The process of how to make tarragon vinegar is super easy and simple—and it is a heart-healthy ingredient to add to salads and more.
Tarragon Vinegar
If you’ve been intimidated by how to make tarragon vinegar, it’s actually very easy. Just two ingredients are needed: tarragon and white wine vinegar. The only hitch is waiting two to three weeks after combining these ingredients for this tarragon vinegar recipe to be ready to use.
Flavored vinegar recipes are simple to whip up and wonderful to have on hand to make many recipes, such as salads, marinades (for meat or seafoods) and shrubs (cocktails or non-alcoholic drinks), and to use in place of red or white wine in a recipe. Consider it your BFF for amping up a recipe’s flavor. We like this tarragon one so much that we included it in our list of flavored vinegar recipes you’ll want to make.
Tarragon is a healthy herb in that it aids with digestion and helps reduce inflammation. Because it tastes sweet and savory, it is ideal to use in a flavored vinegar. Each serving of this recipe is only 5 calories and there’s zero fat, cholesterol or sodium.
Tarragon Vinegar Ingredients
- Tarragon: Use fresh tarragon sprigs, not dried tarragon, so you can maximize the tarragon flavor.
- White wine vinegar: Sold in grocery stores, often near the bottles of salad dressings, white vine vinegar’s ingredients are fermented and oxidized white wine.
Directions
Step 1: Combine the tarragon and vinegar
Wash the tarragon and pat it dry. Place the tarragon in a sterilized jar. Using a wooden spoon, gently bruise the tarragon. Next, add the vinegar. Cover and store the mixture in a cool dark place for two to three weeks to let the flavors develop.
Step 2: Bottle the tarragon vinegar
Strain and discard the tarragon. Pour the liquid into a sterilized decorative bottle and add additional tarragon if desired. Store the vinegar in a cool dark place for up to six months.
Editor’s Tip: While you can use any jar, an empty wine bottle works best as the height can accommodate tarragon sprigs.
Tarragon Vinegar Variations
- Add more herbs to make salad dressing: In our recipe for tarragon salad dressing, you add fresh chives and parsley for an even more herbaceous dressing to drizzle onto salads.
- Spice it up: By adding halved jalapeno peppers to the bottle and then keeping them in the bottle with the tarragon and vinegar for two to three weeks, you’ve just made a spicy version of tarragon vinegar.
How to Store Tarragon Vinegar
As the recipe states, before you even use this, you’ve already stored it for two to three weeks. It keeps for up to six months.
Can you freeze tarragon vinegar?
We don’t recommend freezing the recipe. The nice thing is that once you make this, it’s good for up to six months at room temperature.
How long does tarragon vinegar last?
As long as you keep this in an airtight jar, it will last for six months.
Can you make tarragon vinegar ahead of time?
Absolutely! In fact, you have to make it ahead of time because the tarragon and vinegar need time together (two to three weeks) in the jar before it’s ready.
Tarragon Vinegar Tips
How do I turn this into a vinaigrette?
A vinaigrette is perfect on salad greens. To transition the tarragon vinegar into a tarragon vinaigrette, simply add olive oil. The standard formula is 1 tablespoon of vinegar for every 3 tablespoons of olive oil. With this recipe, that means you’d add 6 cups olive oil to the 2 cups white wine vinegar.
What are some recipes that use tarragon vinegar?
Tarragon vinegar is an ingredient in our tarragon potatoes recipe, where chopped onion and minced garlic are also added to red potatoes. It’s also featured in our easy gazpacho recipe.
What happens if I use red wine vinegar instead of white wine vinegar?
Red wine vinegar tastes heavier and stronger than white wine vinegar. Because tarragon vinegar is designed to complement your recipe—not overpower it—go with white wine vinegar.
Tarragon Vinegar
Prep Time
10 min
Yield
2 cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup tarragon sprigs
- 2 cups white wine vinegar
- Additional fresh tarragon sprig, optional
Directions
- Wash tarragon and pat dry. Place in a sterilized jar. Using a wooden spoon, gently bruise the tarragon. Add the vinegar. Cover and store in a cool dark place for 2-3 weeks to let flavors develop.
- Strain and discard tarragon. Pour into a sterilized decorative bottle. Add additional tarragon if desired. Store in a cool dark place for up to 6 months.
Nutrition Facts
1 tablespoon: 5 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 0 sodium, 1g carbohydrate (0 sugars, 0 fiber), 0 protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Free food.
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Add fresh tarragon sprigs to basic white wine vinegar in a decorative jar, and you'll have a lovely, contemporary gift for any cook. Include salad dressing recipes or others that could use this flavorful vinegar. —Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
Recipe Creator
Community Cook
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