How to Pickle Red Onions (2024)

This is an easy tutorial for how to pickle onions. I share the quick method that's ready in half hour and the slow method for a crunchy bite!

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Learn how to pickle red onions and elevate your everyday meals with delicious tangy flavors. Add pickled red onions to sandwiches, tacos, burritos, or salads for a nice crunch and irresistible flavor, or serve them as a tasty side relish for cooked meats and soups. Either way, you’ll learn how to pickle red onions quickly using either the fast or slow method.

In this post, you’ll find two ways to pickle red onions. The first way, called quick pickling, yields tangy, crisp onions in a snap – ideal for those spontaneous culinary moments when you just can’t wait. The second is the slow method, allowing the flavors to develop and meld over a few days, resulting in a more nuanced flavor.

Why LEARN HOW TO MAKE PICKLED RED ONIONS

• Unique garnish or condiment – Pickled red onions aren’t what you’d expect on a charcuterie board or on top of salads. But perhaps that’s what makes it so special – a surprising twist that elevates familiar dishes to a whole new level.
• Customize to taste – The ease and simplicity of making pickled red onions open up endless possibilities to get creative and add a personal touch to each batch.
• Quick and easy – You’ll learn how to make quick pickled red onions so you can whip up a batch in just a few minutes. The hardest part is waiting for it to cool down before you can add it to your dish.
• Long shelf life – This is an excellent addition to your kitchen arsenal because it can last up to 2 months, allowing you to have this versatile condiment on hand at all times.

Ingredients to make PICKLED RED ONIONS

• Red onion: Pickling experts stress using the freshest produce for the best taste and longevity. Look for a red onion with shiny, dry, and papery skin. The outer skin should be smooth and free from cuts, bruises, and blemishes. Avoid onions that feel mushy or have visible signs of sprouting.
• Red wine vinegar: The main ingredient in the vinegar brine which adds acidity, which is crucial for the pickling process. It also helps to preserve the onions and enhance tanginess. To create the ideal environment for a long fridge life, the vinegar used for pickling needs to have at least a 5 percent acidity level. Check your bottle’s label.
• Sugar: Balances the acidity of the vinegar and adds a touch of sweetness that compliments the onions well.
• Water: Dilutes the vinegar slightly and adds liquid volume, ensuring the onions are fully submerged during pickling.
• Bay leaf and black peppercorns: These simple seasonings add incredible flavor. The bay leaf adds a herbal note, while the peppercorns add a mild pepper flavor that complements the overall taste profile.
• Salt: Enhances overall taste and balances the sweetness of sugar and acidity of the vinegar, creating a well-rounded flavor.

Two methods for pickling onions

Here are two methods for adding that piquant taste to red onions. In the first, the onions are heated to speed up the process. The second, slower method produces a crunchier finished product. Both produce the best pickled red onions – it’s just a matter of preference and how much time you have.

How to pickle red onions – a quick method

1. Combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt, bay leaf, and black peppercorns in a saucepot and bring to a boil.
2. Once boiling, carefully add sliced onions, and simmer on low heat until the onions begin to soften.
3. Allow onions to cool.
4. Then, transfer the onions and the vinegar brine to a container like a mason jar. Cover and refrigerate.

How to pickle red onions – slow method

1. Mix water and salt in a bowl and whisk together. Add the onions and set aside.
2. Combine vinegar, water, sugar, bay leaf, and black peppercorns in a saucepot and bring to a boil. Take off the heat and cool.
3. When the vinegar brine has cooled, drain the onions and give them a quick rinse.
4. Transfer onions to a jar or container, packing them in fairly tightly. Pour the cooled brine over the top, ensuring that the onions are fully submerged. Cover the jar with a lid and transfer to the refrigerator.

Tips for pickling onions

1. Select the right-sized jar for pickling. When choosing a jar for pickling, any lidded jar or glass storage container will work since we won’t be canning the onions. However, it’s important to ensure that the onions fit well in the jar, allowing them to be fully submerged in the brine.
2. Clean your jar. Especially for the second recipe, make sure your jar and lid are very clean so as not to introduce bacteria to the onion pickling process.
3. Thin and even slicing: For quicker pickling and more even flavor distribution, slice the onions thinly and evenly. A mandoline slicer or sharp knife can help achieve uniform slices.
4. Pickling time: The longer you let the onions pickle, the more intense the flavor will be.
5. Repurpose the brine: Don’t throw away the leftover pickling liquid once the onions are consumed. Use it in salad dressings, marinades, or other pickled vegetables.

Popular substitutions & additions

• Swap red onions with white onions. White onions have a milder flavor compared to red onions but still work well for pickling.
• Try a different vinegar. Instead of red wine vinegar, use apple cider vinegar for a slightly sweeter and fruitier taste or white wine vinegar for a more delicate flavor. Avoid aged vinegar like balsamic.
• Add whole spices. Experiment with spices like whole cloves, allspice berries, or coriander seeds to add unique and interesting flavors. Or, add a teaspoon of pickling spice for ease and convenience.
• Herbaceous flavor. Consider adding fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, or oregano to the brine for an aromatic note.
• Spice it up. Add some red pepper flakes to give a kick to the pickled onions or crushed garlic cloves to infuse that deep garlicky flavor.

Recipes with pickled onions

• Beef Shawarma Wrap
• Steak Salad
• Cheese Board
• Slow Cooker Beef Tacos with Pickled Onions
• Pulled Chicken Sandwiches with Pickled Onions
• Smoked Chicken Street Tacos
• Egg Salad
• Carnitas Pizza
• Butter Lettuce Salad
• Pickled Onion and Basil Crostini

HOW TO STORE PICKLED RED ONIONS

Store the pickled onions in an air-tight glass container in the fridge. A mason jar with a tight-fitting lid works best to contain the liquid and onions.

HOW LONG WILL homemade RED ONIONS LAST IN THE FRIDGE?

If using the quick method, pickled onions will last up to one month in the fridge. If you have used the slow method, store the onions in the fridge for up to two months.

CAN I FREEZE PICKLED RED ONIONS?

I don’t recommend freezing pickled onions because the texture of the onions will change. Freezing will cause the onions to become softer and lose their crunchiness.

Frequently asked questions

Pickled onions are always a hit, adding a delicious burst of tanginess to each bite. I especially love them on cheese boards, where their zesty flavor can be perfectly layered with crackers and cheese. Now that you know how to make sweet pickled red onions, how will you enjoy them?

For more cooking resources, check out:

• How to Make Pickles
• How to Make Balsamic Glaze
• How to Make Chicken Stock
• How to Make Yogurt
• How to Freeze Garlic
• How to Cut an Avocado
• How to Cook Chickpeas
• How to Make Oatmeal
• How to Make Pesto

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