These quick pickled red onions require no cooking or canning and are made with both apple cider vinegar and white vinegar for a perfectly sweet and tangy flavor. Use them to liven up sandwiches, nachos, tacos, grain bowls, and more!
Pickled Onions Are a Wildly Underrated Condiment
Pickled red onions hold a hidden superpower in the condiment world where they morph in flavor from being sweet like ketchup to tangy like mustard.
I love the contrasting sweet crunch and punch of flavor they bring to a variety of savory dishes, like meatball sandwiches, baked burgers, sausages, and hot dogs.
They’re especially perfect for topping Mexican dishes (particularly nachos, burritos, quesadillas, tostadas, and fish tacos), but they can also be thrown into salads, avocado toast, grain or rice bowls, and so much more.
Unlike raw onions, pickled red onions are more mellow in taste, with the yin-yang of sour and sweet, while still carrying some of that signature onion heat. They will become more flavorful the longer they steep in the fridge, but they’re also easy to make on a whim because they’re ready to eat in minutes.
Enjoy!
Ingredient Notes
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Red onion — The ruby purplish-red skin of red onions is the traditional favorite choice for pickled onions. Due to their mild flavor, red onions quickly transform in this vinegar and water bath and add a pretty topping to any dish they’re added to.
- Vinegar — I like using a blend of apple cider and white vinegar for the perfect sweet and tangy flavor.
- Sugar — A little sweetness helps balance everything out. If sugar isn’t your thing, try another sweetener like honey or pure maple syrup.
- Kosher salt — Always, for flavor.
- Hot water — No need to boil, just hot tap water will do the trick.
How to Make Quick Pickled Red Onions (+ Tips!)
- Start with thinly sliced onions. Use a sharp knife (this knife is my favorite), or use a handheld mandoline to keep your cut rings consistent in size. Discard any woody root ends that can be tough when bitten through.
- Prepare the pickling solution. Use any combination of vinegar you have on hand. I used apple cider vinegar and distilled white vinegar this time but often turn to rice wine vinegar, too. Add sugar and kosher salt and mix.
- Use hot water to dissolve the sugar mixture and soften the onions. Adding boiling hot water softens the onions and breaks down the fibers, so they absorb the vinegar mixture quicker than room temperature water. I use an electric teakettle to heat the water, but hot tap water will do the trick too.
- Let sit for 30 minutes before eating. This gives the onions time to soften and soak up the pickling brine.
Ways to Add More Flavor
There are a whole lot of lanes you can choose for adding extra flavor to the pickling liquid. Leave it as is, or add one, two, or a whole host of spices and aromatics to add a new dimension to these simple brined babies:
- Whole peppercorns
- Red pepper flakes
- Coriander seeds
- Juniper berries
- Bay leaves
- Garlic cloves
- Fennel seeds
- Cumin seeds
- Mustard seeds
- Star anise
- Fresh herbs, like thyme or oregano
Ways to Use Pickled Onions
There are so many delicious ways to eat pickled red onions. Here are a few ideas for tossing or topping:
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Pickled Red Onions Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium red onion
- 1 cup hot water
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Peel and thinly slice the red onion In rings and pack in a 1-pint jar or add to a bowl.
- Whisk the vinegars, sugar, and salt in the hot water until the sugar dissolves. Pour over the red onion, pushing the onions down so they are covered by the brine.
- Allow to sit for 30 minutes up to overnight. The longer the brine time the softer and more flavorful the onions will become.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQs
Pickled onions can be used with any variety of vinegar and their flavor profiles.
This is the time to experiment! I suggest using a combination of vinegars, one strong + one more mellow for a smoother tang.
I tend to stick with clear kinds of vinegar, like:
Apple cider vinegar (this isn’t clear, but it’s perfect for pickling)
Distilled white vinegar
White wine vinegar
Rice vinegar
Champagne vinegar
White balsamic vinegar
When in doubt, I use equal parts apple cider vinegar and white vinegar.
These will keep for about 3 weeks in the refrigerator.
Yes! I’ve added more sliced onions and found that one more round worked fine. Not quite as pungent, but good.
Or, try sliced cucumbers, fresh green beans, or canned and drained garbanzo beans in your pickling liquid to gain extra flavor from the onion-infused brine.
Yep! Yellow onions will taste a little more astringent while white onions will be slightly milder in flavor.
More Pickle Recipes to Try Too
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Ethan Hansen
Thank you for pointing out that pickled onions have a milder taste. My wife and I are always looking for new recipes and she has pointed out how she doesn’t quite like the taste of onions even though I love them. We’ll be sure to stock up on onions to give this a try!