Pickled red onions are a tangy, sweet, and crunchy condiment that can elevate any dish. They add a burst of flavor and a beautiful pop of color to salads, tacos, burgers, and even charcuterie boards. But beyond their versatility, pickled red onions are incredibly easy to make at home, requiring just a few simple ingredients and minimal effort. In this post, we’ll guide you through the simple process of pickling red onions, offering tips for customization and exploring all the delicious ways to use them in your kitchen.

Ways to serve pickled red onions

Add ins: Add in to salads, potato salad, or coleslaw by swapping raw onions for pickled ones. Their tang cuts through richness and adds a delightful crunch.
Mexican: Top tacos, burritos, and nachos with vibrant pickled red onions to add a fun flavor. They pair beautifully with savory fillings like grilled chicken, barbacoa, or carnitas.
Burgers and Sandwiches: Add a gourmet touch to burgers or any sandwich.
Bowls: Liven up any grain or rice bowls with a spoonful of pickled onions. Their sweet and sour notes add a delightful complexity.
Breakfast: Wake up your taste buds by adding pickled red onions to breakfast tacos, scrambled eggs, or avocado toast.
Charcuterie: Pickled red onions add a vibrant pop of color to any charcuterie board.

My favorite way to eat these pickled red onions is on a homemade bagel with cream cheese and tomatoes!

Customize your pickled red onion recipe

The basic brine for pickled red onions is delicious, but you have room to customize for a more flavorful brine! Here are some ideas for what you can add to your red pickled onion brine:

Sweetener: A classic addition that balances the tartness of the vinegar. Try brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey for a richer flavor. The sugar in this recipe is optional
Black Peppercorns: To add a little peppery flavor.
Chili Flakes/Red Pepper Flakes: For a touch of heat.
Mustard Seeds: Add a pungent bite.
Garlic Cloves: Add a smashed garlic clove for more flavor
Ginger: Fresh or sliced, adds a warm, slightly spicy kick. Perfect for Asian dishes.
Fresh Herbs: Rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, dill or oregano sprigs add a subtle flavor.

For the first time, I recommend sticking to the base ingredients included in this quick pickled recipe for best flavor. Then try adding in different flavors for a delicious addition and making your perfect pickled onions. Experiment with it and make it yours – that’s the best part about making things from scratch!

Ingredients

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, or vinegar of choice

1 Tablespoon sugar, optional

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1 cup hot water, hot but not boiling

Instructions

1. Slice the red onions as thin as you can, or as thin slices as you would like. You can use a mandoline slicer or a sharp knife

2. Place all of your sliced onions into a glass jar, or any container that has a lid.

3. In a small saucepan, on medium-high heat, heat water on the stove. You want it to be hot, but not boiling.

4. Add in your apple cider vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir until sugar and salt dissolve.

5. Pour the warm vinegar mixture over the onion slices in the jar – ensuring the raw onions are completely submerged.

6. Let the raw onions sit in the pickling liquid for an hour, or until room temperature.

7. After an hour, cover with lid and store in the fridge for up to three weeks.

Recipe Notes

1. You do not have to use red onions for this recipe, any type of onions. I just prefer red onions because I love the vibrancy they bring to dishes!

2. If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, feel free to swap out with your vinegar of choice. You can use white vinegar, red wine vinegar, rice vinegar, etc. All types of vinegar will work. My personal preference is the apple cider vinegar, just because I like the extra flavor it adds.

3. You can substitute honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar for the cane sugar. And if you would like your pickled red onions to be sweeter, you can also add more. You can also take the sweetener out if you don’t want them to be sweet.

4. This recipe can easily be doubled, so feel free too double or even triple if you need!

Pickled Red Onions

Pickled red onions are a tangy, sweet, and crunchy condiment that can elevate any dish. They add a burst of flavor and a beautiful pop of color to salads, tacos, burgers, and even charcuterie boards. But beyond their versatility, pickled red onions are incredibly easy to make at home, requiring just a few simple ingredients and minimal effort. In this post, we'll guide you through the simple process of pickling red onions, offering tips for customization and exploring all the delicious ways to use them in your kitchen.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Waiting Time 1

Ingredients

1 red onion thinly sliced
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar or vinegar of choice
1 Tablespoon sugar optional
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 cup hot water hot but not boiling

Instructions

Slice the red onions as thin as you can, or as thin slices as you would like. You can use a mandoline slicer or a sharp knife
Place all of your sliced onions into a glass jar, or any container that has a lid.
In a small saucepan, on medium-high heat, heat water on the stove. You want it to be hot, but not boiling.
Add in your apple cider vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir until sugar and salt dissolve.
Pour the warm vinegar mixture over the onion slices in the jar – ensuring the raw onions are completely submerged.
Let the raw onions sit in the pickling liquid for an hour, or until room temperature.
After an hour, cover with lid and store in the fridge for up to three weeks.