This Pickled Red Onion Recipe couldn’t be easier to make. Just add thinly sliced red onions and a few pantry staples to a jar, give it a shake, and let it sit.
author’s note
The 5-Minute Topping I Use on Everything!
I’m fully obsessed with pickled red onions. They end up on just about everything I eat, which is why there is almost always a jar tucked in my fridge. And when that jar runs out? Total meal prep emergency.
They take minutes to make but somehow make every meal feel more exciting. My meal prep motto has never been about cooking full meals. I focus on prepping a few solid components I can mix and match all week. Think brown rice, roasted sweet potatoes, whatever sauce I’m loving that week… and always a fresh batch of these onions.
The best part is how easy they are. Everything goes straight into a jar, a quick shake, and into the fridge they go. Low effort, big payoff, and honestly a fridge staple I refuse to live without.
Pick Out A Good Red Onion
Here are some easy tips for picking a good red onion:
- Look for firm onions without soft spots or blemishes.
- Choose onions with shiny, smooth skin, avoiding wet or moldy ones.
- Pick onions that feel heavy for their size, indicating freshness.
- Avoid onions with a strong or bad smell for longer-lasting pickled onions.
Quick Tip
Quick pickling doesn’t require sterilizing jars since the onions will be eaten pretty quickly.
Pickled Red Onions Recipe Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swaps or Tips |
|---|---|
| Red onion | Slice as thin as possible for the best texture |
| Red wine vinegar | White vinegar or apple cider vinegar both work |
| Water | Use more for a milder flavor |
| Salt | Fine salt dissolves fastest |
| Sugar | Start small and adjust to taste |
How To Use This Pickled Red Onions Recipe
- Tacos: Pile them onto these chicken tacos for a quick pop of flavor.
- Salads: They’re great in this Mexican salad, tuna, or Chipotle chicken salad.
- Sandwiches: They’re especially good on a turkey bacon avocado sandwich.
- Burgers: Add them to burgers for extra flavor and contrast.
- Bowls: Stir them into grain bowls, Buddha bowls, or my buffalo chicken bowl for something tangy and fresh.
Variations
Customize your pickled red onions with spices like peppercorns, garlic, or herbs like thyme or dill for extra flavor.
Storage
This quick pickled red onions recipe is good for 1 up to 2 weeks in the fridge if stored in an airtight container.
More Toppings To Jazz Up Your Meals:
Homemade Pickled Red Onions Recipe
Equipment
- Mandoline slicer or sharp knife
Ingredients
- 1 cup red onion very thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 up to 2 teaspoons granulated sugar add to preference
Instructions
- Trim the ends off the onion, slice it in half, and remove the outer layer.
- Using a Mandoline Slicer set to a very thin setting, thinly slice the onion. (If you don’t have a slicer, use a sharp knife to slice as thin as possible.)
- Place the sliced onions in a jar along with the rest of the ingredients.
- Secure the jar’s lid and shake well to mix the ingredients. Let the onions marinate in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
- Use the pickled onions as desired. Store leftovers in the fridge for 1 (up to 2) weeks.
Recipe Notes
- Tacos: Throw some on top of your tacos. These healthy tacos or chicken tacos with rotisserie chicken.
- Salads: Brighten up salads like this Mexican salad or chipotle chicken salad with a handful of pickled red onions.
- Sandwiches: Add them to sandwiches! I love throwing them on this turkey bacon avocado sandwich.
- Burgers: Put them on burgers to make them even better.
- Bowls: Mix them into grain or Buddha bowls.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
