Every year when my chives bloom, I look for creative ways to use them. Of course, they can be eaten and making Chive Blossom Vinegar is an awesome way to enjoy them far past their season.

Jar filled with chive blossoms and vinegar

How to use chive blossoms

Use the petals in salad.
On baked potatoes! You use chopped chives ... why not the blossoms?!
As an edible garnish on soups, chicken, fish ... on anything! They are so pretty AND tasty!

I rounded up my favorite Little Man to help out. He loved picking them, but playing in the water while washing the chives was his favorite part, I think.

Cut chive blossoms in a colander for washing

He was super good at picking the flowers off of the stem and putting them in the jar for me. Well, mostly good ... one might have gotten tossed into the coffee carafe! Oops.

Oops! A chive blossom in the coffee carafe

After all the flowers were picked off, we heated a bottle of our favorite white wine vinegar over medium heat just till it was warm so it would pull out the flavor of the chive blossoms. Champagne vinegar is a great choice, as well.

Then we poured it over the flowers in the jar, sealed it, and left it to steep for a week or so. You could also add a bit of lemon peel and a garlic clove to the mix if you are so inclined.

After a week or two, strain it and discard the flowers. Pour into decorative bottles for gifts or pour it right back into the bottle the original vinegar came in. Be sure to label it!

Steeped and finished Chive Blossom Vinegar

How to use Chive Blossom Vinegar

Use it in vinaigrettes for salad.
Splash on French Fries instead of malt vinegar for a tangy, onion-y twist
Use it in Cole Slaw dressing

Recipe

Chive Blossom Vinegar

Tammy Circeo

You can use those darling purple flowers on your chive plant! Throw them on a salad, or use them to make a flavored vinegar. Just be sure you haven't sprayed your garden with pesticides!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 20

Total Time 20

Course Condiments

Cuisine American

Servings 1 pint

Ingredients

1 cup of chive flowers
2 cups white wine vinegar

Instructions

Wash the chive flowers thoroughly and remove as much water as possible. A salad spinner works well, but if you don't have one, lay the flowers out on a clean kitchen towel and press another one down on top of it to soak up the water. Take the flowers off of the stem and put them in a quart mason jar.
Heat the vinegar in a small pot over medium heat just until it is warm. Pour it over the chive flowers in the jar, put the lid on the jar, and allow to steep for at least a week in a cool, dry, dark place. I usually put it in the fridge.
After a week, strain the flowers out of the vinegar, and store the flavored vinegar in a bottle that you can pour easily from and that seals well.
This makes great gifts, too! Just pour it into gift bottles, tie on a bow, and your gift recipients will love it!

Keyword chive, chive vinegar, chives, vinegar