Quick Pickled Red Onions
Bright, tangy, and ready in 48 hours—these refrigerator pickled onions add zip to everything from tacos to toast.
Ingredients
- - 3 medium red onions halved and thinly sliced
- - 1 small red beet julienned (optional, for color)
- - 1 cup water
- - 1 cup apple-cider vinegar
- - 4 Tbsp sugar **or** maple syrup
- - 2 tsp kosher salt
- - 1 tsp cumin seeds optional
- - 1 tsp mustard seeds optional
- - 1 tsp coriander seeds optional
Instructions
- Slice onions (and beet) very thinly, then pack tightly into a sterilized 1-quart jar.
- In a saucepan, combine water, vinegar, salt, sugar/maple syrup, and optional spices; bring to a rolling boil and stir until dissolved.
- Pour hot brine over the onions to fully cover; tap jar to remove air bubbles and top off with extra brine if needed.
- Seal jar, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 48 hours before serving.
- Store in fridge up to 2 months. Use clean utensils to keep brine clear.
Notes
- For a milder flavor, taste at 24 hours; for full tang and color, wait 48 hours.
- Substitute white or yellow onions (color will be paler).
- Once onions are gone, use leftover brine to make pickled eggs: add peeled hard-boiled eggs and chill 24–48 hours.
- Substitute white or yellow onions (color will be paler).
- Once onions are gone, use leftover brine to make pickled eggs: add peeled hard-boiled eggs and chill 24–48 hours.