulous) consider adding some cinnamon or nutmeg to the mixture while it simmers.
- Add another kind of dried fruit! Try diced apricots, dried cranberries, or raisins. Dried blueberries are also an option—pickled blueberries would be delicious in this salad!
Did you make these pickled cherries?! Let me know how it went—leave a comment and star-rating below. And if you snapped a pic, share it on IG and tag me @zestfulkitchen. I love seeing what you make!
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Sweet-Tart Pickled Cherries Recipe
- Steeping Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 monute
- Total Time: 16 minutes
- Yield: ¾ cup 1x
- Category: sauce
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Pickled fruit is a great way to add a sweet-tangy flare to all kinds of dishes. Serve these pickled cherries on salads, creamy dips, roasted meats, vegetables and more.
Ingredients
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- 5 turns of cracked black pepper
- ½ cup sweetened dried cherries
Instructions
Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook 1 minute; remove from heat and let steep 15 minutes. Use as desired, or transfer to a glass container and let cool completely before covering tightly with a lid.
Store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
Salt: if you’re using Diamond Crystal kosher salt, use 1 teaspoon.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 35
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 194mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: pickled cherries
