How to make pickled onions
Curious how to make pickled onions with vinegar in under 30 minutes? This article will teach you how to make them, what to do with them, and frequently asked questions!
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Up until a few months ago, I thought I didn’t like onions. As a typical kid, I abhorred mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, and onions.
After starting a health journey a few years ago that encourages eating a significant amount and variety of vegetables, I discovered my adult taste buds are completely different than my childhood ones. Unfortunately I still can’t stand mushrooms, but tomatoes, peppers and onions have now been incorporated into my diet!
Experimenting with different vegetables and preparing them different ways is a wonderful way to expand your taste buds. Even if raw onions aren’t your jam, you might like them pickled! Give them a shot with this simple recipe!
Made with just a couple of ingredients you already have on hand, pickled onions are a wonderful condiment to add some zest for burgers, salads, tacos, and literally SO much more.
What are pickled onions?
Pickling is a way to preserve a variety of foods and has been around for centuries. Many countries around the world have specialty items from their culture that are pickled such as kimchi from Korea, miso pickles in Japan, and even pig feet!
Pickled onions are typically red onions that are preserved in a brine, or solution of vinegar and salt. The technical definition of pickling is a process of extending the shelf life of food by either fermentation in brine or immersion in vinegar.
Why make them?
USE LEFTOVER ONIONS. Here at Living Practically we try to eliminate food wast so we can save our hard earned money. Pickling is a great way to preserve vegetables that we just can’t eat up fast enough.
EASY TO MAKE. There is roughly 5 minutes of prep time here for making these pickled onions. The process is very simple and I dare say ANYBODY can make these without messing them up.
HEALTHY. As with other fermented foods, pickled onions contain a large amount of probiotics and digestive enzymes which support gut health. Having a healthy gut can aid your digestion and help energy levels.
Ingredients
- RED ONION– You can use a yellow or white onion, but a red onion is the most common for pickling. Personally, I love the vibrant color it adds to dishes!
- VINEGAR– You really can use whatever vinegar you would like, or even a combination! I like apple cider vinegar because it gives it a fruity flavor.
- SALT– Pink Himalayan salt is the only salt we use in our house, but any type of salt would work.
- HONEY– You can substitute your favorite sweetener if you would like, such as sugar, cane sugar, or maple syrup.
- WATER– This dilutes the strong vinegar taste and smell and makes the onions MUCH more enjoyable.
How to make pickled onions
The process for pickling is actually pretty simple.
- Finely slice the red onion into as small slivers as you can (about 1/8-1/4 inch). Using a mandoline is a great way to get them evenly sliced and consistency sizes. This will help them fully absorb the vinegar and have a nice texture, without getting too soft.
- Get a CLEAN pint mason jar and add the onions into the bottom. Be sure the jar is clean as we don’t want any bacteria growing with our pickled onions.
- In a medium sized pot, combine the vinegar, salt, honey, and water. Put over medium heat and whisk for a minute or two until well combined.
- Let cool for a few minutes.
- Pour brine into the jar slowly. Let the jar sit out until it has cooled to room temperature.
- When completely cooled, place the lid on the jar and put in the refrigerator. It should last for 2-3 weeks.
How to use pickled onions
There are so many ways that you can use pickled onions to transform your dishes
- Use as a topping for fish tacos, burrito bowl, fajitas, or tacos with homemade taco seasoning.
- They add a wonderful and zest crunch to a burger (with this amazing homemade burger seasoning) or burger bowl.
- Add them to ANY salad.
- Combine with a bowl of rice to add some extra flavor and crunch.
Quick & Simple Pickled Onions
Ingredients
- 1 red onion or onion of choice
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar or vinegar of choice
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1 ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Finely slice the red onion into as small slivers as you can (about 1/8-1/4 inch). Using a mandoline is a great way to get them evenly sliced and consistency sizes. This will help them fully absorb the vinegar and have a nice texture, without getting too soft.
- Get a CLEAN pint mason jar and add the onions into the bottom. Be sure the jar is clean as we don't want any bacteria growing with our pickled onions.
- In a medium sized pot, combine the vinegar, salt, honey, and water. Put over medium heat and whisk for a minute or two until well combined. Let cool for a few minutes.
- Pour brine into the jar slowly. Let the jar sit out until it has cooled to room temperature.
- When completely cooled, place the lid on the jar and put in the refrigerator. It should last for 2-3 weeks.
What you need to know…
- Pickling onions is not as hard as what you think it is.
- Take 5 minutes of work time and 30 minutes of wait time and BAM, you are done!
- You probably already have all of the ingredients you need to make these pickled onions.
- Feel free to customize this recipe to you and your family’s preferences!
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will come back for more!
