These flavorful pickled red onions are made with no added sugar. With a prep time of just 15 minutes, they are truly easy to make.
They are so delicious and make an excellent addition to any meat or poultry dish. They will last in the fridge for about a week.
I love pickles. They add so much flavor to almost any meal. Store-bought pickles are okay, but making your own at home is so much fun, and the result is wonderfully flavorful.
These pickled red onions are very easy to make. I make them often because I enjoy their unique flavor. I like them even better than these quick pickles. They enhance almost any meal you can think of.
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Ingredients
You'll only need five ingredients (plus water) to make these pickles. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Red onion: You can use yellow onions instead, but red onions have a milder flavor and are prettier. Here's a look at onion types and how they differ.
- White vinegar: White wine vinegar also works in this recipe.
- Kosher salt: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt.
- Seasonings: Dried bay leaves and whole peppercorns. The bay leaves are non-negotiable! They greatly enhance the flavor of these pickles.
Variations
- You can use different types of vinegar to change the flavor and appearance of these pickles. You can use red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or cider vinegar.
- Sometimes, I add a few peeled garlic cloves to the jar.
- I like adding sliced jalapeno or serrano pepper to the jar for a nice kick. If you go this route, remember to wear gloves when handling hot peppers.
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:
Peel the onion and slice it into thin, ⅛-inch slices. Separate the slices into rings and place them in a jar large enough to accommodate all of them. Make sure you use a glass jar that can withstand hot, near-boiling water.
In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, water, and salt. Add bay leaves and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the salt dissolves. Turn the heat off, remove the saucepan from the heat, and let it rest and cool slightly for about 5 minutes.
Pour the liquid over the onions and press down with a spoon to ensure they are well-covered.
Close the lid tightly and allow the jar to sit at room temperature for 2 hours before serving. Alternatively, you can cool it at room temperature for about 1 hour, then refrigerate until ready to use and up to a week. Serve as a delightful condiment with just about any dish you can think of!
Expert Tip
Letting the onions rest at room temperature for up to 2 hours is fine. But if you keep them longer than that, you should place them in the fridge.
Recipe FAQs
Quick pickling, or vinegar pickling, is a pickling method that involves heating an acidic solution of vinegar, water, and salt and immersing vegetables in the solution.
The acidic solution changes the vegetables' flavor and texture and acts as a preservative. But you still need to keep these pickles in the fridge.
You can add a teaspoon of sugar, but it's unnecessary. Many recipes call for adding sugar - some for lots of it, some just a teaspoon. I don't use any sugar in this recipe, and the onions are absolutely delicious.
Yes! You can use red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or cider vinegar. White vinegar changes the color of red onions and turns them pink, as you can see in the photos, so if you prefer a darker color, red wine vinegar is a good option. Apple cider vinegar might cause the red onions to darken too much, but they will still taste good.
Serving Suggestions
These delicious onions are perfect with almost any meat or chicken dish. Here are a few ideas:
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed glass jar, for about a week. They rarely last that long in our house, though. We go through them quickly since they go well with many dishes.
More Onion Recipes
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Recipe Card
Homemade Pickled Red Onions
Ingredients
- 1 red onion - large
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 ½ cups water
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or 1 teaspoon of any other salt
- 4 dried bay leaves
- 6 whole peppercorns
Instructions
- Peel the onion and slice it into thin, ⅛-inch slices. Separate the slices into rings and place them in a jar large enough to accommodate all of them (a 1-quart jar works well). Make sure you use a glass jar that can withstand hot, near-boiling water.
- In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, and salt. Add the bay leaves and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the salt dissolves. Turn the heat off. Remove the saucepan from heat and allow it to rest and slightly cool for about 5 minutes.
- Pour the liquid over the onions, pressing down on them with a spoon to make sure they are well covered.
- Close the lid tightly and allow the jar to sit at room temperature for 2 hours before serving. Alternatively, you can cool it at room temperature for about 1 hour, then refrigerate until ready to use and up to a week.
- Serve this delightful condiment with any dish you can think of!
Video
Notes
- You can use red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or cider vinegar. White vinegar changes the color of red onions and turns them pink, as you can see in the photos. So if you prefer a darker color, red wine vinegar is a good option. Apple cider vinegar might cause the red onions to darken a bit too much, but they will still taste good.
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed glass jar, for about a week. They rarely last that long in our house, though. Since they go well with so many dishes, we go through them quickly.
Nutrition per Serving
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
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