Simple One-Hour Pickled Red Onions (Easy Red Onion Recipe!)

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Did You Know You Can Make Pickled Red Onions in One Hour at Home?

And, you probably have all of the ingredients in your pantry already!

These One-Hour Pickled Red Onions are a delicious and simple way to transform your red onions into a tangy topping for your next salad, bagel with lox, or Greek Inspired Sweet Potato Nachos! All you need are a few ingredients that you probably already have tucked away in your pantry, and a red onion! Keep reading to learn about how you can make your own homemade pickled red onions in a pinch.

The Secret to Making Delicious Pickled Red Onions

When it comes to making your own pickled red onions at home, the whole process is pretty simple. There are a few tips and tricks that you should keep in mind when you make your own pickled onions:

How to Cut Your Red Onions the Right Way

When you’re preparing your red onion to be pickled, there is a right way to cut it (believe it or not!). Your onion has two ends – the top end, and the bottom end that I like to call the “core end” because this is where you’ll find leftover pieces of the root where your onion was pulled from the ground. When you cut your onion to be pickled, you’ll first want to cut off the top (non-rooty) end, then place your onion on the flat side that the cut has created, with the root end of the onion sticking up in the air. From there, you’ll want to make a sharp cut down the center core of your onion, splitting it in half.

Once your onion is split in half, turn each side on the large flat side, and cut it so that each set of slices look like little rainbows/half circles, about 1/8 of an inch thick. These slices will pickle easily and make for an easy bite once used to top off your next meal.

How to Add Flavor to Your Pickled Red Onions

Pickled red onions are a delicious topping that’s non-prescriptive when it comes to infusing them with flavor. You can really use whatever spices you prefer to give your red onions your flavor punch of choice. To give your onions a base flavor, you’ll want to dissolve salt and the sugar of your choice into your water and vinegar mixture. From there, add in your favorite spices – I always opt for peppercorns and bay leaves because they add a nice rich zingy flavor to the onions without leaving them to peppery or spicy.

How to Make Pickled Red Onions (Express Version)

Cut and Jar Your Onions

These pickled red onions are SUPER easy to make, and they make a beautiful side dish or serve as a great homemade hostess gift when pickled in a cute jar with a little string around the top! You’ll want to start by cutting your red onion as outlined above so that you have the most optimal slices for pickling. Once your red onions are cut, pack them into a container stuffed all the way to the top! I prefer using a glass jar with a lid, but you can also a deli container or something of the sort for this, as long as it is heat-safe as the next step requires hot water.

Pack your peppercorns and bay leaves into your onion jar and set it aside while you make your brine.

Make Your Pickling Brine

Once your onions and flavorings are tightly packed into your jar, you’ll need to make your brine that will go into the jar and break the onions down into a pickled form. For this step I cheat and use a boiling water spout, but you can also just bring your water to a boil in a small saucepan on the stove. Once your water is boiling, remove it from the heat and add in your vinegar, salt, and coconut sugar, then stir everything together until the salt and sugar have dissolved into the liquid.

Add Your Brine to Your Onions

Pour the hot brine into the jar all the way to the top. Allow your full onion jar to sit on the counter for about 15 minutes, then place the lid on top and put it in the fridge to finish pickling for another 45-minutes to an hour.

After you onions have had time to get to know your brine in the fridge, they’ll appear a bright pink color and will be wilted when you scoop them out and use them. Your pickled red onions will last 2-3 weeks in the fridge – enjoy!

Pickled Red Onions Ingredients:

• Red Onion
• Vinegar (I recommend White Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar)
• Water
• Salt
• Coconut Sugar (you can use regular sugar if you prefer!)
• Peppercorns
• Bay Leaves

How to Make Pickled Red Onions (1-Hour Express Version):

Cut Your Red Onion: Start by cutting the top (non-root side) of your red onion off, then placing the onion down on the fresh flat end that you just created. From there, cut your onion down the middle going right through the core where the roots were. Place the large flat sides of your onion halves down, and cut against the onion’s folds so that you are creating rainbow-shaped slices.

Pack Your Onions: Tightly pack your onion slices into a jar or container with a lid. I prefer to use a glass jar, but any heat-safe container with a lid will work for this step, just make sure the onions are packed all the way to the top. Pack in your peppercorns and bay leaves and set aside while you make your brine.

Make Your Brine: Add your water to a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Cut the heat and stir in your vinegar, salt, and coconut sugar. Mix until everything is combined and the salt and coconut sugar have dissolved.

Brine Your Red Onions: Pour your hot brine over your onions until the liquid has reached the top of your container. Allow the container to sit out on your counter for about 15-minutes, then place your lid over the top and put it into the fridge for 45-minutes to an hour. Your finished onions will be vibrant pink in color and wilted when you scoop them out to use them.

Enjoy!

Tools:

• Jar or container (with lid) – heat safe
• Small saucepan

Recipe for 1-Hour Pickled Red Onions:

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