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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.
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
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
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.
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
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?
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
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
- 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
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:
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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Pickled Red Onions
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)
Equipment
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Instructions
- Cut the stem and roots off of the red onion. Peel off the outer skin and any damaged layers. Place the onion on the cut flat side and cut the red onion in half. Thinly slice into half moons using either a knife or carefully using a mandoline (see note #1).
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, water, maple syrup, kosher salt, all spice, and peppercorns. Stir and allow to heat through until the salt has dissolved, about 8-10 minutes. If you are in a rush, you can microwave the liquid in a heat safe container for 3-4 minutes, pausing to stir until salt is dissolved.
- Once your pickling brine is ready, carefully pour into the jar with your red onions inside. Seal the jar, give it a good shake, and place in the refrigerator for minimum an hour to pickle and cool. Note: the liquid may not fully cover the onions, they will settle and submerge into the liquid as they pickle. If there is a large discrepancy, you can add additional apple cider vinegar.
- 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! Keep for up to 2-3 weeks. If they are no longer crunchy or have an odor, discard.
Notes
- Be very careful when using a mandoline, use either the guard included or utilize cut resistant gloves (see below in recommended products)
- Maple syrup is a sugar substitute, you can use granulated sugar if desired
- Caution: with all the vinegar, your kitchen may smell a bit vinegar’y for a bit (light a candle)
