Pickled Onions

Pickled Onions are a quick and easy homemade condiment made with thinly sliced red onions and a simple sweet and tangy vinegar brine. This easy pickled onions recipe is perfect for tacos, sandwiches, burgers, pulled pork, salads, chicken, and more, and the onions turn a gorgeous bright pink as they chill overnight in the refrigerator.

If you’ve never made homemade Pickled Onions, you’re in for a treat. They are one of those ridiculously simple condiments that can completely change a meal with very little work.

I LOVE pickled onions and put them on all sorts of things. I had them years ago and have been a little addicted ever since. Thankfully, learning how to make pickled onions at home couldn’t be much easier.

For this quick pickled onion recipe, thinly sliced red onions go into a quart mason jar. A hot brine made with water, white vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper gets poured over the onions, then everything goes into the refrigerator overnight. That’s about it!

The vinegar gives the onions plenty of tang, while the sugar adds just enough sweetness to balance everything out. The onions soften slightly but still have a little crunch, and red onions gradually turn a gorgeous bright pink. They’re sweet, tangy, crunchy, and SO good.

This recipe is specifically for refrigerator Pickled Onions, so there’s no complicated canning process involved. Make a jar, keep it cold in the fridge, and pull out a few onions whenever your sandwich, taco, salad, or burger needs a quick flavor boost.

What I Love About This Recipe

• They’re incredibly quick and easy to make. The onions only take about 10 minutes to prep, and the brine needs about 5 minutes on the stove. The hardest part is waiting overnight for them to chill. Once you know how to pickle onions, you’ll probably start keeping a jar in your refrigerator on a regular basis.
• The flavor goes with SO many foods. These sweet and tangy onions are delicious on Mexican-inspired tacos, burgers, sandwiches, BBQ pork, chicken, salads, gyros, hot dogs, and more. You can even chop them into a quick relish or add them to dips and appetizers. They’re an easy way to wake up leftovers too.
• You only need six simple ingredients. Red onion, water, white vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper are all you need for the basic recipe. No fancy pickling spice or special equipment required. Once you’ve tried the original version, you can experiment with garlic, jalapeño, lime, or other spices and vinegars.
• That color is hard to beat. As the red onions sit in the acidic vinegar brine, they turn a beautiful bright pink. They add instant color to tacos, sandwiches, salads, and appetizers. Pretty AND delicious is always a win in my book.
• They’re easy to customize. Start with this simple Pickled Red Onion recipe, then play around with the flavors the next time. Apple cider vinegar, different spices, jalapeño, garlic, or other types of onions can give you all kinds of fun variations. Just remember that changing the vinegar or other major ingredients can change the final flavor.

What Are Pickled Onions?

So what exactly ARE pickled onions? Pickled onions are onions that have been soaked in an acidic pickling liquid, generally made with vinegar and often water, sugar, salt, and various herbs or spices.

There are LOTS of different types of pickled onions. You can pickle red onions, white onions, yellow onions, sweet Vidalia onions, or small whole onions. They can be left whole, chopped, quartered, or thinly sliced. Depending on the recipe, you may also see ingredients such as garlic, jalapeno, peppercorns, herbs, pickling spice, lime, or other seasonings.

Some recipes are sweet. Some are spicy. Some are more sour. This particular Pickled Onions recipe uses thinly sliced red onions and a simple sweet-and-sour brine.

The result is a slightly sweet and tangy onion that still has some crisp texture. They don’t really taste like cucumber pickles unless, of course, you start adding the types of spices traditionally associated with pickles.

What Do Pickled Onions Taste Like?

These Pickled Onions have a combination of sweet, sour, salty, and tangy flavors. The vinegar provides the acidity, while the granulated sugar helps balance that sharpness. Salt seasons the onions, and a small amount of black pepper adds a little extra flavor.

They’re still onions, of course, but the pickling process changes that sharp raw-onion bite. They also retain some crunch, especially when the onions are thinly sliced but not paper thin.

If you like them hotter or spicier, you can experiment with jalapeño, hot peppers, red pepper flakes, or other spices.

Uses for Pickled Onions and Serving Suggestions

Once you have a big mason jar of homemade Pickled Onions in your refrigerator, you’ll start finding excuses to put them on EVERYTHING.

• Tacos – Delicious on fish, shrimp, chicken, beef, and pork tacos, as well as all sorts of Mexican-inspired dishes.
• Sandwiches – Add them to deli sandwiches, chicken sandwiches, pulled pork, grilled cheese, and more.
• Burgers and Hot Dogs – My kids love them on burgers, and they’re a fun alternative to traditional onion or relish.
• BBQ and Pork – That vinegar tang is especially good with rich pulled pork and BBQ sandwiches.
• Salads – Toss them onto green salads, grain bowls, chopped salads, or hearty chicken salads.
• Gyros – So good with chicken or traditional gyros, feta, and tzatziki.
• Pasta Salad – Chop the onions and mix them into your favorite cold pasta salad.
• Eggs – I love chopped Pickled Onions in omelettes and other egg dishes. Maybe a little crazy, but SO good!
• Appetizers and Dips – Chop them and add to dips or sprinkle over appetizers for color and tang.
• Relish – Finely chop the onions and use them almost like a quick homemade onion relish.

Equipment You May Need

• Quart Mason Jar – A quart-size mason jar is just about perfect for this recipe. You can use another container, but I prefer glass rather than plastic.
• Small Saucepan – You’ll need a small pan to heat the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper.
• Sharp Knife – A good sharp knife makes it much easier to get thin, fairly even onion slices.
• Cutting Board – Use a sturdy cutting board for peeling, quartering, and slicing the red onions.
• Whisk – Helpful for mixing the pickling brine while it heats.
• Measuring Cups and Spoons – You’ll need these for the brine ingredients, although there’s no need to get too fussy when measuring the onions themselves.

Pickled Onions Ingredients

One of the best things about this easy Pickled Onion recipe is the short ingredient list.

• Red Onion – You’ll need about 3 cups of peeled, quartered, and thinly sliced red onion. You really don’t need to measure it precisely. Just fill a quart mason jar to the top without overly stuffing the onions.
• Water – Makes up the largest portion of the pickling brine and helps dilute the vinegar.
• White Vinegar – Gives these homemade pickled onions their tangy flavor. White vinegar is what I use, but you can experiment with other vinegars.
• Granulated Sugar – Balances the acidity of the vinegar and gives the onions a lightly sweet flavor.
• Salt – Seasons the onions and brine.
• Black Pepper – Just a little adds another layer of flavor without making the onions particularly spicy.

How to Make Pickled Onions

Step One: Fill the Jar
Place the quartered and thinly sliced red onion into a quart mason jar or another container. I prefer glass. Fill the jar without overly stuffing the onions.

Step Two: Make the Pickling Brine
Whisk together the water, white vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil.

Step Three: Pickle the Onions
Carefully pour the hot liquid over the onions until the liquid reaches just below the top of the jar. Discard any leftover liquid. Cool the onions slightly, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

(Full printable recipe card with full details is at bottom of post.)

Pickled Onion Flavor Variations

Once you’ve made the basic recipe, there are LOTS of ways to play around with it.

• For spicy Pickled Onions, try jalapeño, red pepper flakes, or another hot pepper.
• For garlic Pickled Onions, add fresh sliced or crushed garlic to the jar.
• For an apple cider version, experiment with apple cider vinegar in place of the white vinegar.
• For Mexican-inspired Pickled Onions, experiment with jalapeño and lime flavors.
• You could also add your favorite herbs, whole spices, or pickling spices.

I’d still recommend starting with the original simple recipe first. It’s much easier to tweak a recipe when you know what the starting point tastes like.

Quick Tips for the Best Pickled Onions

• Start with red onions. They have great flavor and turn a beautiful bright pink in the brine.
• Slice the onions thinly. Thin slices pickle nicely and are easy to use as a condiment.
• Don’t overstuff the jar. Fill it to the top, but leave enough room for the brine to surround the onions.
• Use hot brine. Make sure the vinegar, water, and sugar mixture is hot when you pour it over the onions.
• Make sure the onions are covered. Pour in enough hot liquid to reach just below the top of the jar.
• Use glass if possible. I like a quart mason jar or another glass container.
• Give them time. Although there are faster pickling methods, this recipe is designed to chill overnight.
• Keep them refrigerated. This is a refrigerator recipe, not a shelf-stable canning recipe.
• Make the original before experimenting. Once you’ve tried the basic recipe, start playing with different vinegars, spices, garlic, or peppers.

Pickled Onions FAQ

How should I store Pickled Onions?
Keep them covered in their jar or glass container in the refrigerator. This is a refrigerator pickling recipe and isn’t intended for pantry storage.

How long do pickled onions last?
Pickled onions should last about 2-3 weeks if well covered in the refrigerator.

Can I use white onions instead of red onions?
You can experiment with white onions or other varieties. However, the flavor will be a little different, and white onions obviously won’t develop the beautiful pink color you get from red onions.

Can I use apple cider vinegar?
I like to use white vinegar, but you can experiment with your favorite vinegars, including apple cider vinegar. Different vinegars will change the flavor of the finished onions, so I’d suggest trying the original first.

Can I make spicy Pickled Onions?
Sure! Try experimenting with sliced jalapeño, red pepper flakes, hot peppers, peppercorns, or your favorite spice. Garlic would also be a great addition.

Can I reduce the sugar?
The recipe uses 1/4 cup granulated sugar, which helps balance the acidity of the vinegar. I haven’t tested the recipe with less sugar, so reducing it will change the flavor and possibly other characteristics of the finished onions.

Can I can these Pickled Onions?
This recipe was not developed or tested for shelf-stable home canning. If you’d like to can onions for pantry storage, use a recipe and process specifically tested for safe home canning.

Why did my red onions turn pink?
That’s normal and one of my favorite things about Pickled Red Onions! As the red onion sits in the acidic vinegar brine, its color changes and creates those gorgeous bright pink slices.

Can I make this vegan/vegetarian/low carb/gluten-free?
Here are some suggestions, but I can’t guarantee results. Be sure as always to check particular brands and ingredients if you’re following a specific diet or have diet restrictions or allergies.

Vegan – These pickled onions are vegan

Vegetarian – The recipe is vegetarian.

Low-Carb – You can try reducing the sugar or using a sugar substitute.

Gluten-Free – These pickled red onions are gluten-free.

Other Recipes You May Enjoy

• Overnight Homemade Pickles – An easy refrigerator pickle recipe that’s perfect if you’re ready to keep the pickling party going.
• Spicy Pickles – Homemade refrigerator pickles with a little extra heat.
• Refrigerator Italian Pickles – An Italian-inspired variation packed with flavor.
• Garlic Pickles – An easy overnight refrigerator dill pickle recipe for serious garlic fans.
• Sweet & Spicy Pickles – A little sweet, a little hot, and delicious on sandwiches, burgers, or straight from the jar.
• Mustard Pickles – Easy refrigerator pickles with mustard, turmeric, celery seed, and plenty of tangy flavor.
• Japanese Pickles – A quick rice vinegar version that’s great as a snack or condiment.

Quick video my son Jordan made showing how to pickle onions…

What do you think? Ready to make these quick and easy homemade pickled red onions? Once you learn how to make Pickled Onions, don’t be surprised if you start keeping a jar in your fridge all the time.