Easiest Pickled Red Onions

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.

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!

What should I serve with these homemade pickled red onions?

I like to eat these pickles on pretty much everything, but they are the best on things like tacos, sandwiches and salads. Keep a jar in your fridge and pull them out whenever you need to add extra flavor and tang to your meal.

• Hidden Veggie Turkey Tacos
• Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas
• Ground Beef Baked Tacos

What ingredients do you need for this quick pickled red onion recipe?

• 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!

I am sure there are all kinds of seasonings and spices I could and probably should be putting in this recipe, but it’s nice that keep it simple.

This easy pickled red onion recipe takes only 3 basic ingredients and takes very little time to do. 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. 

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.

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.

How to make pickled red onions

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.

Store the onions in the fridge for as long as they last, which isn’t long in our home!

Keep reading for the full recipe! If you make this please leave a rating and review below or let me know on Instagram!

Recipe

Easiest Pickled Red Onions

★★★★★ 5 from 28 reviews

The easiest method for pickling red onions with just vinegar and water.

Recipe By: Madeline

Prep: 10 minutesCook: 1 hourTotal: 1 hour 10 minutes

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Servings: 12 servings 1x

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Ingredients

• 1 medium red onion
• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup white vinegar

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Instructions

1. Slice the red onion into thin slices or rings
2. 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
3. Place water and vinegar in a sauce pan over high heat
4. Just as the liquid begins to boil remove from the heat
5. Allow the liquid to cool for about 20 minutes and then pour over the sliced onions in the jar
6. Fill the jar all the way to the top so that all of the onions are covered with the liquid
7. Allow the jar to sit on the counter for about an hour before covering with the lid and placing in the refrigerator
8. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for as long as they last

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.