This is a small batch recipe that makes about one cup of quick pickled red onions. They take about ten minutes to prep, then need to pickle for about 30 minutes before eating them. You can make them spicy if you want!
This recipe post is a loooong time coming. Quick pickled red onions are one of the only things I truly keep in my refrigerator at all times, and for good reason. They’re easy to make, and they pack a ton of flavor and texture when added on top of tacos, sandwiches, avocado toast, nachos, burgers, or whatever you’re feeling. I actually chop them up and stir them into my Favorite Chicken Salad For Two recipe. Seriously delicious.
While these pickled onions will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks, I still like making a small batch of them so they don’t take up a ton of room. This recipe makes about one cup of pickled red onions, but it may vary a little depending on how big your onion is. You’ll need half of a medium red onion to make these, and once it is thinly sliced, you’ll get about 1 – 1 1/2 cups of sliced onion. Don’t stress about the exact amount, as long as it’s within that range.
This is a great starting recipe for quick-pickled onions, but you can absolutely start to customize them once you feel comfortable making them. Throw in a garlic clove (or two) for a lovely, garlicky flavor – toss in a bay leaf for more depth, or swap out the apple cider vinegar for white vinegar for a different flavor. Here’s what you’ll need for this base recipe:
Ingredients for Quick Pickled Red Onions
- 1/2 Medium Red Onion, thinly sliced (about 1 – 1/2 cups of sliced onion)
- 5 Whole Black Peppercorns
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tbsp. Sugar or Maple Syrup
- 1 tsp. Sea Salt
- 1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper (totally optional)
Ingredient Notes + FAQs
Red Onions can vary in size, but look for one that is a little bigger than a baseball. If you want to use a white onion instead, that totally works! It will still taste great, but it won’t be as colorful. I cut mine into slices using a sharp knife, but you could also use a mandoline for a consistent cut! Just be very careful!
Whole Black Peppercorns add a little spice (not necessarily heat) to these onions. If you’re not into them, or you can’t find them, just leave them out.
Apple Cider Vinegar is just a personal favorite vinegar for pickled onions. White distilled vinegar is a fantastic alternative if you’re not a fan of apple cider vinegar, or if you just happen to have white vinegar on hand.
Sugar is there to add a little sweetener to the onions, but really to balance out the vinegar. You can use maple syrup, agave syrup, or even honey in place of the sugar! I have only tried it with maple syrup, which I recommend. I haven’t tried the agave or honey (yet). Just a heads up. 🙂
Sea Salt is lovely in this recipe. If you have table salt, cut the amount down to 1/2 teaspoon. If you’re working with Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt (which is all I ever really work with), increase the amount to 1 1/2 teaspoons.
Crushed Red Pepper is COMPLETELY optional. If you don’t like spicy stuff, don’t use it! If you really like spicy stuff, increase the amount to fit your taste.
Directions
Step One: Slice the Red Onion. Cut the ends off of the onion (the pointed end and the fuzzy root end). Peel off the outer layer, then cut the onion in half from top to bottom, or from where the pointed top part and the fuzzy bottom part once were. Set one half aside, then use a sharp knife or mandoline to slice one the other half into thin slices, cutting along the natural lines of the onion. Transfer the onion slices to a clean glass jar that is fitted with a lid.
Step Two: Toast the Peppercorns. Heat a small or medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Toss five whole black peppercorns into the pan, and toast for about a minute.
Step Two: Make the Brine. Turn the heat beneath the saucepan down to medium-low. Add 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp. sugar, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper (if using). Bring the liquids to a very gentle simmer, and stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved.
Step Three: Briefly Cool the Liquids. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Let the brine cool for about 3-4 minutes. (If it’s too hot when poured onto the onions, it makes them kind of squishy).
Step Five: Pickle the Onions. Pour the brine into the jar with the sliced onions. Let them rest at room temperature for about thirty minutes (or up to an hour), then use them or store them in the refrigerator.
If you’re like, “this isn’t a quick pickled onion recipe – it still take likes 40 minutes to make”. Well, that’s the nature of pickling literally anything. It doesn’t happen immediately, so in the world of pickling, anything under an hour is definitely considered to be a “quick pickle”. If you want a slower process that doesn’t require heating up the water and vinegar, combine all of the ingredients in the mason jar and refrigerate them for at least a day before eating them.
For a crunchier texture, blanch the sliced onion in boiling water for ten seconds, then drain the water and proceed with this recipe. Blanching the onions helps retain some of their crunch, but that part doesn’t really matter as much to me as the flavor here. But that’s just a heads up if you like them extra crunchy!
If you want to customize this recipe, consider adding any of the following:
- Bay Leaf (dried or fresh)
- Whole Spices: Coriander Seeds, Cumin Seeds, Whole Cloves (about 3-4 seeds, or 1-2 cloves)
- Fresh Herbs: Dill, Thyme, Oregano (a couple tablespoons of any)
How to Store Leftovers
- Store leftover pickled onions in their airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks. (They are best within the first few days though!) If the liquid looks cloudy at all after a couple of weeks, just toss them and make new ones!
What to Eat with Pickled Onions
- Mix them into Chicken Salad
- Pile them onto Blackened Salmon Tacos
- Nestle them into this Peach and Heirloom Tomato Caprese Salad
- Top these Loaded Buffalo Tots with them
If you want to make more than one cup, there is a little slider bar in the recipe card below (near “servings”). Slide that bar to adjust the amount you want to make, and the ingredients will automatically adjust for you.
If you make these pickled red onions and love them, please leave a comment and / or star rating below! You can also share them on Instagram and tag me so we can connect and be *friends*! Also, if you have any questions about the ingredients or how to make it, send me an email so I can help out.
xx Sara
Quick + Easy Pickled Red Onions (Small Batch)
Ingredients
- 1/2 medium Red Onion thinly sliced (about 1 – 1/2 cups of sliced onion)
- 5 Whole Black Peppercorns
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tbsp. Granulated Sugar or Maple Syrup
- 1 tsp. Sea Salt or 1 1/2 tsp. Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
- 1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper optional
Instructions
- Slice the Red Onion. Cut the ends off of the onion (the pointed end and the fuzzy root end). Peel off the outer layer, then cut the onion in half from top to bottom, or from where the pointed top part and the fuzzy bottom part once were. Set one half aside, then use a sharp knife or mandoline to slice one the other half into thin slices, cutting along the natural lines of the onion. Transfer the onion slices to a clean glass jar that is fitted with a lid.
- Toast the Peppercorns. Heat a small or medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Toss 5 Whole Black Peppercorns into the pan, and toast them for about a minute.
- Make the Brine. Turn the heat beneath the saucepan down to medium-low. Add 1/2 cup Water 1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar1 tbsp. Granulated Sugar, 1 tsp. Sea Salt, and 1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper (if using). Bring the liquids to a very gentle simmer, and stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved.
- Briefly Cool the Liquids. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Let the brine cool for about 3-4 minutes.
- Pickle the Onions. Pour the brine into the jar with the sliced onions. Let them rest at room temperature for about thirty minutes (or up to an hour), then use them or store them in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
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Comments & Reviews
Can these be water bath canned?
I haven’t tested it yet, but it should work!
I’ll be trying this today! How long will a batch last refrigerated
Yay! I hope you love them! They’ll last up to three weeks in the refrigerator!