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    Home » Recipes

    Quick Pickled Red Onions

    Published: Aug 7, 2022 · Modified: Jan 16, 2023 by Katelyn | With Sweet Honey · This post may contain affiliate links Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Quick pickled red onions are an easy way to add a pop of flavor to your favorite salad or wrap. I’ll show you a step-by-step guide on how to quickly pickle onions in a few minutes, using only a few ingredients.

    quick pickled red onion slices soaking in brine in a mason jar with a lid

    If you haven’t tried pickled onions before, you are in for a treat. I discovered my love for pickled red onions when it was on a salad I had from a restaurant. These pickled onions are not only a vibrant red color but they’re also so tasty! The tangy and sweet combination of flavor is simply irresistible. 

    pickled red onion slices being lifted from a mason jar using a fork
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients for quick pickled red onions
    • How to pickle red onions
    • Watch How To Make Pickled Onions
    • Tips for quick pickling onions
    • How to serve pickled onions
    • How to store
    • Other Recipes To Try
    • Quick Pickled Red Onions

    Ingredients for quick pickled red onions

    ingredients for quick pickled red onions on a marble table top

    Red Onions: Of course you’ll need a red onion for this recipe but you could also try pickling with yellow onions too! I love the color of red onions and the flavor is a little less onion-y and a bit more sweet and jazzy in my opinion.

    Water: The water and vinegar make the base of the pickling liquid for this recipe.

    Apple Cider Vinegar: We use apple cider vinegar but I’ve also seen recipes using rice vinegar and white vinegar. I prefer to use apple cider vinegar because it’s what I have on hand most of the time and it adds a subtle sweetness.

    Garlic: I recommend adding three smashed cloves of garlic. This is optional but I really love the added flavor the garlic brings to the pickled onions.

    Sea Salt: The salt finishes off the recipe and brings out the flavors.

    Sweetener: I use either maple syrup or honey in this recipe as the sweetener. This tames the zingy flavor of the onions a bit and brings out sweetness.

    slices of red onion on a cutting board with a knife

    How to pickle red onions

    I happily surprised when I discovered that you can quick pickle onions without having to wait days for them to be usable. It’s seriously so easy and quick!

    Step 1 - Place the thinly sliced red onions in a mason jar.

    slices of red onion in a mason jar on a wooden cutting board

    Step 2 -  Heat the water, apple cider vinegar, garlic, salt, and maple syrup in a small saucepan. Bring the vinegar mixture to a simmer.

    brine in a small pot with garlic cloves floating on top

    Step 3 - Remove from heat and immediately pour over the red onions in the jar.

    red onion slices soaking in a brine in a mason jar
    slices of red onion in a mason jar with brine and garlic cloves

    Step 4 - Cover and let the onions sit (completely submerged) until they come back to room temperature. Serve right away or store in the refrigerator covered for up to 2 weeks.

    pickled red onion slices being lifted from a mason jar using a fork

    Watch How To Make Pickled Onions

    Tips for quick pickling onions

    Quick pickling onions is a pretty straightforward process but here are some tips that might be helpful!

    • Get thin slices: An easy way to get uniform thin onion slices is using a Mandoline. I recently got one of these and it’s been a game changer. I think the thin slices of onion makes them more versatile and easy to add to recipes without adding too much onion flavor. 
    • Cover the onions: Make sure that the onions are fully submerged when you pickle them. This will ensure that all parts of the onion slices are softened and pickled properly.

    How to serve pickled onions

    These pickled red onions are great on salads, bowls, sandwiches, wraps, burgers, etc! I also love to use them in Buffalo Chickpea Wraps and they give a delicious tangy flavor to many recipes.

    How to store

    Store pickled onions in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Mason jars make great containers for storing them also.

    Other Recipes To Try

    • Strawberry Spinach Salad with Strawberry Poppy Seed Dressing
    • Easy Buffalo Chickpea Wraps
    • Best Deviled Egg Potato Salad
    • Broccoli Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing

    Did you love this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Please leave a review and rating below so others can find this recipe and we can connect. Thank you so much!

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    This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting With Sweet Honey!

    quick pickled red onion slices soaking in brine in a mason jar with a lid

    Quick Pickled Red Onions

    Quick pickled red onions are an easy way to add a pop of flavor to your favorite salad or wrap. So easy and flavorful!
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Lunch
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: pickled red onions, quick pickled, quick pickling
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 8 servings
    18 Katelyn | With Sweet Honey

    Equipment

    • Mandoline Slicer
    • Mason Jar

    Ingredients

    • 1 red onion thinly sliced
    • ¼ cup water
    • ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
    • 3 garlic cloves smashed
    • 1 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey

    Instructions

    • Place the thinly sliced red onions in a mason jar.
    • Heat the water, apple cider vinegar, garlic, salt, and maple syrup in a small saucepan. Bring the vinegar mixture to a simmer.
    • Remove from heat and immediately pour over the red onions in the jar.
    • Cover and let the onions sit (completely submerged) until they come back to room temperature. Serve right away or store in the refrigerator covered for up to 2 weeks.
    Tried this recipe?Tag @withsweethoney on Instagram!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 18kcal | Carbohydrates: 3.5g | Protein: 0.2g | Sodium: 236mg | Potassium: 46mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 2.2g | Calcium: 9mg
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    Hi, I'm Katelyn! I create gluten-free, dairy-free, and paleo recipes that are easy and delicious. Food should make you feel good, and I hope my recipes inspire you to try something new. Happy cooking!

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