Pickled Red Onions

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 fine, 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 very tasty (and also easy to make) quick pickles.

Ingredients

You'll only need five ingredients (plus water) to make these tasty 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.
• White vinegar: White wine vinegar also works in this recipe.
• Kosher salt: If you use fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use by half.
• Seasonings: I use dried bay leaves and whole peppercorns. The bay leaves are nonnegotiable - they greatly enhance the flavor of these pickles.

Variations

• You can use different types of vinegar to alter the flavor and appearance of these pickles. You can use red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or cider vinegar. I tried all of these options and liked them all.
• Sometimes I add a few peeled garlic cloves to the jar.
• I like adding a sliced jalapeno or serrano pepper to the jar for a nice kick. Make sure to wear gloves when handling hot peppers.

Pickled Red Onions Instructions

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

Serving Suggestions

Storing Leftovers

The leftovers keep well 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 pretty quickly since they go so well with so many dishes.

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Recipe Card

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Pickled Red Onions

These pickled red onions are made with no sugar. They are so easy to make, and a wonderful addition to any meat or poultry dish.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Rest time3 hours hrs

Total Time3 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 14kcal

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 large red onion
• ▢ 1 cup white vinegar
• ▢ 1 ½ cups water
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher 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 should work). 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 the 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. With a spoon, press down on the onions 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. Refrigerate the leftovers for up to a week. 

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.

The leftovers keep well in the fridge, in a sealed glass jar, for about a week. They rarely last that long in our house, though. Since they go so well with so many dishes, we go through them pretty quickly.

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Nutrition per Serving

Serving: 0.25recipe | Calories: 14kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Sodium: 281mg

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