Quick Pickled Red Onions (Super Easy Recipe)

I keep a jar of these quick pickled onions in the fridge at all times.

They are too easy to make with just a few simple ingredients, and we use them for so many things!

Whether you’re enjoying barbecue, tacos, falafel, nachos or even baked potatoes – these easy pickled red onions will amp up the flavor of everything! 

Ingredients

• Red onion. The most common type of onion for pickling, it turns a beautiful color that deepens as it sits in the liquid.
• Distilled white vinegar. I prefer the simplicity of plain white vinegar, but you can get as creative as you’d like with the type of vinegar you use. Experiment with apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar to find what you like the best.
• Sugar. There are some recipes that say you can skip the sugar in a pickling mixture, but I don’t recommend it. A little sugar balances the acidity and pungency of the vinegar. 
• Kosher salt. If you don’t have kosher salt, try using coarse sea salt. The salt should be large grain. 

How to Make Quick-Pickled Onions

Slice the onion

Using a sharp chef’s knife or a mandoline, slice the onion as thinly as you can. I skip the mandoline and do it by hand without any problems.

Then, place your raw onions into an airtight container. This can be a mason jar or a plastic container, as long as there is a lid. 

Make the Pickling Liquid

Pour the water, vinegar, sugar and kosher salt into a small saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil.

The sugar and salt should dissolve pretty quickly. Once they do, you can turn off the heat. 

Pour the Pickling Liquid over the Onions

Now, pour the hot vinegar mixture into the jar. Pour it all the way to the top so that it covers all of the onions.

Cover the jar with a lid and let it sit on the counter until it cools down. Then, you can transfer it to the fridge. 

Serving Suggestions

The ways to use these quick-pickled red onions are endless! Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy them: 

1. Southwestern and Mexican recipes: Garnish your nachos, tacos, rice bowls and dips. Try them on a Mexican street corn chicken rice bowl, crispy baked tacos, chicken chalupas and homemade guacamole. These onions add a bright pop of flavor, texture and color to your favorite recipes!

2. Mediterranean recipes: Add some pickled onions to pita sandwiches, mezze platters and grain bowls. You’ll love them on a falafel pita sandwich, harissa avocado rice bowl or Mediterranean platter. 

3. Other ideas: Use pickled onions to add extra flavor to your baked potatoes, hot dogs, avocado toast or garnish a smoked salmon brunch platter. They make everything better! 

Variations

I love the simplicity of this pickled red onion recipe. That said, if you want to jazz it up a little, here are some ideas: 

1. Peppery pickled onions: Add 1 tablespoon of black peppercorns to the pickling liquid. 

2. Spicy pickled onions: Add 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the pickling liquid. 

3. Herby pickled onions: Add your favorite fresh herbs like dill, thyme, rosemary or oregano. Float a bay leaf into the pickling liquid to add an interesting dimension.

4. Garlicky pickled onions: Add 1-2 whole garlic cloves to the pickling liquid. 

Storage Instructions

Once your pickled onions cool to room temperature on the countertop, store them in the fridge for months! 

FAQs

When you make this quick pickled onions recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy!