Easy Pickled Onions Recipe

You can make a batch of delightful pickled onions faster than you can read this post.  Ready?

If you’re ever hesitant to slice into a fresh onion just to use a single ring for your sandwich, you can now think of that as Step One to keeping a jar of these beauties in your fridge.

Pickled Onions Recipe

(Note:  these instructions are not meant for long term canning.)

In addition to livening up a wide range of Mexican dishes, these pickled onions also come with the side benefit of thoroughly impressing family and friends when you pull that pink jar out of the fridge.  You made those?  They are one of those condiments that for some reason people don’t expect to see in homes.  Yet.  

In a saucepan over medium heat bring 1 cup vinegar, 1/2 cup water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a light boil.   Meanwhile, chop up the rest of the onion.  It only takes about 3/4 of a normal-sized red onion to fill a Mason jar full of pure zip.

Slice a quarter of the onion lengthwise and you’ll end up with half moons that work well for sandwiches and tacos, but of course you are a free chopper so feel free to get creative.

Give them a quick toss so the rings separate from each other and stuff ’em in a Mason jar.  Since we are using vinegar for the pickling a non-reactive container works best, i.e. glass jars for the win.

Pour the vinegar solution into the jar and add a single clove of garlic chopped in half and some cracks of black pepper.

You could also use whole peppercorns.

And now you may be asking, ‘Where’s the sugar?’

Good question!  I’m not a fan of sweetening up pickled goods so I don’t add any sugar to this recipe, similar to our Pickled Jalapenos.  But taste buds vary so one Tablespoon of sugar would be a standard amount for a pint-sized jar of pickled onions if you want to experiment with that.

Let this mixture cool on the counter for a bit, cover, and then store in the fridge overnight.

Tomorrow your mostly white onions will have transformed into some pink delights that will be magnetically attracted to your next lunch.  And dinner.  And breakfast.

Use liberally on tacos, sandwiches, tostadas, or just about anything that needs a final dash of zip.  You can get creative too;  we use our pickled jalapenos on this Chicken and Jalapeno Pizza and you could do something similar with pickled onions.

These will keep in the fridge for at least a few weeks, after which you can joyfully slice into a brand new onion and make a new batch in a matter of minutes.

Buen Provecho.

5 from 1 vote

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Easy Pickled Onions

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Total Time

10 mins

 

Here's an easy recipe for a quick batch of delightful pickled onions. You can use these on sandwiches, tacos, tostadas, or anything that needs a final dash of zip to liven it up.  (Note:  instructions not meant for long term canning.)

Servings: 8 (1 pint)

Calories: 12 kcal

Author: Patrick Calhoun | Mexican Please

Ingredients

• 1 red onion
• 1 cup vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 clove garlic
• freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Bring to a light boil or until all of the salt is dissolved. 

2. Chop up a red onion.  I cut it into quarters and then slice lengthwise.

3. Give the slices a quick toss and then stuff them in a pint-sized glass jar.  Add the vinegar mixture along with 1 garlic clove chopped in half and some freshly ground pepper (or whole peppercorns). 

4. Let cool on counter.  Then cover and store in the refrigerator.

5. The pickled onions will have most of their flavor after a few hours of resting in the brine. 

Recipe Notes

These pickled onions will keep in the fridge for at least a few weeks.

 

I don't add sugar to this recipe, but a standard amount for a pint-sized jar of pickled onions would be one Tablespoon.

 

Apple cider vinegar is also commonly used for pickling and is a viable option here. 

You can use a similar technique to make some Mexican Pickled Carrots.

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