If you enjoy restaurant tacos and wonder how they taste so much better than at home, this post is for you. All of the most delicious street tacos are topped with quick pickled red onions. The good news is that they are incredibly easy to make at home! This post will cover everything you need to know about making quick pickled red onions. Since this recipe takes just 5 minutes to complete, we’ve included step-by-step photos and some flavor variations.
Here’s what you’ll need
Quick pickled red onion slices live up to their title. They’re wonderfully fast to whip up, thanks in part to their short and sweet list of ingredients! These onions require only a handful of ingredients (which are probably already in your kitchen).
Hot Water: Hot water helps to dissolve the sugar quickly and balance out the acidity of the vinegar. Sugar: Though the overall flavor of these pickled onions is tart and savory, sugar helps to balance the flavors. Alternatively, you can use honey. Maple syrup is too strong of a flavor for quick-pickled onions. Salt: We will need a dash of salt in our pickling mixture. Apple Cider Vinegar: We’re using apple cider vinegar here, though white vinegar or white wine vinegar also works well. Red Onion: Finally, you can’t have pickled onions without the onion! We will use one heaping cup of thinly sliced red onion (1 medium onion = 1 cup).
Making them is very quick
Quick pickled red onions require just 3 steps. This recipe is incredibly easy and will provide onions that are perfect for adding to pretty much any meal!
Can I store these at room temperature?
This is not a recipe for canned red onions, and therefore, they have not been tested for long-term canning storage. If you are canning for long-term storage, be sure to follow the best USDA canning practices.
Variations
Are you in the mood to mix things up? Try a variation!
Spicy: You can easily achieve spicy pickled onions by adding a pinch of crushed red pepper to your recipe. For best results, add the peppers to the hot water. Red pepper flakes produce the most spiciness when heated! Garlic: Garlic pickled onions? Yes, please! I like to add a clove of crushed garlic to this recipe for an extra kick. This is my go-to for when I want pickled onions for avocado toast or a grain bowl. Vinegar: You can switch up the vinegar used to pickle the onions. Feel free to use white vinegar or rice vinegar for equally delicious results! No Sugar: Though pickled onions are best with a dash of sweetener, you can omit the sugar if needed. Mexican Inspired: Make a Mexican-inspired batch of pickled red onions by adding a pinch of cumin, a bay leaf, and a few black peppercorns. These are great for adding to burritos.
