Homemade pickled onions take 30 minutes to prepare and will last for weeks. They are magical on pizza, sandwiches, salads, tacos, nachos, and should make a regular appearance on cheese boards everywhere.
Quick Pickled Onions
Raw onions are NOT my jam. Their flavor is much too strong and pungent, and biting. Plus, they make me cry.
And yet, somehow letting them soak for a few minutes in vinegar transforms them into something I want to add to everything. Pickling onions mellows the sharp flavor of raw onions and turns them into something tangy and slightly sweet. Add them to...
- Pizza! Most recently, I've added pickled onions to BBQ Fried Chicken Pizza and, lemme tell you, they make that pizza sing. But honestly, I can't think of a pizza that wouldn't be made better with a few pickled onions scattered over the top along with the other toppings.
- Hamburgers. Do I want raw onion slices on the top of my burger? No way. Do I want a few pickled onions? Yes, please.
- Sandwiches. Really, any kind of sandwich can benefit from a few slices of pickled onions. Cold cut sandwiches are a given, but a few of my other favorites include Chicken Salad, BLT's, Grilled Cheese, and BBQ Beef Grilled Cheese.
- Salads. In my opinion, the point of a salad is to pack it with as many bright, fresh flavors as possible. Every bite should be an exciting combination of flavors and textures. Down with boring salads! Hooray for platefuls of bright colors and exciting flavors! Adding a few pickled onions to any salad is a good idea. But, if you are facing a plateful of nothing but lettuce, simply adding a few pickled onions will do wonders.
- Soups! Topping bowls of creamy black bean soup with some pickled onions is one of the best things in the world. I also love to serve pickled onions with this ridiculously quick and easy rotisserie chicken soup and chicken tortilla soup.
- Sprinkle them over the top of Crispy Corn Tortilla Quesadillas!
- Tacos! Chicken tacos, beef tacos, carnitas tacos, fish tacos, veggie tacos - any kind of tacos will be even better with a few pickled onions.
- Nachos! Nachos are, after all, nothing more than tacos in a different form. Top platefuls of Chimichurri Chicken Nachos, Veggie Black Bean Nachos, and Short Rib Nachos with a few pickled onions to really make them zing. But honestly, all you need is three ingredients for a kick-ass plate of nachos: tortilla chips, melted cheese, and pickled onions.
- Cheese and Crackers, Cheese plates and Charcuterie Boards. We eat cheese and crackers for dinner on the regular around here, and I view those nights as opportunities to rummage around in the refrigerator, pulling out scraps of whatever else might be good on there. Olives, roasted spiced nuts, fresh fruit, pico de gallo, raw veggies, chimichurri sauce, Agrodolce, cured meats and, of course - pickled onions are always a welcome addition.
How Long Do Pickled Onions Last?
Making pickled onions is literally as simple as slicing up an onion, putting it into a jar and pouring in some hot vinegar. The onions will be sufficiently pickled and ready to eat in about 30 minutes, but they'll last in your refrigerator for at least 2 weeks (probably longer).
How To Make Quick Pickled Onions
#1. Slice the onions very, very thinly
For me, this means using the slicing blade in my food processor which makes quick work of the process without causing me to shed an excessive amount of tears.
Peel off the outer skin of the onion and slice off the ends. Cut the onion in half, then in quarters, then feed it to your food processor and let it do the slicing for you. If you're good with a knife, follow the same process of cutting the onion into quarters, and then simply slice each quarter into slivers no bigger than ⅛-inch thick.
#2. Apple Cider Vinegar adds flavor
You can, absolutely, use plain white distilled vinegar to make pickled onions. But, apple cider vinegar adds flavor in addition to acidity. And, any time there is an option to add more flavor, I'm going to take it.
Add apple cider vinegar, salt, and a touch of sugar to a saucepan and heat it just until it starts to simmer. Then simply pour it over the onions and you're done.
#3. Swap out the sugar for any other kind of sweetener
Adding a touch of sweetener really is essential to achieving a balance of flavors in pickled onions. Having said that, you don't need to add much - just a tablespoon and a half will do it. And, you don't have to use granulated sugar. Honey, maple syrup, or agave also work perfectly well.
#4. Make as many pickled onions as you like
Want to pickle a whole bunch of onions at once? Or, only want to pickle enough for a few tacos you plan to eat for dinner tonight? This recipe scales up or down super easily. The measurements don't have to be exact - just make sure to heat enough vinegar to cover the onions completely and you're golden.
#5. Add some extra flavor and spice
This is a very basic recipe for pickled onions and is completely open to interpretation. Toss a few sprigs of fresh herbs into the jar with the onions - fresh thyme and rosemary are my favorite. Add some heat with a teaspoon or two of crushed red pepper or a few slices of jalapeño, Thai red chili, or any other pepper.
Add a smoky flavor, reminiscent of grilled onions, by using smoked sea salt or a few dashes of liquid smoke.
More Delicious Flavor Bomb Recipes:
- Agrodolce {Italian Sweet and Sour Sauce}
- Chimichurri Sauce
- Classic Vinaigrette {with several variations}
- How to Make Homemade Croutons
- Marinated Roasted Bell Peppers
- Pomegranate Vinaigrette
If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, or take a picture and tag it #alittleandalot on Instagram.
📖 Recipe
30-Minute Pickled Red Onions
Homemade pickled onions take 30 minutes to prepare and will last for weeks. They are magical on pizza, sandwiches, salads, tacos, nachos, and should make a regular appearance on cheese boards everywhere.
Ingredients
- 1 large or 2 small red onions - about 1 ¼ lbs (*see note)
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ tablespoon granulated sugar (*See note)
Instructions
- Peel the onion and slice off the ends. Cut it in half, then into quarters. Using a very sharp knife, slice each quarter into pieces that are no thicker than ⅛-inch. Alternativly, feed the onion quarters through the slicing blade of a food processor.
- Pile the sliced onions into a jar or other container.
- Add the cider vinegar, salt, and sugar to a small saucepan and set it over medium-high heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring from time to time, then remove the pan from the heat and pour the liquid over the top of the onions.
- Press the onions down into the liquid. There should be enough to barely cover them. (*See note if the onions are not completely submerged.)
- Let the jar sit out at room temperature, uncovered, for 30 minutes. At this point, they are ready to use. Or, cover the jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- You should have enough liquid to cover the sliced onions. If you don't, and even after pressing the onions down into the liquid in the jar, you have some onions above the liquid, simply boil a bit more vinegar with a pinch of salt and sugar.
- Adding a touch of sweetener really is essential to achieving a balance of flavors in pickled onions. Having said that, you don't need to add much - just a tablespoon and a half will do it. And, you don't have to use granulated sugar. Honey, maple syrup, or agave also work perfectly well.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 47Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 730mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 1gSugar: 6gProtein: 1g
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