Making homemade pickled red onions is so easy and only takes a few minutes! You will love having a jar of these around! Not only they have this gorgeous vibrant pink color, but they are tangy, packed with flavors, and they add a nice crunch factor to your dishes.
You can add them to your sandwiches, tacos, or salads for extra flavor and a nice crunch!
What you will need to make a jar of these pickled onions:
You will need 5 basic ingredients you probably already have in your pantry:
- Red onions
- Vinegar – use your favorite, I mainly use white vinegar, rice vinegar, or a mix of both.
- Water
- Sugar – white sugar, cane sugar, coconut sugar, or even maple syrup will work.
- Sea salt
Other ingredients you can add to switch up the flavors:
garlic, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, whole peppercorns or herbs.
( please note, that adding maple syrup, peppercorn and herbs will change the color of the brine and won’t be as bright pink but will still be delicious!)
How to make pickled red onions:
First, you will need to thinly slice your onions. I would recommend using a mandolin to get uniform slices but feel free to use a knife.
Place your sliced onions in a glass jar, along with any herbs or spices you want to use and make the brine.
To make the brine, place water, vinegar, salt, and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Let it cook while stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve completely. It shouldn’t take more than 3 to 4 minutes.
Once the brine is ready, let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes then pour it over the sliced onions. Leave the jar of pickled onions at room temperature, to cool down before sealing it and transfer to the fridge!
Your pickled red onions should be ready in 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how thick you sliced the onions.
What you might need for this recipe:
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Making homemade pickled red onions is so easy and only takes a few minutes! You will love having a jar of these around! Not only they have this gorgeous vibrant pink color, but they are tangy, packed with flavors, and they add a nice crunch factor to your dishes.
- 1 red onion
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp peppercorn
- 1/2 tsp mustard seed
- 1 garlic clove
Thinly slice the red onion and place in a glass jar. Add mustard seeds, peppercorn, or any spices you would like to add.
In a saucepan, add water, vinegar, sugar, and salt. Heat over medium heat, and stir to help dissolve the sugar and salt. Once ready, let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
Once the brine cooled down a bit, pour it over the onions. Set down the jar, to cool at room temperature.
Once the jar is cool enough, close the lid and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to 1 1 hour or until the onions are bright pink and slightly tender.
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I’d love to make this, but how long would you say its shelf-life is?
Hi Charlene, these pickled red onions can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks! Just make sure to keep them in a sealed glass container (mason jar for example) x