The Best Pickled Red Onions

Pickled red onions, the right way! These take a little longer to rest than many of the quick recipes say, but they’re properly pink and much sweeter. Skip to the recipe →

I see a lot of recipes and guidelines on how to pickle red onions, but the onions pictured are always still white – they should be pink throughout and quick soft. It does take longer than 15 minutes, I’m afraid, but you don’t need to boil anything for this recipe. Just slice the onions, mix in a jar, and set aside for a couple of hours.

Pickled onions last quite some time in the fridge, at least a couple of weeks, so you can make a big batch and use it for a while. Since I have so many recipes that use them, it became worthwhile to have a separate recipe with a how-to guideline for them.

Here are some ways to use your pickled red onions!
Red Lentil Falafel (in a naanwich)
Vegan Cauliflower Tacos
Black Bean Quinoa Burgers
Summer Harvest Vegan Burrito Bowl
Roasted Chickpea Cabbage Salad
Black Bean Rice Burgers
Winter Glow Energy Bowls
A Vegan Mezze
Mexican Vegetable Bowls

Or in anything you think could use a bit more bite or colour. Mexican style pickled onions are my secret weapon during winter, when everything seems to be beige. They’re great with any tacos, bean bowls, sandwiches or wraps, hummus/cheese and crackers, and so on.

Below are the onions pre-pickling – this is what you’ll get if you don’t let them rest. All the white should disappear and they should turn bright pink. (The picture is so much darker because I took it a few hours before the other one!)

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Yield: 1 jar

Pickled Red Onions

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Pickled red onions, the right way! These take a little longer to rest than many of the quick recipes say, but they're properly pink and much sweeter.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Resting Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 small red onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon honey or (coconut) sugar
• 3 tablespoons lime juice, lemon juice, or white wine vinegar

Instructions

1. Place all of the ingredients into a jar or container with a lid. Shake until well mixed.
2. Set aside, preferably in a warm place, for at least two hours. Shake occasionally if you think of it. The onions are ready when they've turned bright pink and are quite tender. Alternatively, place them in the refrigerator immediately and they'll be ready the following day.
3. Refrigerate for up to two weeks in a sealed container.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

20

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 4 Sodium: 27mg Carbohydrates: 1g

This data is provided by a calculator and is a rough estimation of the nutritional information in this recipe.