Pickling Green Tomatoes: Summer Pickles with Fennel and Tarragon
Green tomatoes are the little secret of summer. While ripe tomatoes have long since made it to the plate, the green ones are still waiting for their moment – and that moment comes when pickling. Their firm flesh absorbs the brine particularly well, retaining its bite and developing a spicy-sour depth that ripe tomatoes cannot achieve. The result: pickles that taste of summer and look beautiful in every jar.
With fennel, tarragon, and rosemary, a pickle is created that is much more than a side dish – it is a jar full of summer that you can open all year round.
What you need
In addition to the ingredients, the right container is crucial. The Ripple Mason Jar 1.2 L offers just the right space for all layers – large enough for a good portion, with a wide opening for easy filling and a glass rim that visibly highlights the herbs. The characteristic Ripple structure makes the glass an eye-catcher itself – on the table as well as in the refrigerator.
A mandoline for thinly slicing the fennel is not a must, but a real game-changer – the fine slices absorb the brine more evenly and look much nicer in the jar.
Recipe: Summer Pickles
Ingredients
(for 1x Ripple Mason Jar | Wide | 1.2 L)
Vegetables
- 300 g small green tomatoes, whole
- 1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- 2–3 fresh tarragon sprigs
- 1 small rosemary sprig
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
Tip: This also works with unripe tomatoes to make them edible and preserved. However, due to their solanine content, you should enjoy these pickles in moderation.
Brine
- 250 ml white wine vinegar
- 250 ml water
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 20 g sea salt
- 15 g sugar
Preparation
- Slice the fennel into approx. 3mm thin slices on the grater – leave the beautiful round slices with the core in, it looks best in the jar.
- Wash the green tomatoes, prick them 2-3 times with a fork so the brine can penetrate.
- Bring the brine to a boil until salt & sugar are completely dissolved, then let cool briefly.
- Layer the jar – alternate tomatoes & fennel slices, press tarragon & rosemary against the glass wall so they are visible from the outside.
- Add mustard seeds, fennel seeds, pepper & garlic.
- Pour the hot brine over, remove all air bubbles.
- Put the lid on, let cool.
Perfect Tools for your Summer Pickles
Tips for the best result
- Pierce the tomatoes – absolutely essential so the brine can truly penetrate.
- Slice the fennel thinly – the thinner, the more uniform the flavor and more beautiful the presentation in the jar.
- Position herbs visibly – press tarragon and rosemary against the glass wall before pouring in the brine.
- Cover completely – everything must be submerged under the brine to prevent oxidation.
- Patience – they are best after 48 hours in the refrigerator.
How to use the pickles
The finished summer pickles are more versatile than you might think. As a tangy topping on burrata, as a component in a tomato salad, or straight from the jar as an aperitivo – they fit anywhere a fresh, savory contrast is desired.
They particularly shine in our Dinner Party Plates: in the recipe for Herb Tofu Cream Cheese with Tomato Salad, they are the crucial finish that brings the dish together.
Those who want to delve deeper into pickling and fermenting will also find everything about fermentation with us – from kimchi to kombucha.
Discover the new Ripple Mason Jar 1.2 L and the entire Tableware Collection – and serve your Summer Pickles in style.
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