One bite of a pickled green cherry tomato will fill your mouth with a burst of flavor. Pickled green tomatoes are so easy to make with firm green cherry tomatoes, fresh dill, garlic cloves, and spices that are then pickled in this easy brine. No canning experience needed!
Pickling some of the first green cherry tomatoes from the garden is a tasty way to enjoy cherry tomatoes without having to wait weeks for them to ripen.
The anticipation of harvesting the first ripe tomato doesn't need to be so bad.
Instead of waiting you can pick a few of the green cherry tomatoes right now, quick pickle them and enjoy them in a few days on a salad, burger or sandwich.
This is also a great way to preserve those end of season cherry tomatoes before the first frost.
You don't need any special equipment or skills to make a batch of crisp and tart refrigerated cherry tomatoes.
Quick Pickle Ingredients
Quick pickled or refrigerator green cherry tomatoes are made with simple herbs, spices and an easy pickling brine.
As long as you can boil a brine, pack a jar or plastic container with the pickle ingredients you can make pickled green cherry tomatoes. It is that easy!
- firm green cherry tomatoes
- red pepper flakes
- black pepper corns
- picking salt
- garlic cloves
- sugar
- sliced hot pepper
- pickling spice
- fresh dill
Pickling brine recipe
Pickling brine is easy to make with vinegar, water, pickling salt and a tiny bit of sugar.
- 3 cups 5% White Vinegar
- 1 cup 5% Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons pickling salt
Pickling spice per jar
Pickling spices are a combination of garlic cloves, pickling spice, fresh dill or dill weed, a couple slices of jalapeno and some red pepper flakes for a spicy flavor.
- 3 cloves of peeled garlic, per jar
- 2 teaspoon pickling spice, per jar
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, per jar for spicy flavored
- 4 small dill stems per jar
- 2 jalapeno slices, per jar or other hot pepper
How to make step by step
Follow these easy step by step to make pickled green cherry tomatoes.
Step 1: Place the herbs and spices into the bottom of each jar.
Step 2: Fill each jar with the green tomatoes packing them in tightly. Poke each tomato or cut a small slice through the skin on the bottom before putting it in a jar.
Step 3: Bring the pickling brine to a boil on the stove.
Step 4: Place a funnel over the top of the jar and carefully fill the jar leaving ¼ inch headspace. use a plastic blubber or wooden chop stick to remove any bubbles and allow the brine to fill the jar completely. Add more brine if needed.
Step 5: Use a wooden chop stick or a plastic canning bubbler tool to release any air bubbles. Add more brine if needed.
Step 6: Wipe the jar rim and place a flat lid on the jar then twist the ring on. Set the hot jar on a towel to cool.
Step 7: Allow jars to cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
Step 8: Allow to pickle for 7 days for the best flavors. You can eat them after they cool if you just can't wait. After seven days the tomatoes will have had enough time to absorb the pickling flavors.
Refrigerator Pickles
This is a quick pickle or refrigerator pickling recipe. The pickled tomatoes must be refrigerated and eaten within a couple of months. Refrigerator pickles are not meant to be canned. They are to be refrigerated only.
Recipe FAQ's
Yes, green cherry tomatoes can be pickled. Pickling some of the first cherry tomatoes you are growing is a great way get enjoy the first fresh flavors of the garden.
Pickled green cherry tomatoes can be added to a salad, burgers, or wraps. They add a crisp tart flavor boost to any foods you would eat pickles with.
Recipe Expert Tips
Here are a few of my expert recipe tips to help you make the best pickled cherry tomatoes.
- Spicy pickles: Increase the amount of hot pepper slices or red pepper flakes if you like extra spicy pickles.
- Poke each tomato once with a skewer or tooth pick or cut an X in the bottom of each tomato so they will absorb the flavors of the brine and spices.
- How long to pickle?: Pickled tomatoes can be eaten after a couple of days but will developer a better flavor after one week.
- Dill: Dried dill weed can be used instead of fresh dill. Use ¼ to ½ teaspoon dried dill per jar.
- Pickling salt: Pickle salt is recommended when making pickles. The salt is made for pickling and will not cloud the pickle brine.
How to use pickled green tomatoes?
Crunchy and tart pickled green tomatoes are perfect on a salad, sandwich or wrap. Slice them up and put them on a burger or use them in a cocktail. You can eat them just like you would a dill pickle.
More quick pickled recipes you'll love
Print, share or save the recipe below
Pickled Green Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients
Pickled Green Cherry Tomatoes Ingredients
- 3 quarts firm green cherry tomatoes
- 9 cloves of garlic
- 6 teaspoons pickling spice
- 1 ½ teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 12 sprigs fresh dill
- 6 slices jalapeno peppers
Pickling Brine
- 3 cups 5% white vinegar
- 1 cup 5% Apple Cider vinegar
- 2 cups filtered water (untreated water is best)
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons pickling salt
Instructions
- Place 3 cloves of garlic, 2 teaspoons of pickling spice, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 4 sprigs of fresh dill, and 2 jalapeno slices in each jar.
- Fill each jar with the green tomatoes packing them in tightly. Poke each tomato or cut a small slice through the skin on the bottom before putting it in a jar.
- Bring the pickling brine to a boil on the stove.
- Place a funnel over the top of the jar and carefully fill the jar leaving ¼ inch headspace. use a plastic blubber or wooden chop stick to remove any bubbles and allow the brine to fill the jar completely. Add more brine if needed.
- Use a wooden chop stick or a plastic canning bubbler tool to release any air bubbles. Add more brine if needed.
- Wipe the jar rim and place a flat lid on the jar then twist the ring on. Set the hot jar on a towel to cool.
- Allow jars to cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
- Allow to pickle for 7 days for the best flavors. You can eat them after they cool if you just can't wait. After seven days the tomatoes will have had enough time to absorb the pickling flavors.
- 3 pint jars of pickled tomatoes.
Video
Recipe Expert Tips
- Quick or refrigerator pickles must be refrigerated and eaten within a couple of months.
- Spicy pickles: Increase the amount of hot pepper slices or red pepper flakes if you like extra spicy pickles.
- Poke each tomato once with a skewer or tooth pick or cut an X in the bottom of each tomato so they will absorb the flavors of the brine and spices.
- How long to pickle?: Pickled tomatoes can be eaten after a couple of days but will developer a better flavor after one week.
- Dill: Dried dill weed can be used instead of fresh dill. Use ¼ to ½ teaspoon dried dill per jar.
- Pickling salt: Pickle salt is recommended when making pickles. The salt is made for pickling and will not cloud the pickle brine.
Nutrition
More refrigerated or quick pickle recipes
Check out my canning recipe page for more easy pickling recipes.
Lynn Price
can you put these in a hot water bath to last longer?
Arlene Mobley
Lynn no this is not a recipe for canned tomatoes. But they will last for a couple of months in the refrigerator.