Name: Quick Pickled Red Onion
Prep time: 5 min
Ingredients: ½ cup hot water (120 mL); 1 Tbsp sugar or honey; 1 tsp non-iodized salt; ½ cup apple cider vinegar (120 mL); 1 large red onion (thinly sliced, 1 heaping cup)

Looking for a way to use leftover red onion? This Quick Pickled Red Onion recipe has just 4 ingredients and requires just 5 minutes of hands-on work. Perfect for keeping in the fridge as a taco topper or sandwich stuffer!

A packed pile of quick pickled red onions on a white plate on a white background

After having spent countless trips tasting many different street style tacos around the globe, I could never quite seem to replicate them at home. There was something about them that I absolutely loved but was always missing when it came to making my own. There was some ingredient, some common element…

Finally, it clicked. All of the street style tacos that I loved contained this pink stringy ingredient. After a quick bit of research I came to know that those bright pink strings happened to be pickled onions!

From there, I taught myself how to make them and quickly became hooked. They were popping up on nearly every recipe I made for myself – tacos, sandwiches, salads, and soups. You name it, it probably included pickled red onions.

What is pickling?

But first – what even is pickling? Pickling is the act of preserving a food item’s lifespan through one of two pickling processes.

The first is through anaerobic fermentation in brine. The second method is by immersing the onions in vinegar. It’s a much simpler route and it’s what I use to pickle all of my ingredients, from cucumbers to cabbage!

Two mason jars lying on their sides filled with quick pickled red onions

Here’s what you’ll need

Quick pickled red onions live up to their title. They’re wonderfully fast to whip up, which is thanks in part to their short and sweet list of ingredients! These onions require only a handful of ingredients (that are probably already in your kitchen).

Hot Water: Hot water helps to dissolve the sugar quickly and balance out the acidity of the vinegar.
Sugar: Though the overall flavor of these pickled onions is tart and savory, sugar helps to balance the flavors. Alternatively, you can use honey.
Salt: We will need a dash of salt in our pickling mixture.
Apple Cider Vinegar: We’re using apple cider vinegar here, though white or white wine vinegar also work well.
Red Onion: Finally, you can’t have pickled onions without the onion! We will use one heaping cup of thinly sliced red onion.

A white plate filled with slices of red onions

How to make quick pickled onions

Quick pickled red onions require just 3 steps. From heating the water to jarring the final onions, this recipe is incredibly easy and will provide onions that are perfect for adding to pretty much any meal!

Heat the water: Heat water in either a kettle, the microwave, or on the stove until steaming hot. Stir in the sugar and salt until dissolved, and then stir in the vinegar.
Prepare the onion: Thinly slice the red onion, either with a mandolin slicer (for ultra-thin slices) or by hand (for slightly thicker, crunchier pickled onions).
Combine the ingredients: Add the onions to a lidded non-reactive container (like a glass jar or ceramic vessel; I use a 16oz mason jar). Pour the liquid over the onions so that they’re covered (you may not need all of the liquid). Let cool to room temperature, and then seal shut and transfer to the refrigerator. Let them pickle for at least 30 minutes before digging in!

How to store

Quick pickled onions can be used on a variety of dishes. They taste exceptionally delicious when added to salads, sandwiches, and tacos! When you make this recipe, you’ll have a great stash of pickled onions that you can use for weeks to come.

Be sure to keep your refrigerator pickled onions in a non-reactive sealed dish or jar (such as a mason jar with a screw-on lid). Eat within 2-3 weeks.

Note: This is not a recipe for canned red onions, and therefore these have not been tested for long-term canning storage. Be sure to follow the best USDA canning practices if canning for long-term storage.

Scooping a spoonful of quick pickled red onions from a mason jar

Variations

In the mood to mix things up? Try a variation! For the spicy and garlic lovers alike, we’ve got a way to make these pickled onions your favorite.

Spicy: You can easily achieve spicy pickled onions by adding a pinch of crushed red pepper to your recipe. For best results, add the peppers to the hot water. Red pepper flakes produce the most spiciness when heated!
Garlic: Garlic pickled onions? Yes, please! I like to add a clove of crushed garlic to this recipe for an extra kick.
Vinegar: You can switch up the vinegar used to pickle the onions. Feel free to use white or white wine vinegar for equally delicious results!
No Sugar: Though pickled onions are best with a dash of sweetener, you can omit the sugar if needed.
Mexican Inspired: Make a Mexican-inspired batch of pickled red onions by adding a pinch of cumin, a bay leaf, and a few black peppercorns.

Three tacos, a mason jar of quick pickled red onions, and two lime halves

How to serve pickled onions

Wondering what to serve pickled onions with? Look no further! Try your delicious creation with any of the below recipes. Hint: These onions are especially tasty on tacos, sandwiches, and salads!