If you grow chives in your kitchen garden, you probably know how quickly they can take over!
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Making homemade Chive Vinegar is a simple way to use some of that fresh chive harvest and turn it into a flavorful pantry staple.
Chive vinegar has a delicate onion flavor that works especially well in salad dressings, potato salads, marinades, and sauces. And with its pretty pinkish color, it makes a beautiful gift from the kitchen too.
This is another easy project for anyone who enjoys Kitchen Garden Living and finding ways to use what grows in the garden.
What You Need
- 1 cup fresh chives
- 2 cups white wine vinegar
- 1 clean pint-size mason jar
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Funnel
- Clean glass bottle or jar
White wine vinegar works especially well because its mild flavor lets the chives shine.
How to Make Chive Vinegar
1. Prepare the chives
Rinse the fresh chives gently and pat them completely dry.
Chop the chives into smaller pieces. Cutting them helps release their flavor into the vinegar.
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2. Add the chives to a jar
Place the chopped chives in a clean mason jar.
Don’t pack them down tightly. You want plenty of room for the vinegar to surround the herbs.
3. Add the vinegar
Pour the vinegar over the chives, making sure they’re completely covered.
Put the lid on the jar and give it a gentle shake.
4. Let the vinegar infuse
Place the jar in a cool, dark place and let the chives infuse the vinegar for 2–4 weeks.
Give the jar a gentle shake every few days.
As the vinegar infuses, it will take on the delicate flavor of the chives.
5. Strain and bottle
When the vinegar has reached the flavor you like, strain out the chives using a fine-mesh strainer.
Pour the finished vinegar into a clean glass bottle or jar using a funnel.
Add a pretty label and store it in the refrigerator.
How to Use Chive Vinegar
Chive vinegar has a mild onion flavor that makes it especially versatile in the kitchen.
Try using it in:
- Homemade salad dressings
- Potato salad
- Cucumber salad
- Pasta salad
- Marinades
- Homemade vinaigrettes
- Sauces
- Bean salads
- Roasted vegetables
One of my favorite ways to use it is in a simple vinaigrette with olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
You can also use it anywhere you would normally use a mild vinegar but want to add a little extra herb flavor.
Chive Vinegar as a Gift from the Kitchen
Flavored vinegars make wonderful homemade gifts because they’re useful, pretty, and easy to package.
Pour your Chive Vinegar into a small decorative bottle and add a label with the name and a few ideas for using it. Tie a piece of twine or ribbon around the top and you’ve got a simple gift from the kitchen.
It would also be fun to put together a small collection of homemade vinegars as a gift.
More Homemade Flavored Vinegars
If you enjoy making your own flavored vinegars, try some of these other recipes:
Each one has its own flavor and makes a useful addition to your homemade pantry.
I love recipes like this because they give you another way to enjoy herbs you’ve grown yourself.
Instead of letting an abundance of chives go to waste, turn them into something you’ll use in your kitchen for weeks to come.
Chive Vinegar is a simple little Kitchen Garden Living project that turns a handful of fresh herbs into something delicious—and something pretty enough to give away.
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