Pickled Red Onions

Name: Pickled Red Onions
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 1 large red onion; 2 cloves garlic (peeled and thinly sliced); 1/3 cup red wine vinegar; 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar; 1/2 cup filtered water; 1 tablespoon maple syrup; 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt; 1/8 teaspoon allspice; 6 black peppercorns; 1 tablespoon sliced jalapeño/serrano for heat (or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes)

April 29, 2019

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These pickled red onions are as flavorful as they are easy to make! This easy pickled red onion recipe uses apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, and a few ingredients to punch up the flavor. They are the perfect topping to so many dishes and even delicious straight out of the jar.

Jar full of pickled red onions with a fork lifting onions out of the top

What are pickled onions?

Just like with other pickled recipes, pickled onions are stored in a solution of vinegar and salt. The result is soft and flavorful pickles that you can use as toppings for salad or sandwiches.

Why this recipe works

overhead shot of open clear jar with pickled red onion inside

Pickling red onions are an easy way to amp up the flavor of onions and make a delicious accompaniment to your dishes. By creating a brine of vinegars, spices, and aromatics, the onions absorb these ingredients and take on a beautiful color and zippy kick.

Best type of onions to pickle

You want to use an onion that will have the boldest flavor. That’s why I prefer to slice and pickle red onions. They are both bold and slightly sweet.

Plus, when they are in the jar, they have the prettiest color too.

Slicing red onions

peeling and slicing a red onion on a cutting board

To prep your red onion, cut off the stem and root. Peel off the skin and outer layer if it is damaged. Place the red onion on the flat end you cut off and slice evenly down the middle.

slicing an onion using a mandoline on a cutting board

When making pickled red onions, you want thin, uniform sliced half-moons. The easiest way to do this is with a mandoline, but you can also use a chef’s knife and be precise with your slices.

Note: If you use a mandoline, use the guard or a cutting glove for safety and protection.

Best ingredients to add to pickled onions

sliced hot peppers and garlic on cutting board

In addition to the red onion, I like to add garlic and a spicy pepper (jalapeño or serrano). This gives the pickled red onion an extra depth of flavor and some heat.

If you do not have fresh peppers, you can use crushed red pepper flakes as well.

What is in the pickling brine?

sliced onion, pepper, and garlic in a glass jar

For the red onion pickling liquid, I used a combination of red wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar. The apple cider vinegar gives it a nice tangy flavor.

Vinegar tip:

If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, either use red wine vinegar or simply white vinegar.

In addition to the vinegars, I used:

Filtered water
Kosher salt
Maple syrup (instead of granulated sugar)
Black peppercorns

You can leave the maple syrup out if you don’t want to eat added sugar. I like how it adds a sweet undertone, but it is completely optional.

How-to prepare the brine

sliced red onions in a glass jar with brine poured inside.

Heat the brine ingredients in a saucepan. The point of heating the pickling liquid on the stove is to melt the salt/sugar into one cohesive liquid.

If you are low on time, you can also accomplish this in the microwave.

Note: With all the vinegar, your kitchen may smell a bit vinegary for a bit (light a candle).

Pickling the onion

overhead photo of clear jar with pickled red onions and sliced garlic

Once your pickling brine is ready, CAREFULLY pour it into the jar with your red onions inside.
Seal the jar, give it a good shake, and place it in the refrigerator for an hour minimum to pickle and cool.

Note: The liquid may not fully cover the onions, but they will settle and submerge into the liquid as they pickle. If there is a large discrepancy, you can add additional apple cider vinegar.

How-to use pickled onions

glass jar with a fork lifting pickled red onions out of the jar

Once the red onions are done pickling, you are left with delicious, tangy, crunchy pickled red onions! They go great on top of so many dishes, on cheese boards, or even on their own!

Use them on top of your favorite tacos. Add them as a tangy topping on your avocado toast, place them on top of hot dogs, or mix them into your chopped salad.

Recipes to use pickled red onions on:

overhead shot of avocado toast on a grey plate

glass jar of pickled red onions on a white cloth

Storing pickled vegetables

You want to store the pickled onions in a mason jar or something similar that is tightly sealed. If the liquid is all the way to the top, place wax paper or plastic wrap and then the metal cap, so the metal does not rust.

The onions get better the longer they pickle in the fridge! However, they don’t last as long as store-bought pickled onions because they don’t have any preservatives in them.

Keep for up to 2-3 weeks. If they are no longer crunchy or have an odor, discard them.

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