These Spicy Pickled Red Onions are the perfect crunchy tangy hit of flavor that is a delicious topping on so many dishes. These in particular are a little spicy thanks to an extra kick from jalapeños, and they turn a beautiful pink color.
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Ingredients
Simple recipe, simple ingredients! See them all below:
- Red onion: One medium or two small red onions sliced – ¼” thin.
- Jalapeño: Depending on the spice level you want, use either part of or one full jalapeño sliced thin. If you want it to be spicier, use a habanero. I used half a large jalapeño.
- Water: To make half of the base of the pickling liquid.
- Vinegar: To make the other half of the pickling liquid, vinegar brings the tangy flavor. I like a combination of classic distilled white vinegar and apple cider vinegar which adds a little more flavor.
- Garlic: Add in a single crushed garlic clove so its flavor infuses in.
- Sugar: A bit of granulated sugar balances the tartness of the vinegar. You could use pure maple syrup or honey instead.
- Salt: Kosher salt is preferred. Salt brings out the flavor in everything, including pickled onions.
Step by step instructions
Pickling vegetables is one of the easiest things, it just takes a little preparation and planning to make it the day before you want to eat them! Below are step by step instructions.
1. Make the pickling liquid (aka pickling brine). In a small sauce pan, combine the water, distilled vinegar, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and salt. Warm on medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Take it off the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
2. Combine. In a large enough jar with a tight fitting lid, add all the sliced onions, jalapeño, and smashed garlic. Pour over the cooled pickling brine. Push the onions down if needed to cover them fully in the liquid. Place in the fridge.
3. Wait. Let the pickling do its thing for at least 24 hours. Then enjoy!
Tips and tricks
Making this pickled onion recipe is hopefully an easy process, but if you’re unsure about anything, read the tips and tricks below!
- The simplest way to avoid crying while cutting onions is to use a sharp knife.
- If you’re not confident in your knife skills, try using a mandoline to slice the onion.
- The thinner you slice your onions the quicker they’ll pickle. I like to do roughly ¼ inch thin because they pickle in about 24 hours and are thick enough to keep their texture.
- To get consistent slices, cut the onion in half, cut off the root and tip, then peel back the outer layer. Place the halves center down and slice against the grain (so not where the initially established opening is).
- If you cut the open side, you’ll get some slices that are really long and some that are really short.
- Any glass jar with a lid works, but I specifically like to use wide mouth mason jar or weck jar for pickling.
- If you want the flavor of the jalapeño but not the spice, slice the pepper in half and take out the seeds and ribs before adding into the jar.
- Make sure the onions and jalapeños are fully submerged in the pickling liquid before storing away.
- If you need pickled onions quick, check out this quick pickled red onions recipe.
What to eat pickled red onions with
My oh my pickled red onions are good on so many foods. Below are some favorites:
- Breakfast sandwich
- Avocado toast
- Pulled pork sandwich
- Veggie burger
- Shrimp tacos or chicken tacos
- Buddha bowls or burrito bowls
Recipe customizations
There are a few things you could add to this spicy pickled red onions recipe to make it more your own, below are some suggestions.
- Add more garlic cloves
- Use a different pepper or even red pepper flakes
- Add whole spices such as black peppercorns, cloves, or bay leaf
- Add fresh herbs such as dill or oregano
- Play around with different types of vinegar - rice vinegar or red wine vinegar are other good options
Storage
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge.
FAQs
They last up to 3 weeks in the fridge. If you do a proper pickling process they can last unopened for 1 year. Check out more about how to can here.
Yes - they just won’t have the same vibrant pink color as red onions.
Jalapeños are medium-spicy compared to other peppers. They are 2,500 to 5,000 on the Scoville scale. Poblanos are milder, cayenne is spicier.
More onion recipes
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📖 Recipe
Spicy Pickled Red Onions
Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup distilled white vinegar
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 medium red onion sliced ¼" thin
- 1 garlic clove smashed
- ½ jalapeño sliced
Instructions
- Make the pickling liquid – In a small sauce pan, combine the water, distilled vinegar, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and salt. Warm on medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Take it off the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
- In a large enough jar with a tight fitting lid, add all the sliced onions, jalapeño, and smashed garlic. Pour over the cooled pickling brine. Push the onions down if needed to cover them fully in the liquid. Place in the fridge.
- Let the pickling do its thing for at least 24 hours. Then enjoy!
Notes
- The simplest way to avoid crying while cutting onions is to use a sharp knife.
- If you’re not confident in your knife skills, try using a mandoline to slice the onion.
- The thinner you slice your onions the quicker they’ll pickle. I like to do roughly ¼ inch thin because they pickle in about 24 hours and are thick enough to keep their texture.
- To get consistent slices, cut the onion in half, cut off the root and tip, then peel back the outer layer. Place the halves center down and slice against the grain (so not where the initially established opening is).
- If you cut the open side, you’ll get some slices that are really long and some that are really short.
- Any glass jar with a lid works, but I specifically like to use wide mouth mason jar or weck jar for pickling.
- If you want the flavor of the jalapeño but not the spice, slice the pepper in half and take out the seeds and ribs before adding into the jar.
- Make sure the onions and jalapeños are fully submerged in the pickling liquid before storing away.
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