Olga's Flavor Factory

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Ebook
  • Olga's Tips
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Ebook
  • Olga's Tips
  • olgasflavorfactory@gmail.com
  • //instagram.com/olgasflavorfactory
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Ebook
  • Olga's Tips
  • olgasflavorfactory@gmail.com
  • //instagram.com/olgasflavorfactory
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
×
Home » Recipe Index » Condiments/Sauces/Fillings

Easy Pickled Red Onions

Published: Mar 12, 2025 by Olga · This post may contain affiliate links

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

Looking to add a pop of flavor to your cooking? You won’t believe how much these Easy Pickled Red Onions can elevate your meals. Add them to everything from avocado toast, Caprese Burrata Salad, Cod Fish Tacos and Chicken Burrito Bowls.

Easy pickled red onions in a glass mason jar.

Pickled red onions are a staple in our fridge—and for good reason. They’re quick, simple to make, and absolutely delicious. If you’ve ever loved onions but found their raw bite a bit too sharp, pickling them is the perfect solution. Even people who can't stand raw onions end up loving these! It takes just five minutes to prep these vibrant, tangy onions, and the results are nothing short of irresistible. From Loaded Nachos and Beef Fajitas to Tomato Avocado Salad and even Easy Tuna Salad sandwiches, these pickled red onions add a burst of flavor to almost anything. Once you try these, you'll be reaching for them all week to add them to your meals.

Jump to:
  • Why You'll Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients
  • How To Make Pickled Red Onions
  • Serving and Storing
  • Helpful Tips
  • What To Serve With Pickled Onions
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • More Recipes You May Enjoy
  • Easy Pickled Red Onions

Why You'll Love This Recipe

  • Quick & Easy to Make: Just five minutes to prep. Super easy and no complicated steps required.
  • No Raw Onion Bite: The pickling process softens the sharpness and bite of the onion, leaving a sweet, tangy flavor that’s perfect for even onion skeptics.
  • Versatile & Flavorful: Great on everything from tacos to salads, sandwiches, and even avocado toast.
  • Meal Prep Friendly: Prepare in advance and store in the fridge for at least a week—always ready to add extra flavor to your meals.

Ingredients

Ingredients for easy pickled red onions on a marble counter.
  • Red Onions: Any red onion works, but I prefer smaller ones. They tend to have a more vibrant purple color once pickled, making them even more visually appealing.
  • Red Wine Vinegar: The tangy flavor of red wine vinegar pairs beautifully with the sweetness of the red onions. It enhances both the color and taste, creating the perfect balance.
  • Sugar: I like to use raw sugar for a more natural sweetness, but granulated sugar works just as well if that’s what you have on hand.

The complete list of ingredients and their exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

How To Make Pickled Red Onions

Making the brine in a small saucepan for pickled red onions.

Step 1: Prepare the Brine. In a small saucepan, combine the water, red wine vinegar, sugar, and salt. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Once dissolved, remove from heat.

Sliced red onions on a cutting board.

Step 2: Meanwhile, prep the onions. Slice the onions in half, then into thin slices.

Sliced red onions in a glass mason jars.

Step 3: Pack the Jar. Place the sliced red onions into a glass mason jar. Using a mason jar makes it easy to store and serve the onions later.

Step 4: Pour the Brine. Pour the hot brine over the onions in the jar, ensuring the onions are fully submerged. Let the pickled onions cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

The pickled onions will be ready in about 30 minutes but are even better after a few hours or overnight. Refrigerate.

Serving and Storing

Serving: Let the pickled onions cool to room temperature for about 1 hour so the flavors can come together. They’ll be ready to eat in about 30 minutes but will still be warm.

For the best taste, try making them at least an hour ahead of time, or even a few hours or overnight, so they have time to cool and develop flavor.

Storing: Pickled onions can be stored in an airtight container (a glass mason jar works great) in the fridge for at least 1 week—this is when they’re at their best—and up to 2 weeks.

Easy pickled red onions in a glass mason jar on the counter.

Helpful Tips

  • Add Extra Flavor: Enhance your pickled onions by adding spices like peppercorns, pickling spice, garlic, or a bay leaf to the brine. These additions bring even more depth and complexity to the flavor.
  • Try Shallots: For a milder, sweeter taste, you can swap the red onions for shallots. They pickle beautifully and offer a slightly different flavor profile.
  • Convenient Storage: Using a mason jar to pickle your onions is not only convenient for storage but also makes it easy to refrigerate and serve directly from the jar.

What To Serve With Pickled Onions

Serve the pickled red onions in a whole variety of ways! They are one of the best toppings to add to just about anything. One of the most common way we enjoy them in our family is on avocado toast and tons of other sandwiches.

Avocado toast with pickled red onions and microgreens on a plate.

They are wonderful on this absolutely best cheeseburger recipe and even to something simple like the easy tuna salad sandwich.

The absolute best way to serve them is on cod fish tacos. We make them for every family reunion and the pickled onions are always a hit.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do pickled red onions last in the fridge?

Pickled red onions can last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1-2 weeks.

Can I use a different type of vinegar to make these easy pickled red onions?

Yes! You can substitute the red wine vinegar with white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, but it will change the flavor and color.

How soon can I eat pickled red onions?

Pickled red onions can be eaten as soon as 30 minutes after cooling, but they taste even better if you let them sit for a few hours or overnight to let the flavors fully develop.

Do I need to refrigerate the easy pickled red onions?

Yes, pickled red onions should always be stored in the refrigerator to maintain their freshness and flavor.

Why are my pickled onions not as vibrant as I hoped?

Smaller red onions tend to produce the most vivid purple color once pickled. Also, the freshness of the onions can affect the color, so be sure to use fresh, firm onions for the best result. The red wine vinegar also plays a big role in the color, so if you use another vinegar, it will have a different color.

More Recipes You May Enjoy

  • Easy Tomato Onion Sauce
  • Dill Pickle Spears
  • Lecho - Bell Pepper, Tomato and Onion Stew
  • Homemade Tomato Vegetable Juice

If you tried this Easy Pickled Red Onions recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating or a comment below. I love hearing from you!

Easy Pickled Red Onions

Olga Klyuchits
Tangy, sweet, and quick to make—these easy pickled red onions will become your go-to topping for so many things. The pickling process removes the sharp bite from the onions.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 2 minutes mins
Course Side Dish, condiment
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 2 red onions small-medium size
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 ½ cups red wine vinegar
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Start by making the pickling brine first. In a small saucepan, combine the water, red wine vinegar, sugar, and salt. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally, until the sugar and salt dissolve completely.
  • Slice your red onions and pack them into a glass mason jar. The size of the onions will determine how much you can fit in, but don't worry—once the brine is added, the onions will shrink a little.
  • Pour the hot brine over the onions, making sure they are fully covered by the liquid.
  • Allow the pickled onions to sit at room temperature for about 1 hour, letting the flavors combine.
  • Once cooled, cover the jar and store it in the refrigerator. The pickled onions will be ready to eat in about 30 minutes, but they taste better once they are completely cold and get an even better flavor after a few hours or overnight.

Video

Notes

  • Mason Jar Size: A 4-cup glass mason jar works perfectly for this recipe. Feel free to adjust the onion quantity to fit the size of your jar. The onions will shrink slightly once the brine is added, so pack them tightly.
  • Vinegar Substitution: You can swap red wine vinegar for apple cider vinegar or white vinegar, though it will change the flavor and color.
  • Flavor Variations: Add extra spices like peppercorns, garlic, or a bay leaf to the brine for extra flavor.
  • Storage: Pickled onions can be stored in an airtight container (a glass mason jar works great) in the fridge for at least 1 week—this is when they’re at their best—and up to 2 weeks.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

Related

More Condiments/Sauces/Fillings

  • How to Grill Lamb Chops (Chimichurri Sauce)
  • Homemade Poppy Seed Filling
  • Instant Pot Dulce de Leche
  • Flavored Butter

Comments

  1. E. Richard Osterhout says

    March 14, 2025 at 4:27 am

    5 stars
    Olga, I have made many of your recipes and have each one of to be fantastic. ( Cod, porcupines meatball, chicken/potatoes, ) We especially like the Belarusian recipes.

    Reply
    • Olga says

      March 20, 2025 at 1:15 pm

      Thank you so much, Richard! I appreciate you taking the time to write. So glad you're enjoying the recipes.

      Reply
  2. Tanya says

    March 13, 2025 at 8:15 pm

    5 stars
    So delicious! I always have some on hand to level up anything and add that pop of color!!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Olga in the kitchen

Welcome!

Hello. I’m Olga, the creator and photographer of the recipes that you see here. Welcome to my online kitchen, where I share step by step recipes and kitchen tips, to make homemade cooking easier, practical, and of course, more flavorful.

More about me

Get Weekly Menu Ideas, Recipes, Kitchen Hacks:

Join thousands of others to get my best cooking and meal prep tips plus handpicked seasonal menu ideas in your email.

Olga's Flavor Factory ebooks bundle
Olga's Ebooks
Olga's Flavor Factory family 2024
Life/Family

Popular

  • Honey Garlic Glazed Meatballs
  • Limoncello Cake
  • Easy Homemade Bread Recipe
  • Ultimate Steelhead Trout Recipe (VIDEO)

Seasonal

  • Healthy Cabbage Salad
  • Fish and Vegetables En Papillote (Fish in Parchment)
  • Borscht - Борщ
  • Orange Salad

Footer

↑ back to top

The Home Cook's Handbook

A Practical Kitchen Resource Guide

Learn more
Buy now

Get Weekly Menu Ideas, Recipes, Kitchen Hacks:

Join thousands of others to get my best cooking and meal prep tips plus handpicked seasonal menu ideas in your email.

About

  • About
  • Starting A Blog
  • FAQ
  • Olga’s Tips
  • Shop

Social Links

  • Instagram
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Quick Links

  • Home
  • Privacy Policy

© 2024 Olga's Flavor Factory