How to Make Pickled Red Onions [Easy & Cheap!]
![How to Make Pickled Red Onions [Easy & Cheap!]](https://www.elizabethrider.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/How-to-Make-Pickled-Red-Onion-1.jpg "How to Make Pickled Red Onions [Easy & Cheap!]")
Pickled red onions are super simple to make and inexpensive, and they add that WOW factor to any dish that keeps you coming back for more. They are a must on street tacos, nachos, and more.
To make pickled red onions, you only need vinegar, water, salt, and honey (or sugar).
Extra flavoring ingredients such as whole peppercorns or some pickling spices are also nice to have, but even if you don’t have any of the extras, you can still make great pickled red onions with just vinegar, water, salt, and sugar.
How to Make Pickled Red Onions:
- Fill the jar 1/3 with 1/2 cup filtered water and 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar (apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, or white wine vinegar also work).
- Pour the liquid into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer (or microwave for 90 seconds).
- Add 2 teaspoons each of salt and honey (or sugar), stirring to dissolve. Add pickling spice or 3-4 whole black peppercorns. For a pint-size mason jar, use 2 teaspoons each of salt and honey; for a quart-size jar, use 4 teaspoons each.
- Thinly slice the red onion, then add sliced red onions to the jar, pour the hot brine over, and cover loosely with a lid. (Do not put the lid on tight as pressure can build from the hot liquid.)
- Let sit for an hour to cool, then refrigerate for up to two weeks. They’ll turn light pink within an hour and bright pink in about 24 hours.
I often use honey but white sugar is ok here. Most of it stays behind in the brine and it adds a negligible amount of sugar to the onions but balances the flavor. Maple syrup would be too sweet of a flavor.
This pickled red onion recipe is flexible and you can make a small or large batch. Start small and make more as needed.
I wrote out an exact recipe for you in the recipe card below if needed, or use this method to scale your batch of pickled red onions. I suggest starting with a half-pint (1-cup) jar, then make a larger batch if needed.
Pickled Red Onion Variations
- Spicy Pickled Red Onions — My personal favorite. Add 1-2 thinly sliced jalapenos and/or Fresno peppers in with the onions. The pickled peppers are equally fantastic, and they also make the onions quite spicy. Fresno peppers have a mild heat so use those to keep it mildly hot. Jalapenos really add a big kick of heat. I often add 1 jalapeno and 1 Fresno to my pickled red onions.
- Plain Pickled Red Onions — If you’re reading this and don’t have pickling spice on hand (totally normal), simply grab about 5-10 whole black peppercorns from your pepper grinder and use those (the top screws off of a plastic grinder if you have one). If you happen to have any allspice berries, add 3-4 of those, or whole cloves, add 1-2 of those. And/or, if you happen to have any fresh dill, add a few big sprigs. All of these things will add traditional pickle-y flavor. However, even just the peppercorns work if that’s all you have.
- Garlicky Pickled Red Onions — Add 1-2 smashed open garlic cloves to the bottom of the jar. I love garlic, but I don’t love it in my pickles so I usually leave this out. But you do you! Try it if it sounds good.
How to Use Pickled Red Onion
Description
Pickled red onions are an essential in my kitchen! They take just a few minutes to prepare and add wonderful flavor to just about any dish. Use a heat-safe glass container with a lid—a mason jar works great. For this recipe, I used a pint mason jar.
- Combine the vinegar & water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, add the salt & sugar and stir to dissolve. Remove from heat. This takes about 5 minutes total.
- While the brine comes to a simmer, thinly slice a small red onion (or 1/2 a large one). Slice enough to loosely fill your container. Save any leftover onion, covered, in the refrigerator for a soup or another recipe later in the week.
- If using, add about 1 teaspoon total pickling spice to the bottom of your half-pint jar. Or simply add 5-7 whole black peppercorns. Add the sliced red onions. Don’t pack them tightly but feel free to fill up the jar, leaving 1/2 inch at the top. Pour the hot brine into onions, leaving 1/4 inch at the top. Cover loosely with lid* and let sit at room temperature for an hour. Store in the refrigerator once it comes to room temp for up to two weeks.
- The onions will be “quick-pickled” in about 30 minutes, and get better the longer they sit.
Notes
Here’s the method with ratios to fit this into any jar if you don’t want to measure:
- Fill the jar 1/3 with 1/2 cup filtered water and 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar (apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, or white wine vinegar also work).
- Pour the liquid into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer (or microwave for 90 seconds).
- Add 2 teaspoons each of salt and honey (or sugar), stirring to dissolve. Add pickling spice or 3-4 whole black peppercorns. For a pint-size mason jar, use 2 teaspoons each of salt and honey; for a quart-size jar, use 4 teaspoons each.
- Thinly slice the red onion, then add sliced red onions to the jar, pour the hot brine over, and cover loosely with a lid. (Do not put the lid on tight as pressure can build from the hot liquid.)
- Let sit for an hour to cool, then refrigerate for up to two weeks. They’ll turn light pink within an hour and bright pink in about 24 hours.
