When your dish craves a burst of tangy, vibrant, lively flavor, turn to these simple pickled red onions. As easy as 1,2,3 whip up a quick brine solution and pour it over thinly sliced onions. Now get ready to balance out almost any dish.
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Why You’ll Love Pickled Red Onions
You can apply this method to other vegetables such as carrots and cucumbers, offering a fresh, crispy crunch to complement your culinary creations. My Mom used this brine method with onions, cucumbers, and tomatoes for a refreshing, crunchy pick me up in the hot summer suns of Saudi Arabia. It literally can be made an hour before serving.
How Can I Use Pickled Red Onions
Pickled red onions are quite a versatile addition to various culinary dishes, the options are endless. Here are a few ideas:
Tacos and Burritos: Top your tacos or burritos with pickled red onions to add a tangy kick and vibrant color. They pair particularly well with grilled meats, fish, or even vegetarian options like grilled vegetables or beans.
Salads: Sprinkle pickled red onions over salads to provide a burst of flavor and texture. They work well in green salads, grain salads, or even pasta salads, adding a zesty twist to your greens.
Sandwiches and Burgers: Layer pickled red onions onto sandwiches and burgers for an extra punch of flavor. They can enhance the taste of everything from deli meats to grilled chicken or veggie burgers.
Grain Bowls: Incorporate pickled red onions into grain bowls for added complexity. They can complement grains like quinoa, rice, or farro, along with roasted vegetables, proteins, and a drizzle of sauce.
Charcuterie Boards: Arrange pickled red onions on charcuterie boards alongside cheeses, cured meats, olives, and crackers. Their tanginess can balance the richness of other components and add visual appeal to the spread.
Soups and Stews: Use pickled red onions as a garnish for soups and stews. Their acidity can brighten up hearty dishes like chili, lentil soup, or bean stew, adding a pop of flavor to each spoonful.
Wraps and Rolls: Roll pickled red onions into wraps or spring rolls for a burst of tangy flavor with every bite. They can complement ingredients like chicken, shrimp, tofu, or fresh vegetables wrapped in a tortilla or rice paper.
Experiment with different combinations to find your favorite way to use pickled red onions in your culinary creations!
Ingredients for Simple Pickled Red Onions
The Onions - I like to cut my onions into thin rings using a mandolin because I find the tangled loops are easier to scoop from the jar and I like the way they look.
Red, White, Sweet… Any onion will do! I prefer red onions for a beautiful pop of pink of color. Be sure to use a firm onion that is free of blemishes and soft spots.
The Vinegar - Most any vinegar will do. However, I am partial to apple cider vinegar for it’s crisp, fruity impart. Pale vinegars are best in this case e.g. rice wine, or white wine, etc.
Do not choose the industrial white vinegar that comes in large gallon containers. I find it a bit too harsh-tasting.
The Sugar - The sugar provides a nice balance to the salty vinegar brine. If granulated sugar isn’t your thing, try honey or agave, but start with less just to be safe.
How To Make Simple Pickled Onions
- Combine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together until sugar and salt are fully dissolved.
- Place thinly sliced onion in a jar. I like to cut mine ¼” thick rings using a mandolin.
- Pour vinegar mixture over the onions and let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour, preferably in refrigerator for at least 1 day. I can never wait until the next day, I almost always use them right away. Makes about 2 cups
Flavorful Additions
This can be the fun part! Add additional compliments, such as:
- Garlic, thyme, and peppercorns are my favorite go to’s
- bay leaf
- cinnamon
- cloves
- fresh ginger
- jalapeño
- orange peel
- oregano
- rosemary
- star anise
- Szechuan pepper
Storing your Pickled Red Onions
Choose a glass container, never metal or plastic. Metal will react with the vinegar, and plastic will absorb the flavors. Here are a few of my favorite glass jars:
Le Parfait Screw Top Jar Wide Mouth French Glass Jar
EQUIPMENT
- Kettle for boiling water
- Knife and cutting board or a Mandolin
- 16oz clean glass jar (see my list of favorite jars above)
History of Pickled Onions
I always like a good piece of history behind an ingredient or meal, so here’s today’s chronicle. According to Savoring the Past pickling onions began in 18th century England.
Although pickling has been around since the dawn of time, records of food preservation techniques exploded in the 1700s. Helped by the growing industrialization of the printing industry, house management handbooks and cookery books became high in demand. Food preservation techniques became ubiquitous; pickling went viral in the 18th century. The premise of soaking foodstuffs in a highly acidic (vinegary) environment to protect the food from spoilage remained unchanged, but the recipes and methods varied greatly. The types of pickled foods were diverse as well. Throughout the Western world, pickles were made of locally prized ingredients. One very popular English vegetable to preserve was onions. Such a recipe could be found in Sarah Harrison’s 1739 cookbook The House-Keeper’s Pocket-Book.
Simple Pickled Red Onions
Equipment
- Kettle for boiling water
- Knife and cutting board or a Mandolin
- 16oz clean glass jar (see my list of favorite jars above)
Ingredients
- 1 medium red onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
Instructions
- Combine vinegar, warm water, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together until sugar and salt are fully dissolved.
- Place thinly sliced onion in a jar. I like to cut mine ¼” thick rings using a mandolin.
- Pour vinegar mixture over the onions and let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour, preferably in refrigerator for at least 1 day.
Notes
Nutrition
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