How to Make Pickled Red Onions (and why you should)

These pickled red onions are tangy, sweet, sour, and zesty. They’re the perfect accoutrement for sandwiches, salads, tacos (Mmmm tacos 😋), and ANY type of BBQ! In this post, I’ll show you how to quickly make delicious pickled red onions.

Why You Should Make Pickled Red Onions

Honestly, I’d probably be better off listing the reasons why you shouldn’t make these delicious pickled red onions because I’d be saving myself some time, but that wouldn’t be nearly as fun and definitely wouldn’t be much help 😉 so here goes…

You need to make these pickled red onions because they’re so fast and easy, they go with just about anything, and after trying them, I guarantee you’ll regret not making them sooner (seriously, why are you still reading this and why haven’t scrolled to the recipe yet?)

Why will you regret not making them sooner? 🤔 Simple, once you try them, you’ll quickly realize they’re exactly what so many of your dishes have been missing, without even knowing they were missing anything 🤯. They’re perfect for salads, sandwiches, BBQ, etc.

How Long are Pickled Red Onions Good For?

Pickled red onions will stay good for about three weeks when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Because they’re pickled, they’ll keep for much longer than three weeks however, over time, the onions start to become soft, less sweet, and more bitter.

I recommend eating them within the first week but you can enjoy them as soon as one hour after making them.

What is Pickling?

Pickling is a process used to preserve fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish in an acidic or salty brine. Because we’re not going to cover the entire pickling and canning process, I’m not going to get into the science behind pickling. What’s important to know for this recipe is that the quick pickling process we are using changes the taste of the onions.

Pickled Red Onions Ingredients

• 2 cups of red wine vinegar
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 4 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 red onion, sliced thin

Recipe Notes

• For best taste, I recommend allowing the onions to sit in the brine for at least four hours however, the onions can be consumed after one hour and they’ll still taste delicious.

Equipment Needed for Pickled Red Onions

• 1 small air-tight, microwave-safe container
• 1 small pot

How to Make Pickled Red Onions

1. Place your onions in a small, microwave-safe container.
   
2. In a small pot, combine all ingredients except for the onions and bring to a boil.
   
3. Once the brining liquid has reached a boil, remove it from heat and pour it over the onions.
   
4. Allow your onions to cool to room temperature and then seal the container and place it in the refrigerator. You can use the onions once they are cool, but for better taste, I recommend waiting at least four hours.

How to Use This Pickled Red Onion Recipe

Once you taste these pickled red onions, you’ll want to use them on everything! They go perfectly on salads, sandwiches, BBQ, tacos, etc. I went through an entire batch of these onions just last week when we had some delicious Texas-Style Smoked Brisket for Thanksgiving 🤤

The beauty of Flavor Ratios is that we blend flavor combinations according to OUR own preferences. All recipes you find on this site serve as a guide. Who am I, to limit the amount of cloves you put in your brining liquid? That would be wrong, and honestly, it’d keep me awake at night knowing your pickled onions, or anything you add them to could’ve been better!

Watch How to Make Pickled Red Onions

I love seeing all of your flavorful creations! Don’t hesitate to leave a review or comment and be sure to connect with me on Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube!