Quick and Easy Pickled Red Onions

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These quick and easy pickled red onions are positively addictive! Learn how to make sweet homemade pickled red onions in just 5 minutes with just a few ingredients you probably already have on hand! Tangy, sweet and the perfect topper for tacos, nachos, salads and more.

Quick and Easy Pickled Red Onions

Quick and Easy Pickled Red Onions

Let’s take a second to discuss my latest full blow addiction known as pickled red onions. As a girl growing up here in the South, it’s a hard and fast rule that we pickle just about everything. Also, a hard and fast rule is that I personally eat none of it. No pickled eggs, no pickled pigs feet, no pickled fruit. Nope, nada, no thank you! So that meant I wasn’t on board with the idea of pickled red onions either. Until the day I stood in line at our favorite taqueria, staring at that container of pickled red onions, indecision all around me… I caved! Talk about the best decision EVER!!! Tangy, sweet and exploding with flavor, those little slivers of pickled red onion happiness took my taco bowl to the next level of out of this world delicious!! I was converted!

picked red onions in a jar

Pickled Red Onion Recipe

Fast forward a few months and now I need to learn to make pickled red onions myself.

I can’t go to my local taqueria.

I can’t indulge in standing in line with two cases of taco ingredients waiting for me to build my own taco bowl.

But I do still need a quick red onion pickle recipe in my life and that’s why I set out to learn how to to make pickled red onions.

Can I tell you how surprised I am that making these little marinated red onions is so easy and quick????

The BEST Pickled Pink Onions

So why is this homemade pickled red onion recipe the BEST? Let me tell you… !

  • Five minutes and a handful of ingredients you probably already have in your pantry is all it takes to make these homemade pickled pink onions!!
  • Pickling your red onions at home is a great way to use those onions up before they go bad. 
  • Tangy, tart and sweet, pickled red onions are perfect to wake up any dish.
  • Pickling the purple onions keeps them fresh and they last up to a month in refrigerator so you can always have them on hand.
  • Perfect to add to tacos, salads, potato salad, nachos, burgers, wraps… the list of what you can put pickled red onions on is endless!

To make this recipe for pickled onions, you will need:

  • Apple Cider Vinegar – A slightly sweeter vinegar, this is a mild vinegar to add to your pickling jar.
  • White Vinegar – I like strong pickled red onions and white vinegar brings a strong flavor to the pickling brine.
  • Red onion – One large red onion or two smaller onions are perfect for this recipe. Slice thin by hand or grab your mandoline.
  • Sugar – White granulated sugar is the traditional sweetener in pickling brine but you could substitute it with honey or agave for a natural sweetener.
  • Salt – Helps enhance the flavors.
  • Garlic cloves – Adds just one more layer of flavor and bite.

ingredients for pickled onions

How Do You Make Pickled Onions

In a small saucepan, combine apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, sugar and salt.

Over medium-high heat, bring to a simmer and stir to make sure sugar and salt have dissolved.

Thin slice the red onion .. about 1/4 inch thick .. and then peel and smash your garlic cloves.

jar of sliced red onions and garlic

Add red onions and crushed garlic cloves to a pint sized glass jar with a lid.

Pour the hot vinegar over the red onion, filling the jar. Cover and shake to combine.

Move to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes but will be better after a few hours.

red onions in vinegar

pro tips for perfect picked red onions

  • Thin slice your red onions, about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick depending on your preference. You can also use a mandoline for uniform slicing.
  • Instead of using your stove, heat your vinegar mixture in the microwave until it reaches a simmer. About 2 minutes. Then add it to the onions, as directed.
  • Adding the white vinegar kicks up the harshness of your pickled red onions. If you want to tame that back a bit, substitute the white vinegar with water.
  • Use a big jar. I initially thought a large red onion would fit into an 8 out container. I was wrong. Plan accordingly.
  • Do not drain your pickled red onions. Leave them and store them in the vinegar mixture.
  • Sealed in their jar, pickled onions will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Slicing Onions for Pickling

Personally, I free hand slice my onions and leave them in their circle shapes.

I find it’s easier to extract them from the jar with a fork when they are intact like that.

I am not all about chasing down little pieces of pickled goodness when I am hungry.

You can use a mandoline to slice your red onions so that they are all in uniform thickness but I like the variety of hand slicing.

And while you can use white or sweet onions for pickled onions, pickling red onions is my favorite. 

Plus the pink onion color is always a fun addition to any dish.

red onions sliced

Best Vinegar for Pickling Onions

 When it comes to making pickled onions, you can use apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar or standard issued white vinegar. 

Pickling with apple vinegar and rice vinegar will give you a milder pickled onion as both are a milder tasting vinegar than white vinegar.

If I making pickled red onions, I want to know I am eating pickled red onions!! Know what I mean? I like strong pickled onions!

Which is why I add both apple cider vinegar and white vinegar for pickling my onions. I like that extra twang white vinegar brings to the party.

What to Eat with Pickled Red Onions

So what do you use picked red onions for? Here are some delicious ideas:

How Long Do Pickled Red Onions Last?

Temperature, humidity and light will effect your little jar of pickled pink onions so be sure to keep you onions in the refrigerator.  They will keep for about a month.

Enjoy ♥ Heather

Quick and Easy Pickled Red Onions

Quick and Easy Pickled Red Onions

Quick and Easy Pickled Red Onions
These quick and easy pickled red onions are positively addictive! Learn how to make sweet homemade pickled red onions in just 5 minutes with just a few ingredients you probably already have on hand! Tangy, sweet and the perfect topper for tacos, nachos, salads and more.
Heather - A Wicked Whisk
Prep Time 5 minutes
Pickling Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Serving Size 2 cups

Ingredients

  • 1 large red onion, peeled and thin sliced
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
  • 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • In a small saucepan, combine apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, sugar and salt. Over medium-high heat, bring to a simmer and stir to make sure sugar and salt have dissolved.
  • Thin slice the red onion .. about 1/4 inch thick .. and then peel and smash your garlic cloves. Add red onions and crushed garlic cloves to a pint sized glass jar with a lid.
  • Pour the hot vinegar over the red onion, filling the jar. Cover and shake to combine. Move to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes but will be better after a few hours.

Notes

  • Thin slice your red onions, about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick depending on your preference. You can also use a mandoline for uniform slicing.
  • Instead of using your stove, heat your vinegar mixture in the microwave until it reaches a simmer. About 2 minutes. Then add it to the onions, as directed.
  • Adding the white vinegar kicks up the harshness of your pickled red onions. If you want to tame that back a bit, substitute the white vinegar with water.
  • Use a big jar. I initially thought a large red onion would fit into an 8 out container. I was wrong. Plan accordingly.
  • Do not drain your pickled red onions. Leave them and store them in the vinegar mixture.
  • Sealed in their jar, pickled red onions will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Update Notes: This post was originally published in May of 2020 but was republished with an updated recipe, new photos, step by step instructions and tips in March of 2024.

 

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