Easy Pickled Red Onions only take about 5 minutes to put together. Make a big batch and use them for a million different things!
Pickled red onions add a vibrant color and flavor to salads, soups, sandwiches and more. They are sure to make your dish stand out.
Typically I like to give it a day or two for the onions to absorb the flavors of pickling juice. The end result is a crunchy, tangy delicious garnish!
Quick Pickled Onions Tips
- Choosing the Right Onion – Grab one large red onion or two small ones. I like using red onions the most because they have higher acidity and a stronger flavor than yellow or white onions.
- Slice Onions Thinly – For the best results, slice your onions as thinly as possible. You want each onion slice to soak up as much flavor as possible. If you have one, use your mandolin slicer.
- Best Vinegar for Pickled Red Onions – Apple Cider Vinegar is my top choice due to its subtle sweetness. However, you can use white vinegar as well. Just stay away from the
- Substitute White Sugar for a Natural Sweetener – Traditionally, pickled red onions are made with white sugar. But, if you want to be ultra-healthy, try using maple syrup, agave or honey instead.
- Flavor your Pickling Liquid – Want to add an extra flavor punch to your onions? Make it spicy by adding some habaneros or jalapenos to the mix. You can also add a couple of cloves of garlic, ground cumin, bay leaf or dried oregano. Get creative!
- Quick Pickled Something Else! Use the same exact pickling liquid to pickle radishes, carrots, beets, jalapenos and cucumbers! I’m hoping to make a pickling addict out of you…
What to Eat Pickled Red Onions With
The possibilities are seriously endless here. If you are a fan of Mexican food, you have probably came across tacos topped with these crunchy treats. However, they can be used for almost anything. Here are a couple of my favorites dishes to add pickled red onions to.
- Cuban Sandwich – It’s is packed full of meat. A nice layer of pickled red onions compliments the savoriness of the meat and creaminess of the cheese. Think of it the same way you would pepperoncini.
- Garden Salad – Take your garden salad to the next level by topping it with some pickled red onions. Get a bite of the onions and feta cheese together and you will see what I mean!
- Gyro Wrap – Gyros are one of my favorite handheld treats! Lamb, feta, tzatziki and fresh vegetables all wrapped up in a warm pita is my idea of heaven on earth. Swap out the raw red onions for pickled ones to really up the flavor factor.
- Steak Sandwich – All the fatty, juiciness of steak is elevated with pickled red onions. Throw them right on top of the Havarti cheese. Yum!
How Long do Pickled Onions Last?
When I say make a big batch, I mean it. These onions will keep for up to two weeks stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Bonus: They get better with time. The longer they soak in the pickling liquid, the more flavor you get. If you can, store your pickled red onions in a mason jar.
Marinade for Pickled Onions
To make the marinade for the pickled onions, all you need to do is combine water, apple cider vinegar, salt, sugar and peppercorns. It’s so easy! Sometimes I even use a bit of the marinade and a drizzle of olive oil as a lazy salad dressing.
Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare all ingredients for the recipe.
- Prepare the marinade for the onions by placing everything into a separate jar. Stir to combine until salt and sugar dissolve. Slice onions into half rings.
- Break them apart and place them into the jar. Pour marinade over the onions and make sure they are fully covered. Seal the jar and refrigerate.
- They're best after one or two days.
I made these for a family burger night and they were fantastic, the perfect balance of sweetness and tangy vinegar. I tripled the recipe and they turned out great. The more they sit in the fridge the better they get!
Diana, thank you for sharing that. I actually have a batch in the fridge and we plan to do a burger night. Love the idea!
This marinate looks incredibly delicious! I love pickling vegetables, but I've never thought of pickling onions before. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Brittany! I hope you loved the recipe.
I would Make these if I won the k if set! I love pickled veggies and these would be amazing in so many things!
When you make them, let me know how you like them!
Your post is missing ingredient list like the marinating list
Oh, thanks for heads up. I made sure they are showing up now. 🙂