How to Pickle Red Onions Fast
Start these four-ingredient Quick Pickled Red Onions at the beginning of dinner prep, and they’ll be ready by the time everything else is.
You Can Make Quick Pickled Red Onions Super Fast!
If you think pickling onions has to be hard, involve a lot of ingredients, or take a long time, think again.
These Quick Pickled Red Onions need only four ingredients. Well, five if you count water, but let’s not count water.
If you want to eat them for dinner tonight, you’re in luck, because you can. Start them now, and by the time you’re done making everything else for your meal, the onions will be ready to eat.
This foolproof method doesn’t even need a jar if you’re going to eat them all tonight.
Why You’ll Love Easy Pickled Red Onions
- With minimal ingredients and steps, it’s a foolproof method, even for novice cooks.
- Pickled red onions can be used in a variety of dishes, from salads to tacos, adding a beautiful pop of color and tangy flavor.
- This recipe is all about speed. Start them at the beginning of your dinner prep, and they should be ready to go by the time you’ve made everything else.
Quick Pickled Red Onion Ingredients
- red onion – the vibrant, delicious star of the show, although you can also make this recipe with white or yellow onion.
- cider vinegar – the acidity that will pickle the onions and make them super tangy. White vinegar, red wine vinegar or rice vinegar work, too!
- sugar – balances the sharpness of the vinegar in these easy pickled red onions. You can also experiment with honey or maple syrup for sweetness if you wish.
- kosher salt – helps the pickling process by drawing the moisture out of the onions so that the pickling liquid can go into them.
How to Pickle Red Onions Fast
1. SLICE AND PACK. Slice onion and place it in a quart-sized mason jar or other heat-safe container with a tight-fitting lid.
2. HEAT. In a small pan, heat the vinegar, sugar, salt and water to a very low boil.
3. POUR. Pour the vinegar mixture over the onions in the jar.
4. LET STAND. Place the lid on the container and let the jar stand at room temperature, turning the jar over to jostle the contents every once in awhile. Onions should be pickled enough to eat in 30 minutes!
Quick Pickled Red Onion Recipe Home Chef Tips
- You don’t need a mandoline for these easy pickled red onions (although you can use one), but you do need to use a sharp knife to slice the onion in thin, uniform slices, so that they pickle uniformly.
- If I know we’re going to eat the entire batch with the dinner I’m preparing that night, I don’t even bother with the jar. I just add the onions to the pot of pickling solution and let it sit in there, stirring occasionally, then drain it from there before serving.
- Feel free to add garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, black peppercorns, oregano, coriander seeds, cumin seeds or fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary to the pickling liquid for extra flavor.
What to Do With Pickled Onions
- Tacos/Burritos/Nachos – Pickled red onions are great on just about any Mexican-inspired dish, including lamb tacos, salmon tacos, a burrito bowl or veggie enchiladas.
- Salads – Add these to dishes like summer salad and chicken spinach salad, or a grain bowl, for a tangy twist.
- Sandwiches and Burgers – Elevate gourmet turkey burgers, avocado burgers, avocado toast and salmon sandwiches.
- Cheese and Charcuterie – Add them to a Thanksgiving charcuterie board or football charcuterie board.
How Long Do Pickled Red Onions Last?
Quick pickled red onions can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 week or even up to 2 weeks. Always use a clean utensil to remove the onions from their jar to prevent contamination.
Quick Pickled Red Onion Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium red onion thinly sliced
- ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
- Place onion in quart-sized mason jar or other heat-safe container with tight-fitting lid.
- In small saucepan, heat vinegar, sugar, salt and 3/4 cup water to a very low boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Pour vinegar mixture over onions in jar.
- If eating right away, place lid on container and leave at room temperature for 30 minutes, turning jar over to jostle the contents every once in awhile. Onions will be sufficiently pickled enough to eat after 30 minutes.
- Or, for longer term storage, leave lid off jar and allow contents to cool completely to room temperature. Then, place lid on jar and refrigerate up to 1 week.
