Want to jazz up your next salad or bowl? Add pickled red onions! Tangy & sweet, they're the best way to give almost any dish a bright pop of flavor!
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Pickled red onions have been an indispensable ingredient in my kitchen for years. Not only are they a gorgeous, vibrant pink, but they’re tangy, sweet, and a little crunchy. I like to say that they give sandwiches, salads, bowls, and more a “bright pop of flavor,” and though Jack makes fun of me for how often I use that phrase, I can’t think of a better way to describe them.
Try making a batch of quick pickled red onions, and you’ll see what I mean. Top a few onto an otherwise good sandwich or salad, and it’ll become great. Their vinegary, zippy taste adds an irresistible extra dimension of flavor, brightening and sharpening the other elements of the dish. You only need a few minutes and 5 ingredients to make this pickled onion recipe, so give them a try – you’ll add them to everything!
How to Make Pickled Onions
To make pickled red onions, you’ll need 5 basic ingredients: red onions, white vinegar, water, cane sugar, and sea salt.
First, thinly slice the onions (I recommend using a mandoline for quick, uniform slicing!) and divide them between two jars. Then, heat the vinegar, water, cane sugar, and salt over medium heat, and stir until the sugar and salt dissolve. This will only take a minute or so!
Let the brine cool slightly, and pour it over the sliced onions. Allow the jars to cool to room temperature before covering them and transferring them to the fridge. Your onions will be ready to eat when they are bright pink and tender. This could take anywhere from 1 hour to overnight, depending on the thickness of your onions. They will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Sometimes, I’ll add a few peppercorns or garlic cloves to the jar along with the onions to make their flavor a little more complex. I like to change up the vinegar too! I particularly like a mix of white wine and rice vinegar, and apple cider vinegar and white vinegar are a fun tangy combination. These variations are great, but they’re totally optional; your quick pickled onions will be delicious even if you stick to the basic recipe!
What to Do with Pickled Red Onions
As I said above, pickled onions are my favorite way to add a bright pop of flavor to almost any dish. Most simply, they’re excellent onavocado toast, but your options don’t end there. Here are a few of my favorite ways to use them:
- Add them to a salad!This roasted cauliflower salad and this grilled potato salad show them off well.
- Stuff them in a sandwich! Pair them with any bright sandwich filling like egg salad,chickpea shawarma, or onto avocado toast.
- Pile them on a burger! I like them with my favorite veggie burger, these falafel burgers, and my classic black bean burger.
- Top them onto any Mexican dish! They’d be delicious with these sweet potato tacos, these many-veggie tacos, or even breakfast tacosor a breakfast burrito!
- Add them to a bowl!Try them in this grain bowl or this buddha bowl, or top them onto a DIY-burrito bowl with cauliflower rice or cilantro lime rice, black beans, pico de gallo,mango or tomatillo salsa, guacamole, and your favorite veggies!
Do you have a favorite way to use pickled onions? Let me know in the comments!
If you love these quick pickled red onions…
Try my roasted red peppers, roasted tomatoes, pickled jalapeños, or pickled chard stems next!
Pickled Red Onions
Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
Cook Time: 5 minutes mins
Total Time: 10 minutes mins
Serves 12
Pickled red onions add a sweet & tangy pop of flavor to salads, sandwiches, burgers, and more! Once you make them, they'll keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Instructions
Thinly slice the onions (it's helpful to use a mandoline), and divide the onions between 2 (16-ounce) jars or 3 (10-ounce) jars. Place the garlic and peppercorns in each jar, if using
Heat the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve, about 1 minute. Let cool and pour over the onions. Set aside to cool to room temperature, then store the onions in the fridge.
Your pickled onions will be ready to eat once they're bright pink and tender - about 1 hour for very thinly sliced onions, or overnight for thicker sliced onions. They will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
FAQs
There are other ways to tame raw onion, of course. You could soak slices in lemon juice for 20 minutes, which lends a slightly pickled flavor, as in this Tomato and Herb Salad with Sumac.
Are pickled red onions good for you? ›
There are many health benefits of pickled onions. Pickled onions contain high amount of good probiotics and digestive enzymes. Pickled onions can aid your digestion and overall energy levels. They are a good source of soluble fiber which helps us to lose body fat.
How long do pickled onions last? ›
That means once you've stirred them together (which takes only a few minutes), they're ready to add to your meal after just 15 minutes of pickling time. Pickled onions can last in your fridge for up to 3 weeks.
What do you eat with pickled red onions? ›
Tacos: The sweet acidity is especially good on fish tacos and carnitas. Mayo-based salads: Add chopped pickled red onions to egg salads and potato salads, or use as a topper for deviled eggs. Green salads: Top any salad with pickled red onions to add flavor and eye-candy.
Why soak onions in salt water before pickling? ›
Some people choose to soak their onions in a salt water mixture before pickling, but I don't find it necessary. In theory, this step draws out extra moisture to keep the texture of the onions nice and crisp even as they sit in the vinegar mixture.
Is it better to soak onions in water or vinegar? ›
You can get rid of the strong taste by soaking sliced onions in ice water for 20 to 30 minutes or by sprinkling them with an acid such as vinegar. Onions soaked in ice water will get very crisp while those sprinkled with vinegar will soften a bit, but they will lose the strong taste and become sweeter.
Do pickled onions raise blood sugar? ›
These pickled red onions are easy to make, add a delicious zing to just about any dish, and are blood sugar friendly.
How long are pickled red onions safe to eat? ›
Set aside to cool to room temperature, then store the onions in the fridge. Your pickled onions will be ready to eat once they're bright pink and tender - about 1 hour for very thinly sliced onions, or overnight for thicker sliced onions. They will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Why are pickled onions so addictive? ›
Because it is high in salt, this plays a major factor in pickled products' addictive nature . It could also indicate a sign of low blood pressure. 'Pickle juice is also popular with those following a ketogenic diet as they may need more sodium to manage electrolyte balance,' says Shona Wilkinson, aka DR VEGAN.
How to tell if pickled red onions are bad? ›
If they give off an off-putting or sour smell, it's best to discard them. Additionally, if you spot any signs of mold, it's time to say goodbye. Changes in color from vibrant pink to brown or a slime-like texture are also indicators of spoilage.
You need to bear in mind that the process of pickling pulls water out of the vegetables. This means that the pickling liquid gets diluted. In my experience, you can reuse the liquid once or twice to make quick pickles (refrigerator pickles that keep for about a week) but not for long term preservation.
Can you eat too many pickled onions? ›
Yes, they can be a beneficial part of a healthy diet, and yes they can be bad for you because of the salt, vinegar, and preservatives used in the pickling process, (plus the high sugar content of the onions themselves). The qualifier for both answers is one word; moderation.
Are pickled onions anti-inflammatory? ›
Aside from giving your meals a flavor boost, onions are teeming with nutrients down to the core. Each layer is abundant with anti-inflammatory properties, vitamins and nutrients.
Are pickled red onions good for gut? ›
Fermented vegetables such as sauerkraut or pickled red onions contain high amounts of good probiotics and digestive enzymes. Maintaining a healthy gut flora can aid your digestion and overall energy levels.
Why do I love pickled onions so much? ›
Additionally, some people may enjoy the health benefits associated with onions, such as their anti-inflammatory properties and their potential to reduce the risk of certain diseases. Therefore, it is perfectly normal for someone to enjoy and crave pickled onions or sweet onions.
What is the benefits of onion and lemon juice? ›
Lemons provide a generous dose of vitamin C and antioxidants that protect blood vessels from oxidative damage, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease. Onions, with their cholesterol-lowering and blood pressure-regulating properties, further contribute to a heart-healthy lifestyle.
What are the benefits of soaking onions in water? ›
The theory behind drinking onion water is based on onion's natural anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. Along with ginger, garlic, and turmeric, onions are known to fight off inflammation, oxidation, and harmful bacteria and viruses.
Does lemon juice neutralize onions? ›
Lemon juice works to remove onion smell due to its acid level. This is why vinegar is also a solution, as well as tomato juice, celery juice, mustard, and rubbing alcohol. Any of these can be put onto a wet towel, and used to scrub while you run water over your hands.
How do you make onions less gassy? ›
Tips to reduce the digestive upset of onions
Another way to reduce the severity of the mentioned symptoms is to cook the onions. Furthermore, you can take digestive enzymes to help to alleviate some of these gastrointestinal disturbances caused by raw onions.
