Introduction

This quick pickled red onions recipe is a staple to keep in your fridge! Whether you want to add some to avocado toast, salads, sandwiches, tacos, or anything else, this is the best pickled onions recipe that you can do in just 5-minutes. 

Not to be dramatic, but when I discovered pickled onions my life changed. I started adding them them to my usual recipes and somehow everything taste SO much better. This pickled onions recipe with apple cider vinegar adds a tasty tang to ordinary dishes.

Pickled red onions seem fancy, but they are actually super easy to make – and they’re great for your gut, too. Add them to your favorite dishes and you’ll definitely wow your guests (and your tastebuds). No one will guess how simple they were to make.

This post is all about how to make the best pickled onion recipe.

What are pickled onions?

Pickled red onions are onions that have been thinly cut and then preserved in vinegar with sugar, salt, and other additives. In a few hours, they turn into a beautiful bright pink that adds a slightly sweet tang to your dish of choice. They are quick and easy to make and last in the fridge for several weeks. 

Pickled onions are not fermented onions! Fermented onions are preserved with lactic acid and usually take a few weeks to ferment. Pickled onions in vinegar only have to sit for a few hours in the solution before they are ready to eat. Fermented onions last longer in the fridge and contain more probiotics that help improve gut health. 

Pickled onions with vinegar are generally used as ingredients over fermented onions. Though both are delicious, using vinegar takes much less time and effort than going through the whole fermentation process. 

Health benefits of pickled onions 

Onions contain antioxidants

Antioxidants are incredibly valuable to your health because they neutralize free radicles – a fancy way of saying they stop harmful molecules from damaging your cells. If these free radicals build up in your body too much, they can result in inflammation, premature aging, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and brain disorders like Alzheimer’s. Antioxidants you get through eating onions help prevent these things from happening!

Antioxidants have other benefits like building your immune system, improving heart and brain health, slowing aging, and helping prevent chronic diseases. 

Red onions are even healthier!

Red onions are especially healthy because they have a certain type of antioxidant called quercetin which helps reduce inflammation, regulate blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and protect your cells from damage.  

Red onions also have anthocyanins which help lower the risk of diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. In fact, one study found that people who consistently consumed anthocyanins were 14% less likely to have a heart attack.

Apple cider vinegar health benefits

1. Improve gut health: Apple cider vinegar contains lots of prebiotics and probiotics (only in raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar) that help improve gut health which helps with digestion, absorbing nutrients, and strengthening the immune system.
2. Lower blood sugar: Apple cider vinegar may be especially beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes as it has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels.
3. Helps with weight loss: Multiple studies have shown that apple cider vinegar helps increase the feeling of fullness, resulting in less snacking and weight loss.

How to use pickled onions

Pickled onions are packed with flavor and are an easy (but low-effort) way to enhance many dishes! Here are some of the most common ways to use pickled red onions:

• Tacos
• Salads
• Avocado toast
• Sandwiches & burgers
• Grain bowls
• Charcuterie boards

Though these are generally how people use pickled onions, you can add them to whatever dish you want.

Delicious recipe variations

The recipe listed in this post is the basic way to make pickled onions, but you can add absolutely anything you want into the mixture to change the flavor profile to enhance your dish best. Here are some ideas:

• Dill – for a classic pickled taste
• Thyme
• Rosemary
• Garlic cloves
• Peppercorns
• Ginger
• Mustard seed
• Red pepper flakes
• Lemon zest
• Orange peel

Recipe

Ingredients & equipment

Instructions

Thinly slice the red onion to your desired thickness using a knife or mandolin. I prefer using a mandolin because it makes the process a bit easier, but a knife works just as well!

*Pro tip: if cutting onions makes your eyes water (because same), place a moist paper towel next to your cutting board. This helps to absorb some of the cry-inducing gas that onions release. 

Add the cut onions to your jar

Add in the apple cider vinegar, warm water (but not boiling!), salt, and maple syrup into your jar and give it a good mix. Don’t worry if the mixture doesn’t cover all the onions at first. As the onions soak in the vinegar mixture they’ll soften and shrink down, making it easier for the liquid to fully cover them.

*If the water is boiling it may cook the onions and make them less crispy. The water just needs to be warm enough to help the salt dissolve.

Close the jar and put it in the fridge for a few hours until the onions and mixture are nice and pink. The time they need varies depending on how thick you slice your onions. I like to leave my mixture in the fridge overnight so the onions can really absorb the flavor.

There you have it! A quick, easy pickled red onion recipe.