Easy Pickled Red Onions

These easy pickled red onions are so simple to make with just a few ingredients, and add a pop of flavor to tacos, salads, and more! Includes a quick pickled onion option. (gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free)

Are you a fan of pickled onions? Did you know that it’s super easy to make pickled red onions right in your own kitchen? You can actually pickle almost any vegetable, but for beginners, these easy pickled onions are a great place to start!

Why pickled onions?

Umm, because they’re delicious! Pickled red onions add a bright, vinegary pop of flavor and pretty color to just about any dish without the sharpness (or onion breath) of raw onions. If you ever feel like a dish is missing something, you can bet a little sprinkle of pickled onions will almost always do the trick! You’ll love this pickled onion recipe because it’s simple, quick, has just a few ingredients, and lasts a long time in the refrigerator, so you’re never without a killer condiment!

How to pickle red onions

There are two kinds of pickling – fermentation and vinegar pickling. This recipe is the latter method, as it’s much less involved and results are almost immediate. For the vinegar pickling method, you essentially heat vinegar and salt and then immerse the onions in the hot solution. The acid in the vinegar keeps the onions from spoiling quickly by killing any microorganisms while also giving them that delicious sweet and sour flavor. You can read more about the science behind pickling here. 

To make these easy pickled onions, you’ll need:

• A glass jar with a lid
• A kettle or saucepan to heat the water
• A sharp knife to slice the onions
• Onions (of course)
• Vinegar – I use a combination of half white and half apple cider vinegar. If you want a brighter pink color and less sweet flavor, use all white vinegar. If you want a milder flavor, use all apple cider vinegar. You can also experiment with other vinegars, such as red or white wine vinegar. Most vinegars sold in the grocery store in the US are 5% acid, which is what you want for pickling.
• Kosher salt – you can also use pickling salt if you have it, but kosher salt works just fine here.
• A pinch of sugar – to tame the bite of the vinegar
• Mustard seeds – these are totally optional, but I love the way they look in the jar.

To make easy pickled red onions:

• Thinly slice the red onion and pack the slices into the jar.
• Heat the water to boiling. Mix with the vinegars, salt, sugar, and mustard seeds. Stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved.
• Pour the hot liquid over the onions, covering them completely. Close the lid and give it a little shake.
• Refrigerate onions overnight. Then they’ll be ready to use!
• For the quick method, leave the onions on the counter for an hour instead of placing them in the refrigerator. Once they’re done, place them in the fridge.

Storing & using pickled onions

Your pickled onions should be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container (like the jar you made them in). They will keep for at least a couple of weeks, in which time you can use them on top of anything that strikes your fancy! A few of my favorite ways to use pickled onions include:

• On top of tacos or taco bowls
• On chili or soup
• In salads
• On eggs or omelets
• With charcuterie or cheese plates

A note about probiotics and easy pickled onions

You may have heard that pickled vegetables contain probiotics. Those pickled vegetables are the kind using the fermentation method, which produces bacteria that are good for the gut. That is not this quick version using vinegar. Sorry. But these quick pickled onions are still a delicious way to get more vegetables in your diet, so eat ’em by the spoonful!

If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating in the comments!

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