Pickled onions are great quick and easy do with just 4 ingredients. They are such a beautiful color, they are tangy, sweet and crunchy. This flavorful condiment will enhance any dish. Use them on sandwiches, avocado toast, salads, soups, nachos, burgers, tacos, cereal bowls, or just eat them straight from the jar. Yum!
As a vegan recipe author with 2 bestselling cookbooks, I’m often asked what my favorite vegetable is. I always have the same answer: onions! Almost all of my savory recipes call for onions, whether sautéed in garlic, minced raw, or in onion powder form.
Onions can also be the star of the show, like in my Vegan Caramelized Onion Dip, Vegan Caramelized Onion & Mushroom Grilled Cheese Sandwich, or Vegan Sour Cream & Onion Popcorn Dressing. In my Fuss-Free Vegan cookbook, I also have the recipe “To Die For Caramelized Onion Pizza” and “Love Letter French Onion Soup”. In my Fast Easy Cheap Vegan cookbook you will find the recipe for “Cheater Caramelized Onion Pasta”. See? I really like onions.
Pickling onions is another great way to enjoy this superstar vegetable. You will see many restaurants use pickled onions in their dishes because they add such a splash of color and flavor to any dish that you add them too!
The instructions for this pickled onion recipe are super easy, made with just red onion, rice vinegar, water, and salt. Let the onions soak for an hour and they are ready to eat. The acidity of the vinegar mixture helps soften the onions and infuse them with flavor. You can add other seasonings and spices to the pickling liquid to further enhance the flavor. (I included a list of optional spices in the recipe).
I like to use seasoned rice vinegar because I think it tastes the best. If you don’t have seasoned rice vinegar for equal amounts of unseasoned rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or white vinegar, add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of sweetener like agave, maple syrup or white sugar.
This pickled red onion recipe is also a great way to use up leftover red onions that are lying around. Instead of letting half an onion go to waste, simply cut it into slices and pickle it. You can easily halve this recipe to make a mini batch or double it to make multiple jars.
How to make the best pickled onions recipe:
Thinly slice the red onion. You can use a mandolin for this if you like, but I usually use a very sharp knife.
Pack the onion slices in a 16oz/1 quart mason jar (or a few smaller jars). Add any of the optional spices if desired.
In a microwave-safe dish, combine the vinegar, water and salt. Microwave until mixture is hot and steaming, 1 to 2 minutes. Or if you prefer, simmer the mixture on the stove in a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour the vinegar mixture over the onions until the onions are covered, pressing down on the onions if necessary. If the vinegar doesn’t cover the tops of the onions, just add more water. If there’s more room in the jar, feel free to slice some more onion and add it.
Allow the jars to cool then store them in the fridge. Onions will be marinated and ready to eat in 1 hour. They will keep fresh in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Advice: once you’ve eaten all the pickled onions, you can save the remaining brine and use it in sauces and dressings. Or you can use it to make another batch of pickled onions. Strain the pieces, reheat the liquid in the microwave or in a pan on the stove and refill the pot with slices of fresh onion.
These quick pickled red onions are…
- super easy to do
- tangy, sweet and crunchy
- a beautiful garnish to use on so many dishes
- a great idea for a homemade gift
What to serve pickled onions on:
Garnish with homemade hummus
Make homemade bagels and coat them with vegan cream cheese or avocado and top with pickled onions
Heaviest vegan nachos or the healthier version of cauliflower nachos
Layer them in a sandwich with homemade vegan deli slices
Add them to your veggie burger
Layer them over jackfruit tacos or tofu tacos
If you try this recipe, let us know by leaving a comment, rating it and don’t forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Enjoy your food !
Sam Turnbull.
Print recipe
The best homemade pickled onions
Pickled Onions are super quick and easy to make with just 4 ingredients. They are such a beautiful color, they are tangy, sweet and crunchy. This flavorful condiment will enhance any dish. Use them on sandwiches, avocado toast, salads, soups, nachos, burgers, tacos, cereal bowls, or just eat them straight from the jar. Yum!
Servings: 12
calories: 7calories
Ingredients
For the pickled onions:
- 1 big Red onion minced
- 1 cup seasoned rice vinegar (see notes for substitutes)
- 1 cup water
- ½ teaspoon salt
Optional add-ons (choose 1-3 options if desired):
- ¼ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- ¼ teaspoon whole fennel seeds
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 sprig of thyme
- 1 Clove garlic peeled
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Instructions
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Pack the onion slices in a 16oz/1 quart jar (or a few smaller jars). Add any of the optional spices if desired.
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In a microwave-safe dish, combine the vinegar, water and salt. Microwave until mixture is hot and steaming, 1 to 2 minutes. Or if you prefer, simmer the mixture on the stove in a small saucepan. Pour the mixture over the onions until the onions are covered, pressing down on the onions if necessary. If the vinegar doesn’t cover the tops of the onions, just add more water. If there’s more room in the jar, feel free to slice some more onion and add it.
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Allow the jars to cool then store them in the refrigerator. Onions will be marinated and ready to eat in 1 hour. They will keep fresh in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
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Advice: once you’ve eaten all the pickled onions, you can save the remaining brine and use it in sauces and dressings. Or you can use it to make another batch of pickled onions. Strain the pieces, reheat the liquid in the microwave or in a pan on the stove and refill the pot with slices of fresh onion.
Remarks
Substitute for seasoned rice vinegar: if you don’t have a seasoned rice vinegar sub for equal amounts of unseasoned rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or white vinegar, and add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of sweetener like agave, maple syrup or white sugar.
Nutrition
Portion: 1serving (recipe makes 12 servings) | calories: 7calories | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 0.01g | Saturated fat: 0.004g | Polyunsaturated fats: 0.002g | Monounsaturated fat: 0.001g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 14mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 0.2UI | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.03mg