Want to make your next salad or bowl more exciting? Add pickled red onions! Tangy and sweet, they’re one of the best ways to give almost any dish a bright pop of flavor.
Pickled red onions have been an essential ingredient in my kitchen for years. Not only are they a beautiful, vibrant pink, but they’re tangy, sweet, and slightly crunchy. I like to say they give sandwiches, salads, bowls, and more a “bright pop of flavor.” Jack teases me for using that phrase so often, but I honestly can’t think of a better way to describe them.
Try making a batch of quick pickled red onions, and you’ll understand why I love them so much. Add a few to an already good sandwich or salad, and it instantly becomes great. Their vinegary, zesty taste adds an extra layer of flavor that brightens and sharpens everything else in the dish. You only need a few minutes and 5 ingredients to make this pickled onion recipe, so give it a try—you’ll start adding them to everything!
How to Make Pickled Onions
To make pickled red onions, you’ll need 5 simple ingredients: red onions, white vinegar, water, cane sugar, and sea salt.
First, thinly slice the onions (I recommend using a mandoline to get quick, even slices!) and divide them between two jars. Next, heat the vinegar, water, cane sugar, and salt over medium heat. Stir until the sugar and salt fully dissolve. This should only take about a minute.
Let the brine cool slightly, then pour it over the sliced onions. Allow the jars to cool to room temperature before covering them and placing them in the fridge. The onions will be ready to eat once they turn bright pink and become tender. This can take anywhere from 1 hour to overnight, depending on how thick the onions are sliced. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Sometimes, I add a few peppercorns or garlic cloves to the jar to give the onions a more complex flavor. I also like to switch up the vinegar. A mix of white wine vinegar and rice vinegar works really well, and apple cider vinegar combined with white vinegar adds a fun tangy twist. These options are totally optional, though—your quick pickled onions will still be delicious with the basic recipe.
What Are the Best Jars for Pickling?
These 16-ounce Ball Mason jars are my top choice for pickling onions. I love that they come in a pack of 12, so I can make a big batch at once. They’re also BPA-free and dishwasher-safe, which makes cleanup easy.
Pickled onions store well in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. I also like that these jars don’t take up too much space in my fridge.
What to Do with Pickled Red Onions
As mentioned above, pickled onions are my favorite way to add a bright pop of flavor to almost any dish. They’re delicious on avocado toast, but there are so many other ways to use them. Here are some of my favorites:
- Add them to a salad! This roasted cauliflower salad and grilled potato salad really highlight their flavor.
Stuff them into a sandwich! They pair well with bright fillings like egg salad, chickpea shawarma, or avocado toast.
Pile them onto a burger! I love them on my favorite veggie burger, falafel burgers, or a classic black bean burger.
Top any Mexican dish! They’re great on sweet potato tacos, veggie tacos, breakfast tacos, or even a breakfast burrito.
Add them to a bowl! Try them in a grain bowl or buddha bowl, or add them to 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!
Pickled Red Onions
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
Pickled red onions add a sweet and 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.
Equipment:
- 10-oz. Mason jars
Mandoline (makes thin slicing easy!)
Medium pot
Ingredients:
- 2 small red onions
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups water
⅓ cup cane sugar
2 tablespoons sea salt
Optional:
- 2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon mixed peppercorns
Instructions:
Thinly slice the onions (a mandoline helps a lot) and divide them between 2 (16-ounce) jars or 3 (10-ounce) jars. Add the garlic and peppercorns to 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 the mixture cool slightly, then pour it over the onions. Set aside until the jars reach room temperature, then store them in the fridge.
The pickled onions will be ready to eat once they’re bright pink and tender—about 1 hour for very thin slices or overnight for thicker slices. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.