Easy Pickled Red Onions Recipe

Elevate your dishes with these quick-pickled red onions! A vibrant and flavorful substitute for traditional pickles, these onions add a zesty crunch and pop of color to tacos, burgers, salads, sandwiches – you name it! They're surprisingly easy to make and require minimal prep. Simply slice, salt, and let them marinate for at least 2 hours (longer is better!). This recipe uses kosher salt, but you can easily adjust with table salt.

Prep Time 45 mins
Cook Time 120 mins
Calories 74 kcal
Protein 1g
Rating 5.0 (1 Reviews)
Easy Pickled Red Onions 23

Recipe Actions

Share this recipe:

Recipe Author

Chef Forktionary, author of this recipe

Recipe adapted from Food.com. Standardized by Forktionary.

Ingredients for Easy Pickled Red Onions

Cook Smarter with Sous, Your Kitchen Companion

Missing an ingredient for this Easy Pickled Red Onions? Need a perfect wine pairing or a healthy side dish idea? Don't guess—ask Sous! Your AI-powered sous-chef is ready to help you swap ingredients, adjust serving sizes, and discover flavor tips in seconds.

How to Make Easy Pickled Red Onions

  1. Thinly slice 1 large red onion into rings.
  2. Place onion rings in a large bowl and sprinkle generously with 2 tablespoons kosher salt (or 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt).
  3. Gently toss to coat the onions evenly with salt. Let stand for 30 minutes to draw out moisture.
  4. Rinse the onions thoroughly under cold water and drain very well in a colander.
  5. Place the onion rings between several layers of paper towels to absorb excess water. Pat them dry.
  6. In a separate small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar), 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper.
  7. Pour the vinegar mixture over the dried onion rings in the bowl.
  8. Gently toss to ensure all the rings are coated.
  9. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably longer (up to 5 days) for maximum flavor.
  10. Serve and enjoy! These pickled onions will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Nutrition Information (Approximate per serving)

Sodium

58 g

Sugar

60g

Fat

0g

Carbs

6g