This quick and easy pickled red onion recipe is made with only 5 ingredients straight out of your pantry! These delicious thinly sliced pickled red onions are slightly sweet and tangy with a hint of spice. Best flavor - and no canning required! The perfect condiment or topping for your favorites like burgers, brats, hot dogs, Mexican dishes, salads, and SO much more!
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Red Pickled Onions Are So Simple To Make at Home
5 Simple Ingredients. Any recipe that I can make from start to finish with just 5 ingredients is a win in my book! Most of these ingredients you have at home already also, so you make them on a whim any night of the week.
Super easy! No canning required! Just thinly slice your onions and pack them into a mason jar - bring the other ingredients to a simmer then pour over the onions. Let them sit until cool, then place them in the fridge. Easy and perfect every time!
Healthy. Pickled food is very beneficial for your diet! Red onions are packed full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, prebiotics, and fiber. Of course, they are low in calories and carbohydrates, gluten-free, and vegan as well. If you need to lower the sugar, use a sugar substitute or use a natural sweetener like honey or maple syrup if preferred.
Pickled Red Onion Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make this recipe:
- Red Onions: start by thinly slicing 2 onions to fit the size jar that you have. You can always pickle more jars or choose a larger jar if you wish.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: use apple cider vinegar in this recipe for a tamer vinegar to not overpower the flavor of the red onion.
- Granulated Sugar: You can use a sugar substitute to make this sugar free, or use maple syrup or honey for natural sweeteners.
- Kosher Salt
- Water
- Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
For exact ingredient quantities, please see the recipe card below!
Which vinegar is best for pickling onions?
White vinegar is the most traditional pickling liquid, but any vinegar will do in this recipe. We use Apple cider vinegar as it tends to be milder and less harsh than white vinegar; it's slight sweetness pairs nicely with sweeter red onions.
Pickled Red Onion Recipe Substitutions
Add in fresh herbs such as rosemary, oregano, or dill.
Add whole peeled garlic cloves into the bottom of the jar for flavoring.
Use honey, maple syrup, or sugar substitute in place of regular granulated sugar if preferred.
Make them spicy by adding more red pepper flakes or by adding a sliced fresh jalapeno or a red hot pepper to the bottom of your jar.
Add a splash of red wine vinegar to your mixture to add another depth of flavor.
How to Pickle Red Onions
Here are the step-by-step instructions for pickling red onions:
1. Fill a mason jar with very thinly sliced onions.
2. In a small saucepan, stir vinegar, sugar, salt, water, and red pepper flakes together. Bring to a simmer and turn off. (You can microwave as well.)
3. Pour the vinegar mixture over the onions so they are completely submerged.
4. Let sit for one hour without a lid at room temperature. Once cooled, cover and store in the fridge.
Tips for Making
- If you prefer sweeter pickled onions, add more - sugar up to 3 tablespoons.
- I used just a quarter of a teaspoon of red pepper flakes to give them a mild kick to balance the tang and slight sweetness. You don't have to use any.
- Use a mandolin to slice the onions very thinly and uniformly.
- This recipe uses approximately 4 cups of onions for every 2 cups of liquid. I used a 36-ounce (1.1 liter) hinged lid mason jar, but any airtight lidded container will work.
- The onions will shrink as they sit in the liquid. This is normal.
Be sure to pin this pin to Pinterest to save for later! 🙂
Our Favorite Ways To Use Pickled Red Onion
Pickled red onions are super versatile, and you can use them in place of fresh red onions in any recipe that you would use them.
Serve on your favorite hamburger or hot dog.
Top your tacos or any Mexican-style dish that you love. Some of my favorites are these birria tacos with consomme, carnitas, baked chicken tacos, taco salad, or tinga tostadas.
Garnish any of these delicious salmon bowls like this salmon buddha bowl, teriyaki salmon bowl, or this smoked salmon sushi bowl!
Top your favorite salad with these perfect red onions for a little tang and crunch.
Storing Red Pickled Onions
Store your pickled red onions in the fridge in the mason jar. Ensure you have a tight-fitting lid on your jar to prevent contamination or spilling-this stores well with the best taste and crunch for up to three weeks.
How Long Do Pickled Red Onions Last?
Once pickled, your onions will last in the fridge for up to three weeks. Once they start to not taste as fresh or have a bite anymore, then you know they aren't good anymore, and it's time to make a fresh batch!
Best Pickled Red Onions Recipe FAQs
Pickled red onions are found to be high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber and low in calories-great additions to add to any meal or to eat on their own.
Yes! Pickled red onions actually contain flavonoids which are a type of antioxidant that is an anti-inflammatory. Bonus: it said that it can reduce your risk of cancer too!
📖 The recipe.
Easy Pickled Red Onions
Ingredients
- 2 medium red onions (very thinly sliced)
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar (or sugar substitute)
- 1 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup hot water
- ¼ teaspoon (optional) red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Fill a mason jar with the very thinly sliced red onion.
- In a small saucepan stir together vinegar, sugar, salt, and water. Bring to a simmer and turn off. (Alternatively, you can heat in a microwave)
- Pour the hot pickling liquid into the jar over the onions, making sure the onions are completely submerged. Let sit for one hour (with no lid).
- Cover and store in the fridge.
Kori's Tips
- Don't miss all of our helpful hints, substitution ideas, cooking tips, and other delicious recipes that can be found in our post. Check it out!
- VARIATIONS: Add in sprigs of fresh herbs like rosemary, oregano, or dill; Add whole peeled garlic cloves into the bottom of the jar; Use regular sugar or honey in place of the maple syrup; Make them spicy by adding red pepper flakes to the pickling liquid.
- TIPS:
- If you prefer sweeter pickled onions, add more sugar - up to 3 tablespoons.
- I used just a quarter of a teaspoon of red pepper flakes to give them a mild kick to balance the tang and slight sweetness. You don't have to use any.
- Use a mandolin to slice the onions very thinly and uniformly.
- This recipe uses approximately 4 cups of onions for every 2 cups of liquid. I used a 36-ounce (1.1 liter) hinged lid mason jar. Any lidded airtight container will work.
- The onions will shrink as they sit in the liquid. This is normal.
- SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Serve on burgers or hot dogs. Great on sandwiches, salads, roasted and grilled meats, and even you favorite Mexican or Italian dishes!
Nutrition
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