I love red onions because even just a few slivers of fresh red onion can truly transform a recipe (see Thai Curry Vegetable Soup and Slow Cooker Coconut Curry Lentils) and there’s no substitution that is really quite like it. BUT I can rarely find a red onion that is smaller than a softball and I usually only need 1/4 or less of it for a recipe. Because I hate to waste the rest of the onions, I always use the leftovers to make a batch of these Pickled Red Onions
What Are “Quick” Pickles?
There are two methods for pickling vegetables: through fermentation or by using a vinegar-based brine. Both methods use a salty and acidic liquid to prohibit the growth of dangerous bacteria. With fermentation, the acid is created by microorganisms, but this can take days or even weeks to accomplish. Store-bought vinegar creates this brine almost instantly, hence the name quick pickle.
The trade-off for this quick process is that quick pickles do not contain probiotics, like fermented pickles, and the flavor can be a little more one-dimensional. Fermented pickles are a bit more of an exact science and can take some practice to get right (here’s a recipe for Fermented Sour Pickles, if you’re interested), whereas quick pickles are pretty hard to mess up.
How to Use Pickled Red Onions
Pickled red onions are AWESOME on tacos, sandwiches, carnitas, salads, pizza, nachos, flatbread, avocado toast, burgers, and lots of other things (practically any Mexican dish). Instead of thinking of these pickled red onions as a substitute for fresh red onions, think of them as a non-spicy alternative to pickled jalapeño. That tangy pickled flavor tastes great anywhere you’d normally use a pickled jalapeño.
How long do They Last?
Keep your pickled red onions refrigerated and in the brine and they’ll last 3-4 weeks in the refrigerator! The flavor gets better over time as the onions marinate in the brine. Just make sure to keep your pickled red onions refrigerated in a non-reactive, air-tight container, like a mason jar or other food-safe storage container.
Customize Your Onions
There are a million different ways to make pickled red onions, so I’ve provided a very basic version below. As you begin to make them more often, you can start to tweak the flavors to match your preferences. Experiment with the seasonings and spices by adding ingredients like bay leaf, star anise, sliced jalapeño, or red pepper flakes.
What Kind of Vinegar to Use for Pickled Red Onions
The recipe below uses white vinegar, but you can use different kinds of vinegar in your pickled red onion recipe to change the flavor. I suggest not using vinegar with strong flavors so they don’t overpower the onions or the other ingredients. Try using rice vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar in your pickled red onions!
(Tacos made with Chili Rubbed Pulled Pork, fresh jalapeño, pickled red onion, and cotija.)
Pickled Red Onions
Servings 10 1.5 cups totalIngredients
- 1.5 cups sliced red onion ($0.32)
- 1 clove garlic ($0.08)
- 3 Tbsp white sugar ($0.06)
- 1.5 Tbsp salt ($0.15)
- 1/2 tsp peppercorns ($0.05)
- 1 cup white vinegar ($0.06)
Instructions
- Thinly slice the red onion into 1/8-inch slices. Peel the garlic. Place the onion and garlic in a large glass or ceramic bowl.
- Add the sugar, salt, and peppercorns to a small sauce pot. Add the vinegar and stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Place a lid on the pot and bring the mixture up to a boil over medium-high heat.
- When it reaches a boil, pour the vinegar over the sliced onion and garlic.* Press the onion down so all the pieces are submerged, then let the mixture cool to room temperature. I sometimes place a piece of plastic wrap over the onions to help push and hold them below the surface of the brine (see step by step photos below).
- Once cool, use the onions immediately or transfer the onions and all the brine to a covered non-reactive container (glass, ceramic, or plastic) for storage in the refrigerator. The onions can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition
How to Make Pickled Red Onions – Step by Step Photos
This recipe works for up to about 2 cups of sliced red onion, but you can use less if you have less. It’s great for using up a leftover half onion, but I’ve used a whole onion for demonstration purposes here. Slice the onion into ⅛-inch slices.
Place the sliced onions and one clove of peeled garlic in a large ceramic or glass bowl.
Add 1.5 Tbsp salt, 3 Tbsp sugar, ½ tsp whole peppercorns, and 1 cup white vinegar to a saucepot. Stir to dissolve as much of the salt and sugar as possible. Place a lid on the pot and bring it up to a boil over medium-high heat.
Carefully pour the boiling vinegar brine over the sliced onions and garlic in the bowl. Stir to combine and press the onions below the brine. Allow the mixture to come to room temperature. I like to take a piece of plastic wrap and press it down onto the onions to help them stay below the brine just as soon as it’s cool enough to touch.
As the onions soak in the brine they’ll begin to turn an incredibly vibrant shade of pink. The pigment in red onions and red cabbage is a natural pH indicator. Don’t you just love food science??
Once the onions have come to room temperature and are a vibrant pink color, transfer them to an air-tight food storage container and refrigerate until ready to eat, or up to 4 weeks. The flavor gets even better after a few days!
(Tacos made with Chili Rubbed Pulled Pork, fresh jalapeño, pickled red onion, and cotija.)
Didn’t have whole peppercorns but had allspice berries so substituted with those….WOW, super super tasty! Used them on momofuku’s porkbelly buns….OUTSTANDING.
are grinded pepercorns ok if i cant open the grinder?
Sure, it will still give good flavor. :)
Just popped ’em in the frig! Cant wait to try them on our pork carnitas and mexi-slaw tomorrow. Their awesome at room temp! Hmmm, i wonder if you could do this same recipe with a jalapeno or two?
Absolutely! I actually have a recipes for pickled carrots with jalapeños on the website as well. They are SO GOOD that I can never stop snacking on them.
Should the salt be 1.5 tsp instead of tablespoons? Sounded extreme so I used teaspoons and it came out well, though in future I’ll use rice wine vinegar or cider vinegar instead of plain white which is kind of harsh. Otherwise thanks– easy and good with reduced salt!
I tried doubling the recipe but it came out way too salty – too salty to eat. I will try again following the recipe exactly and see how they taste.
Just made a batch today! Excellent! I made them to put out with the BBQ pulled chicken sandwiches I made. The BBQ sauce I used is a bit on the sweet side so I think these will be awesome with them! Thanks for the recipe! :)
No doubt this method tastes delicious and it lets you whip up some pickled red onions in a pinch without having to wait a week-plus for fermentation, but does it have the same health benefits as a traditionally pickled veggie? Between the heat, the use of straight vinegar, and how you’ve got them going straight into the fridge after assembly, I’m guessing there’s not much of a bacteria culture in that jar, huh?
Correct. This is a quick pickle, not a fermented pickle. There is no fermentation or bacterial culture in this process.
These picketed red onions made to exact receipe are delicious don’t change a thing
I tried this for the first time today. It was SO simple and they’re DELICIOUS! Thanx for the recipe. I think I’ll be making these often.
I am in love with the pictures you’ve included in this recipe – they look extremely aesthetic and do a great job of making the reader want to try their own hand at making pickled red onions! I love pickled red onions, especially on sandwiches or even just as a garnish with a homemade meal. Your recipe is super straight forward and easy to follow, I can’t wait to give it a go myself next time I jump into the deep end with pickling!
can you use rice vinegar instead of white vinegar?
They will be more mild, but it will work. :)
So I ordered the Panera seasonal Cobb salad that had a delicious bite to it – pickled red onions! I can easily make my own Cobb salad but never made pickled red onions before. I’m glad I found this recipe so I can replicate the Panera salad on a budget. Thanks for the rest recipe.
Thank you!!!! I have never thought of making these, and I end up with the same problem myself. Today after I use the half of my onion, I will be making these, I am looking forward to it!
Can I substitute the white vinegar with ACV?
The flavor will definitely be different, but technically it will work.
I just made this, and holy cow! It’s so good! Just be warned, your nostrils are going to hate you because of the vinegar, haha. My whole family actually came to the kitchen to find out what the smell was. Once they tried the onions (I made green goddess sandwiches and had them in it) and they all fell in love! These are perfect if you love that vinegar pickle taste, but aren’t a fan of pickles themselves. Plus, it took me less than 10 minutes to make. A+!