This Easiest Pickled Red Onions recipe is a simple way to make quick pickled red onions with just vinegar and water. You will want to top all of your meals with these easy pickled red onions.
Quick
Minimal prep
You’ll Learn: A straightforward pickling method
Worth It: Big flavor on a budget
Bonus: Easy variation ideas
Don’t be afraid to make your own pickles at home!
I love all pickled things. I love pickles, spicy pickled peppers, sour kraut, and especially pickled red onions. Onions, vinegar and spices are relatively afforable foods, yet the pickles at the grocery store always seemed pricey.
I figured I was just paying for the glass jar each time I bought pickled red onions so I decided to make my own at home. I am constantly putting them on my salads, sandwiches, wraps, avocado toast, and pretty much everything I eat.
Does it sound like I’m a little obsessed with this pickled onion recipe? It’s okay because I am and soon you will be too!
How does pickling work? How do you pickle red onions?
There are two types of pickling process: vinegar pickling and fermenting. Fermentation is the process of pickling something over a long period of time, but vinegar pickling can be rather quick.
By immersing a vegetable in a vinegar solution, you preserve the fresh food. This allows the food to last much longer. An added benefit of pickling red onions is that you reduce the harsh and sometimes even spicy taste of a raw red onion.
For quick pickling you can immerse the veggies in warm vinegar mixture. For more traditional pickling you want to immerse your veggies in a room temperature liquid.
Looking for another easy pickling recipe? Check out this Easy Giardiniera Recipe!
Serving Suggestions
I like to eat these pickles on pretty much everything, but they are the best on things like tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, burritos, wraps, sandwiches and salads. Keep a jar of pickled onions in your fridge and pull them out whenever you need to add extra flavor and tang to your meal.
I love them on all kinds of different Mexican dishes like these Hidden Veggie Turkey Tacos, Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas and Ground Beef Baked Tacos. They add tang to mixed salads like this no mayo tuna salad or mustard potato salad. Place them in a small serving bowl and serve them alongside other burger toppings at a barbecue.
I love making steak and eggs for breakfast with leftover grilled steak. I like to add a sprinkle of these perfect pink pickled onions on top to really make the flavor pop. Sometimes I even make huevos rancheros or tostadas with steak, a fried egg and the onions on top.
Ingredients
You only need 3 simple ingredients to make quick pickled onions. I like to prep it at the beginning of the meal prep so that it can cool while I prep the rest of the food.
- Red onion
- Water
- White vinegar
For this recipe, I always use white vinegar because it is affordable and I can get a bottle that is about the size of my torso. However, you can use many types of vinegar for this recipe.
If you use apple cider vinegar it will change the color of the pickle slightly, but you will have a more mild vinegar taste. You could also use red wine vinegar or rice vinegar. If you use balsamic vinegar for this pickled onion recipe, the onions will be slightly darker and sweeter, but still delicious!
Recipe variations
You can add many other ingredients to your easy pickled red onions, but it is my personal preference to keep this pickled red onion recipe simple. I don’t add any sweetener to the brine, but adding a little something sweet like maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar will make a sweeter batch with a more mild flavor.
Add a bit of salt, black peppercorns, smashed garlic cloves, and mustard seeds to the mason jars with the sliced onions to really add to the flavor of these pickles.
Add a little bit of spice to this quick pickled onion recipe by adding red pepper flakes to the brine or thinly sliced chiles to the jar with the onions. Fresh herbs like oregano, thyme, dill and parsley add a bright and fresh flavor to the acidic pickle.
Can I pickle other kinds of onions?
Yes! This recipe is for pickled red onions, but you can use it to pickle any kind of onion in just 30 minutes. I like to use red onions because of their beautiful color and intense flavor, but you could pickle other types of onions and even scallions.
Pickled sweet onions like Vidalia onions would be a delicious addition to salads and sandwiches. You can also pickle shallots. They have a lovely light pink color and brighten any dish.
What kitchen tools will I need to this quick pickle recipe?
- Sauce pan for boiling the pickling liquid
- Sharp knife and cutting board for cutting the onion
- 2 cup mason jars for storing and pickling the onions – I find the wide mouth mason jars are easier to use.
To make super thin onion slices, use a mandolin to cut your red onion. I am always scared to cut my fingers so I make sure to use protective gloves each time I use the mandolin.
Quick Pickled Red Onions Recipe
First, slice you red onion into thin rings or slices. Then, heat the water and vinegar over high heat just until it boils. Next, allow pickling liquid to cool.
Then, add the sliced onions to the mason jar. It’s okay if you have to smush them in there to get them all to fit.
Next, pour cooled pickling liquid over the onions and allow that to sit on the counter for an hour.
Finally, close the mason jar with an airtight lid and place the onions in the fridge to chill.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you pickle yellow onions instead of red?
Yes! You can pickle any kind of onion. I recommend red onions, shallots, or sweet onions like a Vidalia onion because the taste will be more pleasant than a yellow onion or white onion.
How long do red onions take to soften?
The pickling process will begin quickly when you use vinegar. They will soften within an hour and continue to get softer as they sit. If you want to pickle red onions quickly, pour the pickling brine over the onions while it is still warm from the stovetop.
How long can you leave onions in vinegar?
I leave the pickled red onions in the water and vinegar brine the entire time that I keep the onions in my fridge. The pickled red onions will last for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge.
Storage
Store the onions in a glass jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Keep the onions covered in the pickling liquid to keep them fresh.
Keep reading for the full recipe! If you make this please leave a rating and review below or let me know on Instagram!
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
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Recipe
Easiest Pickled Red Onions
Ingredients
- 1 medium red onion
- 3/4 cup water
- 3/4 cup white vinegar
Instructions
- Slice the red onion into thin slices or rings
- Add sliced onions to a 2 cup jar with a lid – it’s okay to press the onions down to get them to all fit in the jar
- Place water and vinegar in a sauce pan over high heat
- Just as the liquid begins to boil remove from the heat
- Allow the liquid to cool for about 20 minutes and then pour over the sliced onions in the jar
- Fill the jar all the way to the top so that all of the onions are covered with the liquid
- Allow the jar to sit on the counter for about an hour before covering with the lid and placing in the refrigerator
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for as long as they last
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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