Pickled Red Onions Recipes

Three delicious pickled red onion recipes: Classic, with Beets, and Poblano-Shallot version. Perfect acidic complement to BBQ, tacos, sandwiches, and salads.

Share:
Prep Time
10 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Servings
1 jar (about 2 cups)
Difficulty
beginner
#pickles#onions#condiment#quick-pickle#bbq-toppings

Watch the Recipe

Related Posts

Loading post...

📹 Recipe Video

Video • Video

Loading videos...

Choose Your Recipe (3 Variants)

Classic Pickled Red Onions

Simple, versatile recipe that works with everything.

⭐ Recommended

Ingredients - Classic Pickled Red Onions

Recipe yield: 1 jar (about 2 cups)

  • 1 cup (250 ml) Water
  • 1 cup (250 ml) Vinegar(white, apple cider, or red wine)
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) Kosher Salt
  • 3 tbsp (45 ml) Sugar(or sugar substitute (optional))
  • 2 cloves Garlic(smashed)
  • 4 sprigs Thyme
  • 10 Black Peppercorns
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 1 pinch Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 large Red Onion

Classic Pickled Red Onions⭐ Recommended

Simple, versatile recipe that works with everything.

Ingredients (for 1 jar (about 2 cups)):

  • 1 cup Water
  • 1 cup Vinegar (white, apple cider, or red wine)
  • 2 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 3 tbsp Sugar (or sugar substitute (optional))
  • 2 cloves Garlic (smashed)
  • 4 sprigs Thyme
  • Black Peppercorns
  • Bay Leaves
  • 1 pinch Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 large Red Onion

Pickled Red Onions with Beets

Stunning magenta color from beets. Beautiful and delicious.

Ingredients (for 1 jar (about 2 cups)):

  • 1 cup Water
  • 1 cup White Vinegar
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 3 tbsp Sugar
  • 1 small Raw Beet (peeled and sliced)
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • Bay Leaves
  • Black Peppercorns
  • 1 large Red Onion

Recipe Notes: Beets turn the onions a beautiful deep magenta color and add subtle earthy sweetness.

Pickled Red Onions with Poblano & Shallots

Apple cider vinegar base with smoked salt and roasted poblanos for complex flavor.

Ingredients (for 1 jar (about 2 cups)):

  • 2 cups Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 cup Water
  • 3 tsp Smoked Salt (or kosher salt)
  • 3 tbsp Sugar
  • 2 medium Red Onion
  • Shallots
  • Poblano Peppers (roasted and sliced)
  • 4 cloves Garlic
  • Bay Leaves
  • Black Peppercorns

Recipe Notes: Roast poblanos over flame or under broiler until charred, then peel and slice. Smoked salt adds BBQ flavor.

Equipment Needed

  • •Mason jar
  • •Saucepan
  • •Sharp knife
  • •Cutting board

Instructions

9 steps
1

Make the brine

Add vinegar, water, salt, and sugar to pot. Stir and bring to boil, then remove from heat immediately.

Time:5 minutes

Tips

  • •Don't overboil
  • •Stir to dissolve salt and sugar completely
2

Slice the onion

Slice onion pole to pole (root to stem). Cut off stem. Place cut-side down, slice in half through root. Cut off root. Remove papery layers.

Tips

  • •Consistent slices = even pickling
  • •Cut pole-to-pole keeps onions from falling apart
3

Slice uniformly

Place flat-side down, stem at top, root at bottom. Slice from right to left as uniformly as possible. When near the end, flip on side and continue slicing.

Tips

  • •Aim for 1/8 inch slices
  • •Thinner = quicker pickling
  • •Uniform slices look better
4

Pack the jar

Put sliced onions in clean jar. Add chosen aromatics and spices between layers.

Tips

  • •Pack loosely for brine circulation
  • •If using beets, layer them with onions
5

Add aromatics

Add garlic (smashed), bay leaves, thyme, peppercorns, red pepper flakes, and any other chosen seasonings to jar.

Tips

  • •Don't overthink it - experiment!
  • •Make two jars: one classic, one experiment
6

Pour the brine

Pour hot pickling liquid into jar over onions until completely covered.

Tips

  • •Make sure all onions are submerged
  • •Leave 1/4 inch headspace
7

Weight down (if needed)

If onions float, place paper towel on top to keep them submerged.

Tips

  • •Submerged onions pickle evenly
  • •Can use small plate or jar weight instead
8

Cool and refrigerate

Put on lid. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate.

Time:1 hour at room temp

Tips

  • •Can eat immediately
  • •Flavor improves after 24 hours
9

Store and enjoy

Keep refrigerated. Will last 2-3 weeks. Use on BBQ, tacos, sandwiches, salads, hot dogs, burgers - anything!

Tips

  • •Mine never last more than a week
  • •Make fresh batches weekly
  • •Liquid can be reused once

You've completed all 9 steps. Time to eat.

Important Notes

Pickled red onions are endlessly versatile. They add acidity, crunch, and beautiful color to any dish. The basic brine (water, vinegar, salt, sugar) stays the same - feel free to experiment with different spices and additions!

Pro Tips

  • •Make two small jars instead of one large: one classic, one experiment
  • •Try different vinegars: white (sharp), apple cider (mellow), red wine (fruity)
  • •Adjust sweetness to taste - some prefer no sugar
  • •Yellow onions work too, but red onions are prettiest
  • •Add jalapeños for heat
  • •Try different herbs: cilantro stems, oregano, rosemary

Gear for This Recipe

Check out the gear we use and recommend for this recipe.

AccessoriesKnivesTools