Sichuan pickle is a traditional Chinese food fermented mainly by lactic acid bacteria (LAB). In this study, effect of adding Lycium barbarum on Sichuan pickle fermentation was investigated using kinetic modelling and correlation analysis. It was found that L. barbarum addition not only increased the amount of LAB, the total acid content and antioxidant capacity, but also improved the organoleptic quality and reduced nitrite content of the pickle considerably. Model‐based analyses revealed that L. barbarum addition increased the growth rate and decreased the death rate of LAB. The increase in antioxidant capacity of the pickle, especially the phenolics, can at least partly be attributed to its transferring from the L. barbarum. Correlation analysis results suggest that the nitrite reduction in pickle is closely related with pH value decrease and the increase in acids, and LAB, yeast and acids may all make contribution to the antioxidant capacity of the pickle.