refrigerator pickles

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Pickled Cherry Tomatoes in Sweet and Sour Brine

Canning & Preserving

Pickling in a sweet and sour brine is a wonderful way to preserve vegetables while keeping their natural freshness. Unlike water-bath canning, where vegetables are cooked, this method keeps them mostly raw. That means they retain their crisp texture and bright flavor, while soaking up the aromatic balance of sweet and tangy vinegar.

A Garden Overflowing with Cherry Tomatoes

This year, our community garden produced an incredible abundance of cherry tomatoes. Especially in September, the harvest seemed endless — basket after basket filled with juicy, sun-ripened tomatoes. Tomato soup is always an option, but it felt like a shame to cook down such perfect little gems.
So instead, I decided to pickle a portion of the harvest in a sweet and sour brine. The result? Cheerful jars full of summer color and flavor that instantly brighten the winter table.

Choosing the Right Vinegar

In Belgium, we typically use vinegar with an acidity of 8%, which is ideal for pickling tomatoes. Because tomatoes naturally contain a lot of water, the higher acidity ensures a safe and well-balanced result.

You can also use 6% vinegar, though the final flavor will be slightly milder. Avoid weaker vinegars like apple cider vinegar (4–5%), as they can produce a watery and less stable preserve — especially when working with water-rich vegetables like tomatoes.

Ingredients (makes about 4 jars)

  • 1 kg (2.2 lb) cherry tomatoes
  • 1 red onion
  • Fresh basil leaves
  • 500 g (2 cups) vinegar (8%, or 6% if preferred)
  • 250 g (1 ¼ cups) sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 sterilized jars
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Instructions

1. Preheat your jars
To prevent the hot vinegar mixture from cooling too quickly, preheat your jars in an oven at 100°C (210°F) while preparing the rest.

2. Prepare the vegetables
Peel and slice the red onion into half rings. Rinse the cherry tomatoes thoroughly and prick a small hole in each one with a toothpick or skewer — this allows the brine to penetrate the tomatoes evenly.

3. Make the brine
In a saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar, salt, and a pinch of black pepper to a boil.

4. Fill the jars
Divide the tomatoes and onion slices among the sterilized jars, tucking in a few basil leaves here and there for extra aroma. Work quickly so the jars stay warm.

5. Add the brine
Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the vegetables, leaving about 1 cm (½ inch) headspace at the top.

6. Seal and store
Seal the jars tightly and let them cool. Store them in the refrigerator or a cool, dark pantry. Wait at least two days before tasting to let the flavors fully develop.

Storage

Sweet and sour pickled cherry tomatoes will keep for about two months.
To extend shelf life, you can process the jars in a water bath at 90°C (195°F) for 15 minutes, or briefly simmer the tomatoes in the brine before filling the jars. Keep in mind, though, that this will slightly soften their texture.

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How to Use Pickled Cherry Tomatoes

These pickled tomatoes are deliciously versatile. Serve them with a cheese or charcuterie board, alongside grilled meats, or toss them into a summer salad.
The leftover brine is a treasure too — it makes a fantastic base for a quick vinaigrette.

One of my favorite ways to use them is in bruschetta. Chop the tomatoes, add a bit of black pepper and fresh basil, and spoon the mixture over toasted ciabatta or baguette slices. Simple, but absolutely irresistible.

Variations and Tips

This base recipe is easy to adapt to your own taste:

  • Add thyme, oregano, or rosemary for a more herby flavor.
  • Use yellow or orange cherry tomatoes for a bright, colorful mix.
  • Or add a pinch of chili flakes for a gentle kick.

Sweet and sour pickling is one of those satisfying ways to experiment with flavors — and at the same time, stock your pantry with homemade delights.

More Inspiration

If you’ve caught the pickling bug, you might also enjoy:

Have fun preserving!

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    A close-up image of jars filled with sweet and sour pickled cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, and fresh basil. The jars are brightly colored and visually appealing, showcasing the vibrant ingredients.

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    Sweet-and-Sour Pickled Onions: A Recipe for Delicious Tangy Onions

    Canning & Preserving

    These sweet-and-sour pickled onions bring a fresh, crunchy twist to all kinds of dishes. They’re surprisingly versatile and pair perfectly with salads, burgers, sandwiches or as a side with roasted meat. Make a batch with this simple recipe and discover how extra flavour enhancers can elevate the result!

    An Ancient Preserving Method with Centuries-Old Roots

    Preserving in vinegar and sugar isn’t a new trend — it’s one of the oldest techniques in the world. Long before refrigerators existed, people used vinegar, salt and sugar to make vegetables and fruit last longer. Vinegar lowers the pH-level, making it much harder for bacteria and moulds to grow. Sugar not only helps preservation, but also gives a nice balance to flavour.

    In the 17th and 18th centuries, sweet-and-sour pickling was popular among sailors and soldiers, because preserved vegetables were easy to digest and could be stored for a long time on ships or in army depots. Also in farm-house kitchens, preserving vegetables was part of the annual routine. In late summer and autumn, the pantry would be filled with jars of gherkins, pickled pearl onions and beet-roots — a guarantee of vegetables on the table during the cold winter months.

    Perfect for the Snack Platter

    Sweet-and-sour onions are also real mood-setters on a charcuterie board or cheese platter. The fresh acidity cuts nicely through the richness of cheese and cold meats. Especially with creamy cheeses like Brie or Camembert, they provide a lovely contrast. With pâté or rillettes they also work perfectly, because they make the dish feel a little lighter.

    For a summer aperitif you can combine them with olives, roasted nuts and some freshly baked bread. In winter they go beautifully with stews or game dishes. So you’ll have year-round pleasure from a few jars of sweet-and-sour onions in the cupboard.

    Choosing Your Flavour Enhancers

    The beauty of pickling onions in sweet-and-sour is that you can endlessly vary the flavour by adding herbs, spices or even different types of vinegar. Here are some ideas:

    • Herbs: Fresh basil, dill, thyme or rosemary give a mild, herbaceous note to the pickled onions. Basil is especially recommended, because its fresh aroma enhances the natural sweetness of the onion.
    • Spices: Black peppercorns, juniper berries and cloves bring warmth and depth to the flavour. Juniper berries add a subtle pine-like aroma, which goes beautifully with the vinegar’s tang. A few cloves give a warm undertone — especially lovely in autumn and winter.
    • Citrus peel: Add a strip of lemon or orange peel for a fresh, lively hint. This works especially well in lighter dishes and salads.
    • Chili flakes or sliced chili pepper: For a spicy twist you can add some chili flakes or a fresh chili pepper to the jar. This gives a subtle kick that pairs well with the sweet-sour profile.

    Tip: Basil!

    When preserving cherry tomatoes I discovered that a few fresh basil leaves make a real flavour explosion! Add a couple of leaves when filling the jars. After about a week, those few leaves will have flavoured the whole jar of onions.

    pickled onions with basil leaves

    What You Need to Make Pickled Onions

    For about 3 jars of 250 ml (≈ 8.5 oz) each

    • 3 large onions (or 4 to 5 smaller)
    • 300 g vinegar (8%) → approx 10.6 oz / ~1 ¼ cups
    • 150 g sugar → approx 5.3 oz / ~¾ cup
    • 100 ml water → approx 3.4 oz / ~⅓ cup (if you use 6% vinegar you may omit the water)
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • Optional: flavourings such as basil, peppercorns, juniper berries or cloves

    Let’s Get Started

    Preparing the onions

    Peel the onions and slice them into thin half-rings.

    Making the vinegar mixture

    Combine the vinegar, sugar and water in a pan. Optionally add salt and pepper for extra flavour. Want to give the onions a unique aroma? Add flavourings like peppercorns, juniper berries or cloves.

    Slightly briefly cook the onions

    Add the onion rings to the vinegar mixture and let them cook for about 30 seconds. You can choose whether you want to do this or not — I do it because otherwise the vinegar mixture cools down too much when poured over cold onions, with the result that the jars often don’t vacuum-seal. By warming the onions briefly they will vacuum-seal properly.

    Filling the jars

    Spoon the onions and the vinegar mixture into sterilised 250 ml jars. Gently press the onions down so they are well submerged in the liquid. If you’re using fresh herbs like basil or dill, add them now. They’ll give a fresh, aromatic touch to the sweet-and-sour onions.

    Sealing and storing

    Seal the jars well and allow them to cool completely. Store the jars in a cool, dark place. After about a week, the flavours have fully developed and the onions are deliciously flavoured!

    Using Sweet-and-Sour Onions in Dishes

    Sweet-and-sour onions bring fantastic flavour and texture to many dishes. Try adding a spoonful of these pickled onions to salads. In a Greek salad I find them absolutely top! They pair perfectly with fresh leafy greens, tomatoes and creamy dressings. Or use them as a flavourful topping for burgers, wraps, or tacos. The tangy taste gives a fresh counterpoint to the rich, savoury flavours of those dishes. They also work excellently in pasta salads or grain bowls, and on a cheese plate they add colour and flavour.

    Want to try something different? Serve these pickled onions as a side with grilled meat or roasted vegetables. The sweet-and-sour taste provides a beautiful balance and makes the dish feel lighter. Moreover, you can prepare the onions in advance, giving you a ready-to-go flavour booster that stays good for weeks in the fridge.

    Homemade sweet-and-sour pickled onions in a glass jar

    Red onions
    Red onions give a beautiful, intense colour to your sweet-and-sour onions and taste slightly different. Due to their colour the onions in the jar gain a gorgeous deep-pink tint — great as a garnish on salads, wraps or burgers. Or try a mix of different colours. Also lots of fun!

    Not Just for Onions

    Although onions are fantastic for pickling, this method works perfectly for other vegetables too. Cucumbers are of course the classic, but also peppers, carrot sticks, cauliflower florets and even small tomatoes do well in a sweet-and-sour mix. By varying herbs and spices you can constantly discover new flavour combinations.

    Mixed jars are also very fun: thinly sliced red onion together with cucumber slices and some radish for an extra spicy twist. That way you have in one jar a colourful garnish for sandwiches, burgers or as a fresh topping with grilled meat.

    Have you caught the pickling bug? Here are some other fun recipes:

    Komkommerschijfjes ingemaakt in zoetzuur
    Pickled Cucumber
    Kerstomaten zoetzuur ingemaakt
    Pickling Cherry Tomatoes
    Pickled Radishes

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    A jar of sweet-and-sour pickled onions next to fresh onions on a wooden surface, with text overlay describing their versatility for cheese boards, fresh salads, and roasted meat.

    Check out our other canning and preserving recipes

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