Pickled Red Onion

Pickled Red Onion is a bright and crunchy addition to many meals. You can make these quickly with just a few basic kitchen staples. They add a fresh acidity to burgers, tacos and salads. These onions will last for a long time in the fridge and develop more colour the longer they sit.
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Photo of the finished dish for the recipe Pickled Red Onion

Good reasons to make pickled red onion

Making pickled red onion at home is much cheaper than buying jars from the shop. You can control the balance of sweetness and salt to suit your own taste. It only takes a few minutes of active work to prepare a batch. Having a jar ready in the fridge makes it easy to upgrade your daily lunches and dinners.

A step-by-step guide to pickled red onion

Step 1
Slice: Peel the red onions and slice them into very thin rings or half moons. Place the sliced onions into a clean glass jar. Make sure the jar is large enough to hold all the onions and the liquid.
Step 2
Simmer: Put the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and peppercorns into a small saucepan. Place it over a medium heat and stir until the sugar and salt have fully dissolved. Bring the mixture to a light simmer then remove it from the heat.
Step 3
Pour: Carefully pour the hot liquid over the onions in the jar. Press the onions down with a spoon to ensure they are completely submerged in the brine. Let the jar sit at room temperature until it has cooled down.
Step 4
Store: Put the lid on the jar and place it in the fridge. The pickled red onion will be ready to eat after about thirty minutes of chilling. They will stay fresh and crunchy for up to two weeks when kept cold.

The best tips for pickled red onion

To get the brightest pink colour, make sure you slice the onions as thinly as possible. You can use a mandoline if you have one to ensure even slices throughout the batch. If you prefer a bit of spice, add a pinch of dried chilli flakes to the vinegar mixture before boiling. Apple cider vinegar is a great alternative if you want a slightly fruitier flavour for your pickled red onion. Always use a clean glass jar to prevent the vinegar from reacting with any metal or plastic. The onions will soften over time, but they usually remain crisp for the first week. Try adding a clove of garlic or a bay leaf for extra depth of flavour.

Make sure the liquid covers the onions completely so they pickle evenly. If you find the vinegar too sharp, you can add an extra spoonful of sugar to the brine.

You can also try these recipes: plaice stuffed with spinach, worcestershire sauce or maguro sushi.

Ingredients

servings
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  • 2 large red onions
  • 200 ml white wine vinegar
  • 100 ml water
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 0.5 teaspoon black peppercorns

Cooking time

Kitchen tools

Nutrition information

NUTRITIONper serving
  • Energy:96 kJ / 23 kcal
  • Fat:0.1 g
  • - of which saturates:0 g
  • Carbohydrates:5.5 g
  • - of which sugars:4.8 g
  • Protein:0.3 g
  • Fibre:0.4 g
  • Salt:625 mg

People also ask

When stored in a sealed glass jar, pickled red onion will stay fresh for about two weeks. The texture is best during the first week when they are still very crunchy.
You can reuse the brine once more if you boil it again and add fresh onions. It is important to ensure the liquid is hot enough to soften the new pickled red onion slices properly.
These onions are perfect for topping beef burgers, fish tacos or avocado toast. You can also toss pickled red onion into a green salad for a quick burst of acidity.
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