Want to add big flavor to salads, tacos, and more? This quick pickled red onions recipe is so easy and takes only 5 minutes of hands-on time!

A bright pink jar of quick pickled red onions is kitchen gold, really. This tangy topping brings a sweet tart pop of flavor to tacos, salads, sandwiches, enchiladas: you name it! They’re our favorite chili topping and they make a loaded baked potato taste like a dream. The best part is that you can whip up a batch in just over 30 minutes with just 4 ingredients. As home cooking experts, this is one of our top tips for taking your recipes to the next level!

What is quick pickling?

Quick pickles, also known as refrigerator pickles, are vegetables that have been marinated in a mixture of vinegar, salt, sugar, and water. They don’t require canning, so they’re not shelf stable like canned pickles. Instead, you can store quick pickles refrigerated, where they can last for up to 1 month.

This pickled red onion recipe makes quick pickles, so there’s no special canning equipment required. All you need is about 2 minutes to slice the onion, then you’ll wait 30 minutes for the pickling brine to work its magic.

Ingredients for quick pickled red onions

Here at A Couple Cooks, we discovered quick pickled red onions early on in our cooking journey and haven’t looked back. Their sweet tart flavor and bright pink color make the perfect topping for sandwiches, tacos, bowl meals, and anything that needs a little pizzazz. You’ll need just a short list of ingredients to make a jar you can store in the refrigerator for weeks. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Red onion: This method works with white and yellow onions as well, but red onion has the best bright pink color.
• White vinegar: In our opinion, white vinegar has the best straightforward flavor for a pickled red onion. Another option is apple cider vinegar.
• Granulated sugar: Sugar is essential to any pickle recipe to make the tangy flavor. These pickled red onions aren’t very sweet, but the sugar balances out the salt.
• Kosher salt: Salt is the other essential ingredient for pickles, which seasons the vegetables and inhibits the growth of bacteria.

How to make pickled red onions

These quick pickled red onions take only 5 minutes of hands on time, so it’s not difficult to make time for whipping up a jar.

• First, slice a red onion as thin as possible. We like to use a French cut the onion, which is cutting parallel to the top and root end. You can also use a mandoline if preferred to make incredibly thin slices.
• In a small saucepan over high heat, add ¾ cup each white vinegar and water, ¼ cup granulated sugar, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Whisk until it dissolves, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Place the onions in a jar and pour the brine over the top. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.
• Transfer to the refrigerator for storage.

Storage info

How long do homemade quick pickled red onions last? In a sealed container, pickled red onions last up to 1 month refrigerated. Because they are not canned pickles, they are not shelf-stable.

Ways to serve pickled red onions

This pickled red onions recipe adds a tangy sweet pop of flavor to so many types of foods! Here are our top ways to serve them:

• Use them as a taco topping. Try them on Shrimp Tacos, Salmon Tacos, Quinoa Tacos, or Black Bean Tacos.
• Use them as a chili topping. Add a handful to Vegetarian Chili, Vegan Chili or Quick Chili.
• Add them to baked potatoes. Make them to top Loaded Baked Potatoes or Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.
• Throw them on a pizza. Try them on a Loaded Mexican Pizza.
• Add them to a salad. They’re great on a Kale Caesar Salad.
• Put them on power bowls. Add them to Easy Power Bowls, Mediterranean Bowls, or Salmon Rice Crunch Bowl.
• Sprinkle over roasted vegetables. Try them on Best Roasted Vegetables, Roasted Sweet Potatoes or Roasted Butternut Squash.
• Add them on a sandwich. Add some to make a pop on an Egg Salad Sandwich or Tuna Salad Sandwich.

More pickle recipes

You can pickle just about any vegetable! Here are some of our favorite homemade pickles recipes:

• Try Easy Pickled Peppers, Pickled Jalapeños or Pickled Banana Peppers
• Go for Easy Pickled Carrots or Pickled Green Beans
• Make classic Dill Pickles
• Opt for Pickled Watermelon Rind or Pickled Zucchini
• Try Pickled Cauliflower or Quick Pickled Radishes

01

Easy Pickled Peppers

02

Easy Pickled Carrots

03

Pickled Green Beans

04

Quick Pickled Radishes

This pickled red onions recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

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