Best Pickled Onions Recipe
The best pickled onions recipe turns an ordinary onion into a tangy, zesty, robust version of its original self.
Servings 8
Equipment
- 1 32 ounce glass jar
Ingredients
- 1-2 red onions thinly sliced
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- garlic, spices, herbs to taste, optional
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 pink and are tender (refer to the photo in the blog post).
- Enjoy on tacos, sandwiches, wraps, salads, stews, soups, and more!
Notes
Substitutions:
- Red onion: Red onion can be substituted for white or yellow onion.
- Vinegar: White vinegar can be substituted with red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Sugar: Sugar can be substituted for honey, maple syrup or even a few slices of cooked beets.
- 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.