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How to Make Artisanal Herb-Infused Vinegar

There are so many ways you can use fresh herbs from your garden, but this is my new favourite! Herb-infused vinegar gives you practically unlimited flavour combinations that you can use on salads, as dips, or even by the spoonful. Here’s how to make herb vinegar, plus a few of my favourite combinations to get you started.

Infused Herb Vinegar Recipes

I love love love herbs. They are a delicious, beautiful, and healing part of my garden that has become integral to my daily life.

I’m always looking for different ways to get more herby goodness into my life, which is why I have started making herb-infused vinegar more and more lately.

These vinegars are amazing to use with cooking, adding so much flavour even long after the herbs themselves are gone. If you have extra herbs and want to preserve their flavour in a fun way, give one of my herb vinegar recipes below.

This post will cover…

Infused Herb Vinegar Recipes
You can use all kinds of vinegar and herbs to make custom flavour combinations.

DIY Herb Vinegar

Don’t think I’m the originator of this fabulous idea, however. Herb vinegar is a traditional herbal preparation method that has been used for hundreds of years. Not only will it preserve the flavour profile of the herbs, but it will also keep the health benefits intact as well.

These infused vinegars are a great alternative to an alcohol-based tincture if you want an herbal extract that doesn’t contain alcohol. Plus, these kinds of vinegar are delicious!

There are so many different tasty kinds of vinegar out there and endless combinations of herbs that you can use to create a custom artisanal vinegar blend that’s all your own. I have a few favourite recipes that I’ll share below, but I hope you use them as a jumping-off point to get even more creative with your herb/vinegar mixtures.

Three Types of Homemade Infused Vinegar
These vinegars can be used for cooking as well as herbal recipes and tinctures.

What Kind of Vinegar Should I Use?

In addition to the many health benefits of herbs, vinegar itself can also have positive effects.

It is a good idea to invest in quality vinegars (especially fruit vinegar like apple cider) to get the most healthful and delicious infusion.

Plus, the flavour profile will change immensely depending on which type of vinegar you use as the base. Here are a few options to try:

  • Apple cider vinegar is made from fermented apples and is often used in natural wellness recipes (such as fire cider).
  • Rice vinegar is a delicate, lovely vinegar made from…you guessed it, fermented rice! This type of vinegar is commonly used in Asian cooking.
  • White vinegar is one of the most inexpensive and most-used types around. The flavour tends to be sharp and intense, so I typically will not use this one on its own. You can easily use a 1:1 ratio of this with another vinegar.
  • White wine vinegar often gets confused with white vinegar, but this type is made from fermented white wine and is quite a bit sweeter.
  • Balsamic vinegar is arguably the most popular type of vinegar. This sweet, thick vinegar is dark in colour and pairs nicely with fruits as well as herbs for infusion.
Apple cider vinegar with fresh nasturtium flowers and leaves on a wooden surface
Apple cider vinegar is a great choice to make infused vinegar for salad dressings.

Tips for Infusing Vinegar

It’s best to make your initial infusion in a large Mason jar, then strain out the herbs when pouring it into a sterilized vinegar bottle.

Making infused vinegar is somewhat quick, too. The herbs will start to flavour the vinegar in just 24 hours, but the taste of the herbs will become more prominent after a few weeks.

There’s no rule as to when it must be ready by. Instead, let your sense of taste be your guide when determining if your herb vinegar is ready or not.

Making Herb Vinegar
Use fresh herbs for your infused vinegar to get the best taste.

Feel free to add a few herbs to the bottles to give it that homemade look, but they are best strained out after a month or so to prevent spoiling.

However, once your custom infused vinegar starts getting used as salad dressing and bread dip, I’m sure it won’t last that long!

How to Make Herb Infused Vinegar
Once infused, you can strain out your herbs and place your infusion in a vinegar bottle.

Infused Vinegar Combinations to Try

You can pack really any herbs that you want into the infusion. Some of the combinations that I love are:

Parsley, Rosemary, and Sage Infused Vinegar

Pack a handful of parsley, rosemary, and sage in a jar with ½ rice vinegar and ½ white wine vinegar for a rich flavoured vinegar that’s a bit sweet and perfect for Thanksgiving dinner.

Fennel and Citrus Infused Vinegar

Add fresh fennel or crushed fennel seeds with the zest of one lemon, lime, and orange to apple cider vinegar. This bright and fruity combination pairs well with a spinach salad with mandarin slices and toasted almonds.

Tarragon and Garlic Infused Vinegar

Fresh tarragon sprigs and garlic cloves are all that is needed to make this fine vinegar, which is usually reserved for gourmet grocery store shelves. Use delicate white wine vinegar to ensure the sweet but earthy tarragon flavour has a chance to shine.

Parsley Rosemary and Sage Infused Vinegar
Add a custom label and fresh herb sprig to make this the perfect hostess gift!

Herb Infused Vinegar FAQ

What is the shelf life of herb-infused vinegar?

When using fresh herbs, the shelf life is about six months to a year after you infuse and strain the herbs.

When I give herb-infused vinegar as gifts, I like to add a fresh sprig after I infuse it for aesthetics. However, the vinegar is only good for about a month before it will spoil, so keep this in mind.

Should I store my herb-infused vinegar in the fridge?

You can store it in the fridge to help it last longer, but it’s definitely not necessary. I store mine in the cabinet, and it’s completely fine. It gets used well within the six months.

What is herb-infused vinegar used for?

I use my herb vinegar as salad dressings or as a bread dip. You can also add it to vegetables while cooking, or in place of vinegar any time it’s required in a recipe for added flavour.

As you can see, making your own infused vinegar is a simple DIY that any gardener can take advantage of! Which one will you try first?

Love Herbs? You Might Like These Posts

Herb Infused Vinegars
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

DIY Herb Infused Vinegar

Use your garden herbs and make an easy herb-infused vinegar. The combinations are endless- here's how to make a batch of your own!
Cook Time5 minutes
Infusion time1 day
Total Time1 day 5 minutes
Course: Seasoning
Cuisine: miscellaneous
Keyword: herbs, vinegar
Servings: 32 tbsp
Calories: 3kcal

Ingredients

  • 12-16 oz vinegar of your choice
  • 1-2 handfuls herbs of your choice

Instructions

  • In a large mason jar, add herbs and vinegar. Muddle with a wooden spoon.
  • Let it sit about 24 hours, then strain out the herbs and pour the vinegar into a sterilized container.
  • Enjoy as salad dressing, bread dip, or by the spoonful!

Nutrition

Serving: 1tbsp | Calories: 3kcal

Comments

  1. Many thanks, Tarragon & Garlic Infused Vinegar is very fine and really fantastic. There are no limits to use it.

    Reply
  2. 5 stars
    Made the fennel and citrus infused vinegar to give to friends, and it resulted in some left over for us – so that’s good! It smells wonderful.

    I’ve strained out the fennel and fruit into sterilized jars. Should the finished product be kept in the fridge or is it OK to leave out on a shelf?

    Reply
  3. I just bought two bottles of Chardonnay white wine vinegar and took the tops off my basil plant and put them in the vinegar last night. Giving one to a friend. I love basil.

    Reply
5 from 1 vote

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