Quick Pickled Red Onions – an easy, step-by-step tutorial that teaches you how to make quick-pickled onions! Easy and delicious!
Quick Pickled Red Onions
Pickled onions are a great addition to so many dishes and recipes and they are so easy and quick to make at home (we love them on tacos, sloppy joe bowls and gyro bowls). We love having some hanging out in our fridge making it so convenient to add them to a salad, sandwich, burrito, nachos, enchiladas, quesadillas or anything else!
Love pickling – try these Refrigerator Dill Pickles!
What You Will Need
- Red onion – you can use other onions but red onions have a slightly sweeter profile and their color is amazing.
- Red wine vinegar, white vinegar, and apple cider vinegar – you can use other onions but red onions have a slightly sweeter profile and their color is amazing. Use either a sharp knife or mandolin to cut them nice and thin.
- Kosher salt – a bit of seasoning and flavored needed for quick picking onions.
- Garlic cloves – some added flavor
- Black peppercorns – a touch of peppery spice.
- Bay leaf: I always love the earthy flavor this brings to recipes!
- Sweetener Add-ins: while the recipe card doesn’t call for it explicitly, you can add in a sweetener of your choice if you want – a little teaspoon or so of honey or maple syrup will work.
- Spice: you could also skip the sweetness and add in a touch of red pepper flakes!
How Long Before You Can Eat Quick Pickled Red Onions
Definitely let them sit for about 30 minutes before eating so they have a chance to pickle for a bit but the best pickled onions are usually eaten within the first 3 days they are in the jar.
Storing Quick Pickled Red Onions
Pickled onions will keep for about 2-3 weeks in the fridge. It is not recommended to freeze pickling onions. You can freeze sliced red onion for about 1 year and then pickle them when you are ready.
Do You Need To Sterilize Jars For Pickling
No, jars do not need to be sterilized for this quick pickling process – it would be different if we were canning them.
How Do I Serve Quick Pickled Red Onions
These are a great addition to pretty much anything – salads, sandwiches, burgers, etc! We love to toss them on a Gyro Bowl, Grilled Chicken Salad, & Grilled Salmon Salad – they can also be a great garnish for potato salad, steak tacos, pulled pork tacos and so many Mexican dishes.
How To Make Quick Pickled Red Onions
Place all ingredients (except the onions) in a small saucepan and bring to a low boil/simmer over medium heat.
Slice your red onion using either a sharp knife or mandolin.
Place your onion slices in a jar.
Pour your pickling liquid in the jar with onions while it’s still hot – watch that beautiful pink color come to life!
Let it sit for 30 minutes.
Store in the refrigerator for later or….
Use immediately and enjoy!
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Quick Pickled Red Onions
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 1 jar 1x
- Category: How-To
- Method: Counter/Refrigerator
- Cuisine: American
Description
Quick Pickled Red Onions – an easy, step-by-step tutorial that teaches you how to make quick-pickled onions! Easy and delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1–2 garlic cloves
- 5–7 black peppercorns
- 1 small bay leaf (optional)
Instructions
- Place thinly sliced onion into a mason jar.
- Add water, red wine vinegar, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, salt, garlic, black peppercorn and bay leaf to small saucepan.
- Bring to a simmer and then pour pickling liquid into same jar as onions while still hot (make sure the peppercorns, garlic and bay leaf make into the jar as well).
- Let sit 30 minutes (careful it will be hot).
- Use immediately or cover and store in the refrigerator for later use.
Notes
- Sweetness: if you want to add a touch of sweetness you can easily add in about 1-2 tablespoons of coconut sugar (don’t add if Whole30) or honey.
- Serving Suggestions: these are great on gyro bowls, chicken salad or salmon salad!
- Storage: store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
- Different Vinegars: why so many different vinegars – after testing I just really liked the increased depth of flavor that resulted from using a couple different kinds of vinegars!
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 7
- Sugar: 0.3 g
- Sodium: 32 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.2 g
- Protein: 0.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: quick pickled onions, quick pickled red onions
Ally says
We’ve used these in a few recipes over the past week & they’re such a great addition to have on hand! Will certainly be making these again soon
★★★★★
Erin says
Thanks, Ally!
Carly says
Thank you so much! This recipe is delicious. Question though, on the ingredients there is salt, is that suppose to go in the sauce pan with the rest? And two, do I leave it uncovered to sit or should I cover it?
Thank you!
★★★★★
Erin says
Thanks, Carly! Just updated the recipe card for you! The salt goes in the saucepan along with everything else (except onions) – you can leave it uncovered while it sits and then cover it when you store it!
Virginia says
I love these pickled onions! I have always wanted to learn how to make them and now with this easy recipe I make them all the time!
★★★★★
Erin says
Yay!! Aren’t just good on pretty much everything!? So glad you are enjoying them!