For years I’ve been enjoying Pickled Red Onions on various dishes in multiple restaurants and absolutely loved the flavor they added. About six months ago I finally started making my own Pickled Red Onions and they did not disappoint. With 5 ingredients and less than 10 minutes to make, they’ve quickly become a refrigerator staple in our house and my husband gets excited (literally) when he sees them on the refrigerator shelf (“Ooooo! You made the onions!”).
Pickling is a concept that I think comes across as a challenge; something that will be time-consuming for the average home chef. It certainly slowed me down in giving this a try. However, I’ve come to realize as with most things pickling comes in all shapes, sizes, and durations according to what you’re trying to accomplish. The thing that remains true across all pickling concepts is that there is always a mix of sugar and vinegar – the sweet and tart combination that creates the pickling effect.
For these Pickled Red Onions, I use granulated sugar and white vinegar (the standard vinegar you can find anywhere) with a little bit of salt and water to make the pickling liquid. I recommend combining all of the ingredients in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat to allow the sugar to dissolve and be fully incorporated. From there, the rest couldn’t be easier. Simply pour the pickling liquid over the sliced red onions and let them pickle in the refrigerator for at least one hour before enjoying. The entire process takes about 10 minutes… and I know we can all find 10 minutes for something delicious!
Try making a batch of these Pickled Red Onions and you won’t be sorry. They are great to up the ante on any salad, on top of avocado toast, as a garnish to a deviled egg, or to a sandwich. They also can make a fun hostess gift for the next dinner party you attend; your friends will be very impressed and will love how beautiful they are with their pink, rosy color.
Once you start making Pickled Red Onions, you definitely won’t stop.
Pickled Red Onions
Ingredients
- 1 Small Onion, halved then thinly sliced
- 1 C White Vinegar
- 1 C Water
- 1/4 C Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Salt
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Heat over medium heat stirring frequently until the sugar and salt are dissolved. This will take about 5 minutes.
- Once the sugar and salt have fully dissolved, turn off the heat and let cool slightly for 5 minutes.
- While the pickling liquid is cooling, half the red onion and thinly slice into half-moon shapes. Add them to an air-tight, glass container such as a mason jar or refrigerator storage container.
- Pour the slightly cooled pickling liquid over the top of the onions until just covered; they do not need to be fully submerged.
- Cover, store in the refrigerator for one hour before serving.
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