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If you’re making strawberry jam or a big crisp, save those strawberry tops! They can be used in lots of ways to infuse strawberry flavor into different recipes. My favorite? This strawberry top vinegar. The flavor of the fresh berries plus mild vinegar adds a fresh sweetness to any summer salad. It’s an easy scrappy recipe to reduce your food waste and it makes a great edible gift, too!
I absolutely love finding ways to turn my fruit and veggie scraps into something new, and infused vinegars are one of the very best!
They require basically no effort (just add the tops to a jar and cover with vinegar), but the extraction process pulls that strawberry essence out of the berries and into the vinegar.
It makes a gourmet-tasting vinegar for all your summer salads and you got a second use out of your scraps. Win-win!
Dealing with tons of fresh strawberries? You can use the tops to make this delicious Strawberry Simple Syrup, too!
What is Strawberry Top Vinegar?
This is basically an infused vinegar. We aren’t necessarily fermenting the strawberry juice; we’re just adding that flavor to store-bought vinegar.
The infusing process extracts some of that fresh berry sweetness and flavor so you can get a subtle strawberry flavor in your salad dressing and more.
I’m partial to using a mild vinegar, like rice vinegar or white wine vinegar, to let the berry flavor shine.
Why you’ll love this strawberry vinegar recipe
- Minimizes food waste
- Enhances regular vinegar to make it extra special
- Makes a delicious gourmet gift for foodies
- Requires no special skills at all
- Ready to infuse in just moments
Ingredients
- Fresh strawberry tops (or berries) – If you’re planning on using the tops of strawberries, make sure you wash your fresh strawberries really well. I generally prefer to use local or organic strawberries just to minimize the amount of pesticides. Leave a little of the berry flesh when you remove the tops for the boldest strawberry flavor.
- Mild vinegar – I usually use either rice or white wine vinegar. They’re milder in flavor, which lets the berry flavor stand out.
How to Make Strawberry Top Vinegar
- Combine clean strawberry tops and vinegar in a glass jar. Seal and shake well.
- Store in a cool, dark place for 1-2 weeks. You can keep it on the counter, but I recommend storing it in the fridge to keep it fresh. Shake often and keep out of direct sunlight.
- Once the vinegar has a strong enough flavor, strain out the strawberry tops using a fine mesh strainer and transfer to a glass jar or bottle.
- Store in the fridge (recommended) for up to several months and use as desired.
Storing Suggestions
Once infused, I usually store my vinegar in a mason jar in the fridge simply to keep it fresh for longer. You can let it sit out at room temperature but keep an eye out for mold. If the ratio of vinegar to fruit scraps is off, the vinegar mixture can go bad.
Tips & Variations
- Add extra strawberries: If you don’t have enough strawberry tops, you can also add whole, sliced strawberries.
- Use good-quality strawberries. Since we’re using the tops, I recommend organically raised strawberries from local farms if at all possible.
- Wash very well. Be sure to get any little bits of dirt off the strawberry tops first.
- Use other fruits. Strawberries are just one of many options. You can infuse different types of berries and fresh fruits for fun flavored vinegars!
How to Use Strawberry Vinegar
I usually like to use this vinegar with a little olive oil for a simple salad dressing.
It isn’t super strong but adds just enough flavor with a hint of sweetness. The flavored vinegar is especially well-suited for spinach salads with berries and feta cheese.
You can also use it to make a strawberry shrub! Shrubs are sweet, tangy syrups made with vinegar. I actually quite like to dilute the strawberry vinegar with a little cold water and sip it as a refreshing drink, but it is quite vinegary!
More Strawberry Recipes
- Strawberry Snack Cake
- Strawberry White Chocolate Muffins
- Strawberry Lemon Blondies
- Rhubarb and Strawberry Scones
- Strawberry Apple Crisp
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment or ask a question below! I’d love to hear what you think or troubleshoot any issues.
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Strawberry Top Infused Vinegar
Equipment
- 1 Pint mason jar
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup strawberry tops
- 1 cup rice wine vinegar, unseasoned; or white wine vinegar
Instructions
- Combine clean strawberry tops and vinegar in a glass jar. Seal and shake well.
- Store in a cool, dark place for 1-2 weeks. You can keep it on the counter, but I recommend storing it in the fridge to keep it fresh. Shake often and keep out of direct sunlight.
- Once the vinegar has a strong enough flavor, strain out the strawberry tops using a fine mesh strainer and transfer to a glass jar or bottle.
- Store in the fridge (recommended) for up to several months and use as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Did you try this recipe?
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Rachel, This sounds absolutely delicious. We just planted a strawberry bed this year. Can’t wait for the plants to start producing. One of my sisters absolutely loves salads with fresh strawberries. This sounds like a wonderful gift idea for her to be able to enjoy that yummy berry flavor when they are out of season.
Fresh garden strawberries are the very best! This does sound like a great fit for her and really, this method works with so many different berries and fruits, too. I hope you have fun with it! 🙂