Pickled Red Onions – Easy, Quick, 5 minutes hands on! | with video
Learning how to make pickled red onions is SO easy – it only takes five minutes and you probably have all the ingredients! You’ll love having a jar of these in your fridge for tacos, avocado toast, and more!
If you follow me on Instagram, you probably already know from my stories that I’m obsessed with these. OBSESSED. As in three meals a day obsessed.
PS: If you don’t follow me on Instagram, consider hopping over and checking it out! You’ll see some behind-the-scenes stuff on my stories!
The first time I made pickled red onions was for my daughter’s birthday party right after we moved into our new house (seriously, two weeks after). We did a taco bar with all the fixings because I seriously have no boundaries. I made corn casserole, homemade refried beans, cilantro lime rice, from-scratch margaritas, and more.
One of the things I decided to make on a whim were these onions. Pickled onions are fabulous with Mexican food! I was so surprised to see them disappear SO quickly! Faster than the cheese, you guys! I can’t say I blame people, I love these pickled red onions on almost any Mexican dish and tacos are no exception.
Now, when you open my fridge, you’ll often see a jar of these. Once you learn how to make pickled red onions, you won’t stop making them either. They’re on my agenda to make today, actually — they’re so easy!
One of my favorite ways to eat pickled red onions is on top of avocado toast. It really livens up the avocado toast and the tangy pickled red onions are the perfect contrast to the rich, creamy avocado.
I also love them on tacos, of course, as well as on grilled chicken, or just about anything else I can think of. Perfect on sandwiches and wraps, too. Oh, and pizza!
How to Make Pickled Red Onions
It’s so easy, folks!
- Slice the red onions as thin as you can! I use a mandoline for this (this is the mandoline I have). Not only does it get them super thin, it also gets the job done insanely quickly. Fast is my friend.
- Stuff all the red onions in the jar of your choice. A bowl will work too but I like a jar for storing them in the fridge.
- In a measuring cup, stir apple cider vinegar, salt, sugar, and warm water to dissolve the sugar and salt and dilute things a bit. Pour the pickling mixture over your sliced onions and let them set for an hour.
- After an hour, I cover them and stick them in the fridge. They’ll keep in the fridge for a couple weeks!
Notes about vinegar:
- My preference is always apple cider vinegar. I typically have it on hand and I like the subtle sweetness it adds.
- You could also use a white wine vinegar or another light tasting vinegar. I wouldn’t recommend balsamic for these.
- If you’re in a pinch, plain distilled vinegar will work.
FAQ: Can you make pickled red onions without a mandoline?
Absolutely! Slice them as thin as you can to get them to pickle quickly but if you don’t have a mandoline or want a slightly thicker slice, a good sharp knife and a steady hand will work just fine!
FAQ: Can you pickle other vegetables using the same method?
For sure! Try these pickled radishes, pickled asparagus, pickled green beans, or refrigerator dill pickles.
PS: I got my jar out of Target’s dollar bin (I think) but these would work too.
Try pickled red onions on:
Here’s just a few ideas for you!
- Fish tacos (you’ll love these!)
- Vegan tacos with roasted carrots, mushrooms, and quinoa
- Crispy sweet potato tacos (the sweet potatoes are marinated in beer!)
- Grilled pizza with arugula pesto
- California breakfast wrap
- BBQ chicken sweet potato nachos
How to Pickle Red Onions
Learning how to make pickled red onions is SO easy - it only takes five minutes and you probably have all the ingredients! You'll love having a jar of these in your fridge for tacos, avocado toast, and more!
Ingredients
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced (use a mandoline if you have one)
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup hot or warm water
Instructions
- Slice the red onions as thin as you can. I use a mandoline.
- Stuff all the red onions in the jar of your choice. A bowl will work too.
- In a measuring cup, combine apple cider vinegar, salt, sugar, and warm water. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt. Pour this pickling mixture over your sliced onions, making sure they are immersed in the liquid, and let them set for an hour. After an hour, cover and store in the fridge for up to three weeks.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1/8 of recipeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 14Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 399mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 0g
RachelCooks.com sometimes provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as they are not calculated by a registered dietician. Please consult a medical professional for any specific nutrition, diet, or allergy advice.
Husband’s take: Ben steers clear of raw onions so he hasn’t tried these, despite my urgings and ravings.
Changes I would make: Nada.
Difficulty: So stinking easy.
246 Comments on “Pickled Red Onions – Easy, Quick, 5 minutes hands on! | with video”
Used a big red onion sliced on a mandolin and stuffed into a mason jar but had to double the mixture to cover the onions is this ok?
That’s perfectly fine! More onions to enjoy!
I had this on a steak…OMG! fell in love! I’m hoping this cold process stands up to a little heat when I put some on a steak, or a burger, or a piece of chicken straight off the grill…thank you ever so much for posting this!
Elaine
You are so welcome! Craving these on a steak, now!
I don’t know why it never occurred to me to make this!! SO glad I found your recipe. I love picked red onions. This was such an EASY and good recipe. I even used the slicer side of my box grater so it really was quick. My eyeballs will take longer to recover though! haha All good.
Hahaha, oh I bet! Onions are hard on the tear ducts! ;) I’m so glad you liked the recipe!
Has anyone tried to use an alternative sweetener to take the sugar out?
I used an erythritol sweetener to replace the sugar in the recipe and it was very nice.
I use stevia and they were great.
Easy and YUM!!!!
So glad you like them! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
I’ve made the pickled radishes and pickled red onions – delicious! For the vinegar, I use seasoned rice wine vinegar, so good. Thanks for the recipe!
So glad you liked them! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
So this used to be my favorite recipe for red onions but now it’s my favorite for EGGS. It makes the best pickled eggs I’ve ever had.
Ooooh I’ll have to try that, thanks!
what the wha…? (me pickling eggs for the first time tomorrow)
Hi Rachel! I just made my first batch of pickled onions. I used lime juice as my acid and halved the sugar. I am using them for tonight’s buffalo shrimp tacos. They have been in the fridge about six hours now. WOW!! Thank you for basic recipe.
That should have been a five-star rating!
Thanks so much!!!
Oh I bet they were amazing on buffalo shrimp tacos! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
lime juice, thanks for the pwr up!
Thank you so much for sharing this, I made them today to add to some veggie tacos and they were so good! They made the tacos 100% better, these will be a regular in my menus now! Thanks!!!
They really are a game-changer, aren’t they? I’m glad you liked them – thanks for leaving a comment!
Very easy recipe but wanted to know if they will only last 3 weeks in the fridge ? Is there a way to process them so they can be kept on the shelf like pickles ?
I haven’t ever canned these to make them shelf stable, since they’re so easy to make. They should last at least two weeks in the fridge, maybe 3. If they get cloudy looking, toss them out.
Oh dear. I posted to the wrong recipe! (Well sort of). Radishes and onion. Looking forward to both. I know this will be good.
No problem! They’re both great!
I love these! They are crunchy, a hint of sweet, great pink color and easy peasy to make. Just made them for the third time. I weight them down in the jar with a glass jar lid so they stay submerged. Since I had extra brine, I sliced half an onion to pickle that. Can’t wait to try it as well!
So glad you liked both the radishes and onions. Thanks for leaving a comment!
The absolute best flavor with very little work and so pretty. (My husband suggested them as an addition to my Cuban sandwich. Now I have to marinate the pork roast to try it.) Thanks so much for this recipe. It’s a keeper.
So glad you liked this recipe! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
I have been throwing out forgotten red onion halves pretty routinely from the fridge for over a decade but now they’ve found a forever home! Batch 2 is in the fridge and I’m already planning our weekly menu around them.
It’s perfect for leftover red onions! So glad you like this recipe!
Making these now and so excited to try them out! I have to ask – where is your beautiful beaded jar from?!
I believe I got that out of Target’s dollar spot years ago! Wish I could provide you with a link to buy it!
Is this a standard pickling mix for all veggies? Can’t wait for these, sitting on my counter right now!!
Yup, you can use a similar mix for almost all veggies! I hope you loved the onions!
These are a lovely addition to sandwiches, wraps or burgers with any filling. I add half a finely sliced chilli for a little hum. Great simple recipe for munching everyday, has definitely lifted my burger game!!!
We love them too! So glad you like them. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
I enjoy the recipes here but I constantly get messages saying un-responsive and I keep losing the page. I don’t have this issue on any other recipe site. Constant here – page unresponsive.
Hmm, I’ve never had that experience or had anyone else share that experience. Can you what browser you’re using and what device? Thanks
Can these be processed in a canner??
Probably, but I haven’t done it and don’t have accurate guidance, sorry! They do last at least a few weeks in the fridge, though!
This recipe is so easy! thank you for posting it. I made some for a BBQ we had for father’s day and they were a huge hit. Goes great on a pulled pork BBQ sandwich!! I ran out, so I made more today!!!! YUMMY!!!
So glad you liked them! They are amazing on BBQ! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Just curious – once they’re in the frig overnight – do you discard the liquid, or continue to store the onions in the liquid? I am so excited to make these, have had them many times at restaurants. Thank you for posting this.
Leave them in the liquid! I hope you love them!
Hey Rachel, you’ve got me hooked on pickling everything now. I started with the red onions and they are incredibly tasty and super easy to make. My 2 1/2 year old grandson absolutely loves them and won’t stop eating them. He calls them crunchies. I’ve made several jars for my co-workers and they keep begging for more. Thanks for the recipe!!
I love that! I’m so glad you like them! They really add so much to a recipe, don’t they?
I made these for fish tacos a few weeks ago…and have made two batches since! Delish! I crave them so much I even put them on my eggs in the morning! Thank you for the recipe!
I’m the same way! I love them with everything! So glad you liked them too!
My husband is from Honduras and he was so excited ! Says they are perfect , exactly as his family used to make. ( We live in Canada) Thanks, super good, very easy! Will make again and again .
Oh I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for the kind comment, it means a lot!
These came out SO GOOD!! I used rice vinegar because that’s all I had on hand and they came out great. So incredibly easy too!
So glad to hear it! Reminds me I should get another jar in the fridge! ;)
These are amazing! Do you know how long these would last in my fridge for?
So glad you like them! They last at least a couple of weeks in the fridge. Once the brine starts to look cloudy, you’ll want to toss them.
SO fast, so easy SO DELICIOUS!
So glad you liked this recipe! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
So quick and easy, and delicious with burgers or grilled meat.
Yes, so good on so many things! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Is the video for the pickled red onions still available? I could not find it here.
Thanks,
George
It should be! It’s working for me. Let me know if you’re still having problems. Are you on a computer, phone, or tablet?
There’s something wrong with your videos. I click skip ad & it keeps only playing the ad. It never plays the video
Thanks for the feedback, I’ll look into it!
Could I use a food storage glass container with a plastic lid to store this in the fridge? I don’t have a pickling jar but I’m trying to avoid food waste right now and I have a lot of leftover red onion.
Yes, definitely! Any covered container will work. :)
This looks like a great recipe. Do they need to be refrigerated? I’d like to overnight them to a friend in a care package that won’t be kept cool.
I typically refrigerate them since they aren’t canned. It’s probably not the best choice for a care package, sorry! So nice of you to do that, though!
Do you use regular ACV or the ACV with the mother like Braggs? Thank you! I can’t wait to make these!
Either one works, I’ve used both. :)
Very Very easy!!!!!! Great results if you have a good mandolin.
A mandolin definitely makes it easier and faster!
Once you have made this can you add additional red onion to the mixture or do you need to create the pickle mix every time?
I usually make it fresh – it tends to get slightly cloudy after a week or two.
I make them a different way by blanching in near boiling water for 1 minute, draining, then add just fresh lime juice and salt. That’s it. Learned from a professional chef in Mexico and they’re perfect and delicious.
I bet they’re very fresh and delicious that way too! Thanks for sharing :)
How much lime juice and salt for one red onion please? Chef Mike?
When can you eat them. A few hours after we close the jar or several days later? please email and let me know.It is the first time I have made did this.
You can eat these almost right away! I usually wait at least an hour or two though.
Hi Rachel
I made this on saturday n it was all gone on Sunday. It was so easy to make and sooo delicious. Love it. Going to make again. Thank you!
So glad to hear you liked these! I should make a fresh batch for my fridge, too.
Absolutely delicious! Never realized how easy this was to do!
Isn’t it crazy easy! Such a great thing to make and have on hand.
These are amazing. I put them on basically anything I eat.
I love that! I do too. :) Glad you like them!
Insanely delicious and addictive! I too made them for a taco party and they added that perfect extra special touch. I’m afraid of my mandolin so I used the slicing blade on my food processer and they were perfectly thin and done in a snap. Thank you for sharing this simple yet scrumptious recipe!
So smart to use your food processor! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
Made these onions for our Super Bowl party time go with brisket sandwiches and everyone RAVED about them. I used red wine vinegar because that’s what I had on hand. Will use this again!
Oh I bet they were so good on brisket! I’m glad everyone liked them. Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
I love making these as well and find them very easy….two ingredients that I add are whole peppercorns and edible lavender!! It is amazing!!!! Just a pinch of lavender and a pinch pf peppercorns added to the sugar and salt. Dissolve the sugar and salt, then I bring to a quick boil….then pour over! SO good on my avocado toast and salads too!!!
Loving those additions and I’m suddenly craving avocado toast! Thanks for the comment!
I don’t like raw onion and avoid at all costs, but this brine helped tame the “rawness” I dislike. It was delicious added to carnitas tacos. I recommend your husband Ben try!
Yes! Maybe I’ll sneak one on to a taco or something. ;)
I made these last night and they are awesome. Thanks for the recipe.
So glad to hear it! I just made a jar myself! :)
These quick pickled onions are good but I would like to can some of these, do u have a recipe for that? We eat way too many of these onions. Like em everything!!!
I’m so happy to hear you like this recipe! I’m sorry, I haven’t tried canning these since they take minutes to make and keep well in the fridge for about a month.
I have been pickling onions for years with essentially this recipe. My wife does not like raw onions, but she loves these. We pickle some red and some white. She prefers the white.
We use them on sandwiches, fish tacos, Carnitas tacos, and Moros & Christianos (Cuban rice dish). They are a striking compliment to anything hot and savory.
Thank you for sharing the obsession.
All such great uses! So glad you like pickled onions as much as I do. I’m going to have to try it with white onions!
When your pickling any pickles will the recipe fail if you dont use the amount of sugar it calls for? Diabetic and i want to learn how to pickle things but it requires so much sugar….help
I think a lot of people have tried this recipe without sugar. It adds to the depth of flavor, but I think you could leave it out for this type of pickling. I haven’t tried it, though!
Try monk fruit sweetner or erythritol! Diabetic friendly sugar substitute.
Thanks for the tip!
When your pickling any pickles will the recipe fail if you dont use the amount of sugar it calls for?
I think a lot of people have tried this recipe without sugar. It adds to the depth of flavor, but I think you could leave it out for this type of pickling. I haven’t tried it, though!
I just got done making this and I can’t wait to try it out tonight with my boyfriend!
How did you like them?
Can you use alternatives to sugar like honey or stevia? Will it alter the recipe?
I haven’t tested it that way, but I think it will work. I believe some of the other commenters may have made them that way, if you want to scroll through and read those.
honey or maple sugar are two really good substitutes
Can the onions be canned for a longer shelf life?
Probably, but I’m not a canning expert so I can’t advise on that for sure. They last 2-3 weeks in the fridge, though!
They are a low acidic food so they must be pressure canned. But yes, they can be canned—just dont do a water bath method.
:) Thanks!
I have my first batch resting on the counter now, I can’t wait to try them!
I hope you love them, Amy!
This is brilliant! I don’t like raw onion and I thought I wouldn’t like this but it is delicious.
Oh I’m so glad! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
This is my third time using this recipe and it’s a real keeper. We’re doing Piadina burritos for Taco Tuesday (it’s Italian week) and these are so such a great contrast to the roasted peppers and corn salad. Thank you!!
So glad you like these! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!
… grazie, gracias, shukran, … as a child, my family ate at restaurants on weekends and all of them served pickled onions (and other things) along with dishes, but more importantly with beer that dad drank. He enjoyed his beer and peanuts, while I polished off approx. 2 whole pickled onions on their own even before the food arrived. Had to relocate for work about 15 years ago, where they don’t serve pickled onions. You’ve returned my childhood to me and I can virtually see dad sitting across from me drinking beer as I devour this deliciousness once again. Kudos to you.
I love that, thank you for sharing!
For your genrosity, I want to give you a SUMMER recipe (Dad made this daily): 1 cup natural (sour-ish) yoghurt, 2 cups water, 1tsp roasted cumin powder, 2tsp roasted coriander powder, handful of coriander leaves, half long (mild) green chilli. Mix with a whisk and chill. If you prefer, serve from 3 feet high into a glass to get froth. It’s delicious and cooling even served from 1mm up. I’ve been told Greek yogurt is the same/similar to natural yogurt. I don’t know what summers in your area are like, but this is the ultimate cooler: yoghurt cools body, tiny bit of chili makes one sweat, which is good in warm weather.
Oops. Forgot salt to taste. Maybe 2tsp.
Thanks for sharing! :)
I’m no longer Potential Pickler. Today I made the most expensive pickles: white vinegar, salt, water and a generous pinch of saffron! It looks like a bottle of sunshine and just opening the bottle is pure perfume. Thanks, merci, danke, arigato, khapunkhap, shukriya, xeixie, spasiba…
Yay!!! I’m so glad to hear it! Enjoy!
Where’s that recipe, sounds great.
Thank you for this recipe, Rachel! I found it this morning and am attempting my first batch now! Excited! I have never pickled anything before so please excuse my question. After I pour the liquid in, do I let it sit with the lid off at room temperature for an hour before putting the lid on and refrigerating it? Thanks again!
I usually do, but it’s not going to ruin the recipe if you pop them in the fridge right away. I usually cover them up if it’s fruit fly season here in Michigan. ;)
Stupid question, and my final one: after you’ve eaten your way through these delicious jewels, what do you do with the pickling liquid left in the jar? Discard? Reuse for more pickles? Heat and reuse? Considering tradition pickling methods were meant to last for months (until the season came around again for fresh produce), the pickling liquid itself should last and can be reused? Thanks again!
Not a stupid question! I typically discard. It gets a little cloudy, so I usually just start fresh.
Can these pickles be made without sugar? All onion pickle recipes I’ve seen so far include sugar or honey or maple syrup. Is a sweetener imperative to the pickling process? Thanks.
Leaving out the sugar will affect the taste slightly, but it should be fine for these quick pickled red onions (in other words, not for canning). Hope you love them!
Silly question, but presumably you refrigerate it in the pickling liquors? How long should it last in the fridge?
Not a silly question! Yes, keep these in the fridge. They keep for about two weeks; you’ll notice the brine start to get a little cloudy at the bottom and that’s when I usually toss them.
I discovered this recipe when trying to recreate at home the baja chicken wrap from tropical smoothie cafe. These onions are delicious and oh so easy. Also, great to have around to top on grilled hamburgers or bratwurst in the summer and so many other things.
So glad you love these onions! They’re a summer staple in our house, too.
Can you leave out the sugar?
Leaving out the sugar will affect the taste slightly, but it should be fine for these quick pickled red onions (in other words, not for canning).
There is a fish grill restaurant nearby that had these in their salsa bar but with a bit of habanero. I used one onion and 5 shall habaneros. It is crazy hot and super delicious! Maybe next time not so many habbies, makes my eyes water just opening the jar!
What a fun twist on this recipe! Thanks for sharing!
I ended up making this in two batches because I only had small jars. I made the first jar according to the recipe, but in the second jar I added some peppercorns and some red pepper flakes. Both are very tasty and great on a sandwich. Question: If you end up not having enough brine for two small jars would you add more water or more vinegar to top them off? What other spices do you think would work?
Love the additions you made! Some other popular additions for pickling are coriander seeds or mustard seeds. You could also get a little more creative and add bay leaves, star anise. cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, whole garlic, fresh ginger slices, fennel seeds, or cumin seeds. If you are just a little short of the pickling brine, I would top them off with water. If it’s significant, I’d make a third batch of the pickling brine since it’s easy and inexpensive. Hope that helps! Glad you liked them!
I always add garlic, whole peppercorns and red pepper flakes and they are the best onions ever! My son eats them from the jar!
Fantastic additions!
I love pickled onions. What size jar do you use? Thanks.
I’m traveling right now and I’m not actually sure what size jar I use (I got the jar I use out of the target dollar section). I would guess it’s probably about 12-16oz, though.
I was looking for something to jazz up the shrimp tacos I was making, and boy did this recipe do it. So happy! Thank you so much.
So glad you liked them! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
I always wondered how they made this recipe. I would just use lemon,sugar and salt. It was always pretty good but, wasn’t what I really wanted. When I found your recipe I was so excited lol. Bought the items, came home and put it together and the next day omgosh ate them with lime beans and ham and some delicious corn bread. I couldn’t have been happier. Thank you so much for your recipe…
Oh I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
We had pickled red onions on a salad at a restaurant and they were so good I had to make them myself. Your recipe is fantastic and fantastically easy, thank you! I figured there was no way I could wait the hour, ha. I only used a cup of the mix in my jar of onions. So I did a brief pickling with the remaining half cup! A little bit of red onion, some broccoli slaw and a chopped up beet we cooked today all got.dunked into the vinegar mix and soaked for a few minutes while I made a salad. (The only substitute is I used Swerve instead of sugar.) The briefly-pickled veggies were delicious! And I now have that half cup of extra to use as salad dressing or for more pickling. Can’t wait to try the onions after they fully marinate!
Such a great idea for the extra pickling liquid! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Completely amazing. Additive loved them.
I’m so glad to hear it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Can you use brown sugar?
I haven’t tried brown sugar, but it would probably work. Let me know if you give it a go!
I make these all the time and they last way more than 3 weeks. Pickling was a traditional method of keeping vegetables for months.
Yes, they usually do. :) I like to give a more conservative estimate typically.
Wow, live alone and am making third batch.Really tasty could just have a dinner of onions..delicious on salad and nearly everything else.
I’m so glad you like these! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
Hello! Just made this recipe today although the ratio of liquid to finely sliced red onion didn’t match. Maybe I used too big of a red onion?! I had to make three times more the apple cider mix to submerge all the red onion in the jar. Is that okay?
Hmm, could be you just had a large (huge!) onion, or it could have to do with the shape of your container. Mine are really packed into the jar I use. But yeah, it’s completely okay to double or triple the pickling liquid. :)
Second time making these. Wouldn’t change a thing.
I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
I can’t believe how wonderful these are!!! I’ve never been a big fan of red onions because they are so strong ( I actually pick them off when they’re served in a restaurant). But, I just want to eat these up any way I can!!! Thanks for sharing the recipe!!
Oh, I’m so glad, Ann! I’m happy you liked them — thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment, it means a lot to me!
I made these pickled red onions for my family tonight for our Cinco de Mayo pulled pork tacos and my were they a hit! The teenagers loved them and my husband wants me to make more! I think I will be making these again and again and again! Thank you for your recipe :-)
I’m so happy to hear that! Your pulled pork tacos sound amazing! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
Perfect recipe just the right amount of salty sweet and acid!
So glad to hear you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Hello Rachel, How many red onions would you plan for making tacos for 10 people ? thanks
One goes quite a long ways! I’d say one is probably almost enough, but maybe two to be safe (so double the recipe). I made them for a party and I was shocked how quickly they went, they were such a hit with everyone!
Love this recipe! I make it all the time!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
This recipe is AMAZING, not only because these onions are so tasty and go with literally everything and are so low calorie, but because they are so easy to make ! Thanks Rachel!
So glad to hear you like this recipe! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
Thank you for this amazing recipe. I made thisnlast week when visiting my partner (she lives abroad) and we had them with tacos and on salads. I just came home and made a jar for my fridge – so easy to make and so delicious! Am also considering making some for a big family gathering next week, maybe 3 times the recipe in a big jar – the colours are stunning and this will look great on a buffet table! Thank you again!
I wanted to. give 5 stars but must have mis-clicked :(
no worries :)
Can I make wothout adding sugar?
The sugar balances things out nicely. I haven’t tried it without, but let me know what you think if you do.
They are such a pretty color! I’m so glad you like this recipe! They really are terrific on tacos. Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
Just came back to check your recipe and make some more of this must-have condiment. I try to keep a jar in the fridge at all times. Even my picky teenagers love it and will complain if we don’t have some for tacos, wraps or salads.
That’s great! I’m so glad you like this method of pickling onions. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment, it means a lot to me!
Hi Rachel. I made these onions for the first time today. I live by myself so I am concerned about how long they will last in the fridge.
They should last a couple of weeks!
Can you explain alittle more about step 3. “After an hour cover them.” What do you mean by cover them? Do you keep them in the jar?
Thanks!
Sorry, yes, just put the cover on the jar or container you’re storing them in. I leave it uncovered for the first hour to let the water cool off.
Okay…this might be a dumb question, but coarse kosher salt or table salt?
No such thing as a dumb question! Either will work in this recipe. :) Coarse kosher salt is what I typically use.
I just made this today! I wanted some pickled red onion for my copycat Panera Bread Spinach Salad that I love so much! When I started to create my own recipe, I quickly found out pickles red onions is not something I could just buy from my grocery store! I was pretty bummed out. So decided to search for a recipe and after looking at several recipes, I decided th make this one and boy am I happy I did!!I followed the directions exactly, although I think my red onion was bigger than normal and produced 3 cups of thin sliced onions. I bought a large size mason jar at my grocery store and set out making the onions. It’s been sitting in the fridge for about 3 hours now and I just had to sneak a taste…let me just say the flavor is right in par! It’s lightly salty, lightly sweet and just enough vinegar. It’s a perfect balance and I can’t wait to try it on my salad for lunch! I can only imagine how much more flavorful they will be in the next couple of days! Thank you so much for this recipe, it was SOOOOO easy and the flavor is outstanding.
Oh I’m so glad to hear that this recipe came to your rescue and that you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
Can you canned them without ruining them with the excess heat?
I haven’t canned these, so I’m not sure. Let me know if you try it!
Mr. Michael, A chef or cook, especially in the US, can never advise you on canning and long-term preservation of food. It opens them up to a whole range of lawsuits. Being outside the US, I can tell you that ALL pickling methods are intentioned to last for several months, many last for years on end (e.g., salted cod, the love of Spain). Most vegetable pickles, done correctly, were intentioned to last for at least 9 months… and many do, like the Italian pasata (tomato sauce) or hundreds of Italian pickles. The primary principle is to keep the produce away from air (in case of meats, dehydrate and keep water out too). You can ensure this by introducing a layer of oil at the top of the jar. However, once you open the jar after pickling, the contents should be consumed in a couple of weeks. So maybe make many small jars at once to consume over time… but it’s not difficult to make a jar every other weekend.
Rachel, bravo! What a great idea! Love this. I’m sure this is incredibly delicious!
Hi Olga,
Thank you so much! I just made a jar of these this week, I can’t get enough of them!
RACHEL, , thank you very much! I really liked the recipe, I took it to my recipe book)
I’m so glad you liked this recipe! I just made these yesterday, too! :)
Question, can you eat after an hour or in two to three weeks.
Yes and yes!
These were so quick and yummy.My husband has been adding them to everything.
So glad you liked them, Carly! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
Easy to make. Very tasty. Nice on a salad.
So glad you like these picked red onions, David! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Can this same pickling brine be used to pickle other things, like purple cabbage?
That should work great!
I made them tonight and can’t wait to try them. I am going to make fish tacos with it and Cole slaw. I was out of Cider Vinegar which I would have preferred, but I used my white wine vinegar.
I will let you know how the come out. So happy and love your website.
They’re going to be SO good with fish tacos! Thank you for the kind words and for taking the time to leave a comment!
I have never pickled red onions (though I think they’re one of my favorite foods), however I have marinated red onions with balsamic vinegar and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. May not necessarily work for pickling, but always worth a try as red onions are just so delicious I imagine it would be difficult to mess them up:) also, may help with cutting some sugar from recipe as balsamic already has a lot of sugar.
Good tip, thanks Amanda! I’ll have to try these with balsamic.
I needed a pickled red onion recipe and this was the 1st one I found so I went with it. So quick, simple and delicious – this one is a keeper!
So glad you like this recipe, Mike! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!
Made this but sliced up a super hot pepper and some garlic in it. DELICIOUS!!!!
Yum! That sounds delicious!
Would stevia be ok to sub for sugar?
I haven’t tested it that way, but it would probably work. I think you’ll want to decrease the amount though, stevia is pretty powerful.
Red wine vinegar works well too.
Yes! Thanks Beverly.
Love this recipe. It is super simple and the results a re fantastic. The tangyness of the onions go great on slow smoked pulled pork or chicken.
I’m so happy to hear that! We love them on pulled pork too. Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
An hour is sixty minutes, not five.
Don’t be a jerk… it’s obvious to everyone else in the world that she meant five minutes to MAKE them… most pickled things take way longer than an hour until they’re ready to eat. If it really bothers you that much to wait, maybe you should just buy them instead.
Thanks, Kyra. :)
P. NYM, how about we treat eachother kindly and with a little bit of respect especially when commenting on a recipe that was provided to you for free. Also, if you look at the title of the recipe, it states 5 minutes hands on. Most educated people would understand that “hands on” means the time in which it takes to initially make something which doesn’t include bake time or pickling time in this case. I would strongly urge you to keep rude and uncalled comments to yourself or educate yourself before commenting. Respectfully, this is my go to recipe for pickling red onion that I use on so many things! Thank you so much for sharing!
My primary rebuff isn’t that this recipe is generously shared for free (which it is), but that s/he found it because s/he came looking for it. So if s/he felt so compelled to call out some stupidity as being ‘wrong’, maybe s/he should share with the world the actual world-first 5-minute (good-tasting) pickle that s/he has invented?
Do you think these would work with less or no sugar?
I will prob try it but thought i would ask.( Doing whole30 and sugar is one of my problem foods.)
They won’t taste exactly the same, but they should work. Good job on the Whole30! I’ve done two and I know they’re not easy!
I can see these delicious onions added to home made cole slaw, and I’d like them with fried chicken, chicken salad and fried chicken–and on a hamburger, too.
I may add a few allspice berries to the jar when I make it, to add a bit of spice flavor.
I think a jar of these wonderful onions would make great christmas gifts!
I love the idea of adding allspice! Yum! They would make a fun Christmas gift!
Hi! I had pickled red onions for the first time last night at a Mexican restaurant and I was hooked immediately! I’m going to try your recipe but the ones I had were a little on the sweet side and I liked that. Can you taste the sweetness in your version or should I increase the sugar a little? Thanks!
Hi Denise,
I haven’t tried these with additional sugar, but my guess is that it would achieve that taste you’re looking for! As the recipe is written, I wouldn’t say they taste sweet, and I’m fairly sensitive to sweet things. Let me know if you try it!
Can I reuse the vinegar mixture for the next batch?
I have never done that, it always appears a little cloudy by the time I’m done using the onions so I prefer to start fresh since vinegar is fairly inexpensive. Let me know if you try it, though!
Made these this afternoon, anxious to try them on my Greek salad.
I bet they were yummy on a Greek salad! I hope you loved them!
Yes!! I love pickled onions! Can’t wait to do this!!!
I hope you love them! Let me know what you think and what you end up putting them on! :)
I can’t wait to make this recipe. Which one is better, Hot water or warm water?
Warm to hot out of the tap (you don’t have to heat it). It just needs to be warm enough to help dissolve the sugar and salt so you’re not stirring forever. :)
I love pickled onions so much. They add a tangy and almost sour taste that you can’t really get from many other condiments. I love how quick and easy this recipe looks. Can’t wait to try it! Thank you for sharing.
Me too! Glad you like the recipe! :)
sounds delicious and easy