Easy Pickled White Onions
Pickled white onions are easy to make and add a pop of flavor to any food it’s served on.
Pickled onions are quickly turning into a must-have staple in my home. The tangy and energetic flavor it adds to tacos, burritos, sandwiches, and salads is incomparable.
I love it as an addition to falafel and tacos while my husband piles it onto his sandwiches.
This post is about how to make pickled white onions.
Easy Pickled White Onions
What do I need to make pickled onions?
To make this recipe, you will need:
- White or Yellow Onion: Either onion will work for this recipe.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar gives the onions a different, slightly sweeter flavor variation to the typical white vinegar.
- Water: Necessary for the vinegar solution.
- Sugar: Counters the acidity to a low degree. Sugar can be substituted for honey or maple syrup.
- Salt: A necessity for pickling and adds to the overall flavor profile.
- Additions: These are totally optional but can add to the flavor profile like:
- whole cloves of garlic
- spices like cumin seeds, whole peppercorns, bay leaf, fennel seeds, caraway seeds, etc.
- fresh herbs
How do I make this recipe?
Start by peeling the onion. Then, thinly slice the onion using a mandoline slicer, if you have one, or a knife.
Note: The thinner the onion slices are, the faster it pickles. For example, very thin slices can be ready to eat just a couple hours after being pickled whereas thicker slices may require to be pickled at least overnight.
Put the onion slices into a jar. In this case, the jar is a 32-ounce jar.
Now it’s time to prep the vinegar solution.
1. & 2. In a medium saucepan, heat the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt over medium-heat. Bring it to a simmer and stir.
3. Let the vinegar solution cool for a few minutes and then pour it over the onions.
4. Push the onion down with a spoon to ensure it’s immersed in the vinegar solution. Set it aside to cool to room temperature. Then put the lid on and store the jar in the refrigerator.
Key tips for pickling onions:
- Slice the onion thinly so the bite is not too overpowering.
- If you want to mellow the ripe and pungent flavor of the onion, consider blanching the onions before adding them to the pickling jar.
- To do this, put the onion slices in a colander and run boiling water over them for a few seconds.
- Alternatively, you can put the onion slices in a strainer and dip them in a pot of boiling water for just a few seconds.
- Let it marinate overnight if possible for best results.
- The thicker the slice of onion, the longer it needs to marinate.
If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:
- Best Pickled Onions Recipe: This recipe uses red onions as opposed to white or yellow onions.
- Spicy Pickled Vegetables
What can I serve pickled onions with?
The options here are vast but here are some ideas:
- Tacos, like this Pan Seared Fish Tacos With Mango Salsa or Fish Stick Tacos For Any Day Of The Week
- Burritos
- Sandwiches
- Pita sandwiches
- Wraps
- Salads
- Heavy soups or curries (to brighten them), like this Red Lentil Curry | Simple Lentil Recipe
- Meaty stews, like this Savory Beef and Peppers Dutch Oven Stew Recipe
- Roasts
- Hamburgers, like this Juicy Stovetop Burger Recipe
- Falafel, like The Tastiest Easy Falafel Recipe
How do I store pickled onions?
Store them in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator. They will keep for up to 3 months.
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🖤 Thank you for visiting and happy pickling! 🙂
This post was about how to make easy pickled white onions.
Easy Pickled White Onions
Equipment
- 1 32 ounce glass jar
Ingredients
- 1 large white or yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- garlic, spices, herbs to taste, optional, see notes
Instructions
- Thinly slice the onion. You may use a mandoline slicer for this or use a knife.Put the sliced onion in a clean glass jar.
- Pour the vinegar and water into a medium saucepan on medium-high heat.Add the salt and sugar and allow the mixture to simmer and dissolve.Take it off the heat and let cool.
- Once the mixture is room temperature, add it to the jar full of onion slices. Put the lid on and refrigerate overnight.The onions are ready when they turn faintly brown and are tender.
- Enjoy on tacos, sandwiches, wraps, salads, stews, soups, and more!
Notes
- White onion: White onion can be substituted for yellow onion.
- Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar can be substituted with red wine vinegar or white vinegar.
- Sugar: Sugar can be substituted for honey or maple syrup.
- Additions: These are optional but can add to the flavor profile like whole clove of garlic, spices like cumin seeds, whole peppercorns, oregano, bay leaf, fennel seeds, caraway seeds, fresh herbs etc.
Key tips for pickling onions:
- Slice the onion thinly so the bite is not too overpowering.
- If you want to mellow the ripe and pungent flavor of the onion, consider blanching the onions before adding them to the pickling jar.
- To do this, put the onion slices in a colander and run boiling water over them for a few seconds.
- Alternatively, you can put the onion slices in a strainer and dip them in a pot of boiling water for a few seconds.
- Let it marinate overnight if possible for best results.
- If you like a thicker slice of onion, marinate it longer.
These were such a nice change up from the red onions I usually make. The apple cider vinegar was key, I think. I added some whole cumin and it turned out great!
That’s great! Thanks for sharing, Emily!