Quick Pickled Red Onions
Pickled Red Onions are the perfect finishing touch for so many recipes. They can perfectly balance out a salty or spicy dish and are so quick and easy to make!
Servings: 12
Calories: 9kcal
Equipment
- a small saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 large red onion very thinly sliced with a mandolin
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons cane or granulated sugar optional - omit for whole 30
- 1 cup water
- 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 12 whole black peppercorns
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Slice the red onion as thin as possible using a mandolin, then place the slices in a shallow bowl or wide-mouth mason jar. Set the onions aside.1 large red onion
- In a small saucepan -- bring water, apple cider vinegar, salt, peppercorns, red pepper flakes, and sugar to a boil.½ cup apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons cane or granulated sugar, 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, 12 whole black peppercorns, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1 cup water
- Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve. (Try not to stand over this/breathe it in as it boils - the vinegar will be pungent!)
- Pour the hot liquid over the sliced onions carefully then press the onions down to make sure that they are completely submerged in the brine.
- You can slide the handle of a spoon or fork into the jar to pop any air bubbles.
- If the onions are not going to be eaten right away, let them sit at room temperature until they cool off. This should take 30 minutes - 1 hour. Once cooled, cover the onions and put them in the fridge.
Video
Notes
🍳 Ways to Use Pickled Red Onions
Served these Easy Pickled Red Onions cold if you can – at least that is how I like them – some people like them at room temperature.
Quick-Pickled Onions have so many great uses and are the perfect addition to so many dishes:
Pickled onions need to be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container or a mason jar. This is not a canning recipe, so these are not shelf-stable. They will last up to three weeks as long as they are kept in a sealed container. They will probably last longer, but they will start to get really mushy. ✏️ Helpful Tips
- On a Charcuterie Board, a Taco or Taco Salad, a Burger, a Bagel with Lox and Cream Cheese, Carnitas, Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Burrito Bowls, Avocado Toast with a Sprinkle of Salt and Red Pepper Flakes, or with a little Everything Bagel Seasoning or on top of Potato Salad.
Pickled onions need to be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container or a mason jar. This is not a canning recipe, so these are not shelf-stable. They will last up to three weeks as long as they are kept in a sealed container. They will probably last longer, but they will start to get really mushy. ✏️ Helpful Tips
- If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you can also use distilled white vinegar if that is all you have, just be sure to check the label and make sure that it says 5% acidity. If it says 4%, adjust the quantities and use a little more vinegar and a little less water.
- If you want to make pickled onions that can be canned and preserved, this safe canning website has a lot of safe canning recipes. I personally love their Balsamic Vinegar Onion Jam and their Broiled Pickled Onions.
Nutrition
Serving: 2tbsp | Calories: 9kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 245mg | Potassium: 23mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 13IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg