How to Make Quick Pickled Red Onions

Pickled Red Onions Recipe

This Pickled Red Onions Recipe is going to dramatically improve your life. Or at least your tacos, sandwiches, salads, cheese boards, and (if you’re anything like me) the bites you sneak directly out of the refrigerator before dinner.

Why You’ll Love This Quick Pickled Onions Recipe

• Surprisingly Tasty. Life improvement might sound like an overstated achievement to award a pickled vegetable, but these ruby beauties are a combination of sweet, salty, and tangy that add freshness, pop, and crunch to everyday favorites.
• Quick Pickling for the Win. No canning equipment! No obsessing about botulism! These are quick pickled red onions, which means once you’ve stirred them together (which takes only a few minutes), they’re ready to add to your meal after just 15 minutes of pickling time.
• So Many Ways to Use Them. You can use quick pickled red onions (and homemade Refrigerator Pickles) on salads (try it on this Spinach Strawberry Salad), sandwiches (like this Pulled Chicken Sandwich), burgers (hello Shrimp Burger), tacos (especially Instant Pot Carnitas), and so much more!

How to Make Pickled Red Onions

The Ingredients

• Red Onion. My favorite for pickled onions. Its flavor transforms from biting to tangy. You can also use this recipe for pickled white onions, though personally I prefer the more robust red.
• Vinegar. While I recommend the classic white vinegar and apple cider vinegar, just about any vinegar mixture will work, also including white wine vinegar, rice vinegar, or red wine vinegar. Just steer clear of aged or concentrated vinegars like balsamic or malt.
• Honey. Pickles are traditionally made with water, vinegar, and cane sugar for sweetener. I prefer to use honey for its flavor, but you can use sugar if you prefer.
• Whole Spices. Bay leaf, a cinnamon stick, black peppercorns, and whole cloves give the pickled onions warmth and complexity. You can use all of them, none of them, or pick one or two.
• Red Pepper Flakes. Add up to 1/4 teaspoon for spicy pickled onions. I like a tiny pinch (around 1/8 teaspoon) for subtle heat.

The Directions

1. Start Cutting. With a sharp knife, halve the red onion from top to bottom, cutting down through the stem.

2. Slice the Onion. Place the flat sides down and cut onions in VERY thin slices (as thin as you can) lengthwise.

3. Make the Brine. In a medium saucepan, heat the vinegars, honey, and spices over medium-high until reaches a boil, and immediately reduce to simmer. Then whisk until the honey dissolves.

4. Finish. Put the onions in a jar and pour the warm pickling liquid over the top. Let sit for at least 15 minutes, then ENJOY!

How to Use This Pickled Red Onions Recipe

• Sandwiches. From deli sandwiches to Air Fryer Grilled Cheese, to BBQ sandwiches like Instant Pot Pulled Pork, pickled onions add brightness.
• Creamy Salads. Try them added to Healthy Potato Salad and Creamy Cucumber Salad.
• Pasta Salads. Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad and Mexican Pasta Salad are lovely with that pickled onion tang.
• Green Salads. From simple green salads to main-dish salads like BBQ Chicken Salad, pickled onions up the game.
• Tacos. There’s not a single taco out there that can’t benefit from a few of these pretty pickled onions.
• Quesadillas. Turn this weeknight staple into something special with pickled onions. They’re especially tasty on a Pulled Pork Quesadilla.
• Enchiladas. Add freshness and crunch to cheesy Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas and Vegetarian Enchiladas.
• Chili. Pickled onions make a tasty counterpoint to any chili recipe.
• Eggs. Doctor up your Vegetarian Breakfast Casserole or Egg White Frittata.
• Dips. Try stirring pickled onions into this Skinny Chicken Enchilada Dip.
• Avocado Toast. The classic that inspired this recipe.
• Just Eat them Out of the Jar. Seriously, these perfect pickled onions are THAT good.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Jar Size Matters. To make sure you have adequate room for the onion slices and pickling liquid, use a jar that is at least 24 ounces (3 cups); 32 ounces is even better. Here is a good size for mason jar pickled onions. I use these jars, and 1 medium red onion fits just right.
• No Canning! This recipe is not designed to be canned—if you will be canning, find a recipe specifically designed for canned pickled red onions instead of quick pickled.
• Cut Thick for More Crunch. Pickled onions do have some crunch, but if you want them especially crunchy, slice the onion a bit thicker and use them in the first week.
• Optimize the Flavor. The flavor of the whole spices will become more pronounced the longer the pickled red onions sit in your refrigerator. Once the onions reach a flavor profile you are happy with, you can remove and discard the brine.

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Pickled Red Onions Recipe

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This easy quick pickled red onions recipe is ready in minutes! Crispy, tangy and versatile. Use them for salads, sandwiches, tacos and more!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 10 1/4-cup servings

Calories 4kcal

Author Erin Clarke / Well Plated

Ingredients

For Classic, Perfect Pickled Onions:

• 1 small/medium red onion
• ½ cup water
• ⅓ cup distilled white vinegar
• ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons honey or pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

For Spiced Pickled Onions (Add Any Combo Of):

• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cinnamon stick broken in half
• 2 to 3 whole cloves allspice berries, or a mix
• 2 whole peppercorns
• ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes use ¼ teaspoon for spicy pickled onions

Instructions

• Halve the red onion from top to bottom, cutting down through the stem. Place the flat sides down on the cutting board.
  
• Slice each half VERY thinly (as thin as you can) lengthwise (that’s through the stem, the same direction you cut it initially). Transfer to a 1 ½ pint (24 ounce or 3-cup) or larger mason jar (I use these jars and a medium red onion fits just right) or a similar heat-proof storage container.
  
• In a medium saucepan, heat the water, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, honey, kosher salt, and any additional spices over medium-high, just until the mixture comes to a simmer. Whisk together the ingredients until the honey dissolves.
  
• Place the onion jar in the sink to catch any splashes, then pour the warm pickling liquid over the top (including any whole spices). Use a dull knife or small spoon to lightly stir and push the onions around and down. Ensure the onions and spices are submerged. Let sit for at least 15 minutes prior to use (30 minutes is even better). Or, cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.
  

Notes

• These pickled onions CANNOT be canned. It was developed for pickles that are stored in the refrigerator only. If you’d like to can them, please use a different recipe designed specifically for canning, as this one is not safe to can. (I don’t have a particular recipe I recommend, but a quick online search should turn up some great options.)
• TO STORE: Pickled onions can last in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. I like them best during the first week because they are the most crisp, but they’re still yummy later on.
• Nutrition facts have been calculated without the pickling liquid (for the onion only), as the liquid is discarded. Please note, nutrition facts are a general guide only. For a more specialized calculation, you can play around with the recipe amounts at no charge at websites such as myfitnesspal.com

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25cups (without liquid) | Calories: 4kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Potassium: 16mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg

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