If there’s one food we love to have stocked in our fridge pretty consistently, it’s pickled red onions. Our pickled red onion recipe makes for a topping tangy, crunchy, slightly sweet, and balanced in acidity. If you’re anything like us, lean into the future addiction, because you won’t have any problems finding uses for these in the kitchen.
Pickled Red Onion Recipe
Pickled red onions add a brightness beyond color to your meals and can be made in under 15 minutes. With just a few simple ingredients you’ll be on your way to seriously elevated kitchen creations. Pickling can be a great method for preserving foods short-term, and onions are no exception. Instead of letting that onion get moldy on the counter, pickle it!
Ingredients
Onion- You can pickle any type of onion, but we default to the flavor and color of red onions. Make sure they are firm and free from mold.
Vinegar- We love using raw apple cider vinegar for extra flavor and probiotic benefits, but you can also choose distilled white vinegar or red wine vinegar.
Pickling Spices- For a multi-purpose pickling spice, try our homemade pickling spice recipe. It contains whole black peppercorns, whole mustard seeds, whole coriander seeds, dill seeds, allspice berries, and bay leaves. For pickled onions, I like to add a pinch of red pepper flakes to this base recipe.
Garlic- Fresh garlic cloves add to the flavor.
Salt- This aids in the preservation process. Choose an unrefined salt such as sea salt, Kosher, or Pink Himalayan.
Honey- This is our go-to for a natural sweetener, but you can substitute it with raw cane sugar or maple syrup.
Making Pickled Onions
Prep Onion. Cut the onion in half through the root end. Remove the outer papery peel. Use a sharp knife or a mandoline to thinly slice the onion halves.
Fill Jar. Fill your clean glass jar with pickling spices and the onion slices. We love these clasp lid jars for the job. You can pack everything down firmly.
Make Brine. In a small pot on the stove, combine the vinegar, 1 c of water, garlic cloves, honey, and salt. Heat the brine to a gentle simmer, stirring until the honey and salt have dissolved.
Pour Brine. Pour the hot brine over the jarred onions, making sure the liquid covers them. You can top it off with water if necessary.
Wait. Wait at least an hour to enjoy your pickled onions, but we prefer to let the flavors combine and mellow out for at least 24 hours. Allow the jars to cool before storing them in the fridge.
Storing & Using
These pickled red onions must be stored in the fridge and will last at least a month if stored properly. Make sure they are stored in an airtight container and use a clean utensil when fishing them from the jar to prevent bacterial contamination.
You can add these to meals in as little as an hour, but we prefer to let them sit overnight for a fuller flavor.
As far as uses go…we love adding pickled red onions to burgers, rice/grain bowls, fresh salsas, lettuce salads, wraps, tacos, cold salads, meats, cold noodles, and more. Your palate will assuredly guide you once it has gotten a taste of these deliciously zingy veggies.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Absolutely! Feel free to experiment with other spices such as dried herbs, cumin seeds, star anise, whole cloves, or celery seeds.
Yes, you can adjust the sweetness or acidity to suit your taste preferences. You can increase or decrease the amount of sugar or vinegar accordingly.
Yes, you can process pickled onions in sterilized jars using a hot water bath canning method for long-term shelf stability. Make sure you are using a vinegar with 5% acidity. Follow proper canning procedures and guidelines to ensure safety.
Pickled onions can be enjoyed after an hour, but they will develop more flavor if allowed to sit in the pickling liquid for at least 24 hours or up to a few days. Slicing your onions thinly will help them pickle more quickly.
More Pickling Recipes
Pickling is a great preservation method for many fruits, vegetables, and beyond. Here are some of our favorite pickling recipes.
Pickled Red Onions
Ingredients
- 1 medium red onion
- 1 c apple cider vinegar or white distilled
- 1 c water
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 garlic clove, smashed
- 2 tsp pickling spices recipe in notes
Instructions
- Cut the onion in half through the root end. Remove the outer papery peel. Use a sharp knife or mandoline to thinly slice the onion halves.
- Fill your clean glass jar with pickling spices and the onion slices. You can pack everything down firmly.
- In a small pot on the stove, combine the vinegar, water, garlic cloves, honey, and salt. Heat the brine to a gentle simmer, stirring until the honey and salt have dissolved.
- Pour the hot brine over the jarred onions, making sure the liquid covers them.
- Wait at least an hour to enjoy your pickled onions, but we prefer to let the flavors combine and mellow out for 24 hours. Allow the jars to cool before storing them in the fridge.
Notes
- For a simple homemade pickling spice recipe, check out this post. I like to add a pinch of red pepper flakes when making this pickled red onion recipe.
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