Pickled Red Onions – Recipe for pickled refrigerator onions – the perfect topping for hamburgers, salads, tacos, eggs and more!
How beautiful are these? A sweet and salty vinegar brine, peppercorns and bay leaves are really all you need to turn sliced red onions into crave-worthy refrigerator pickles. I’ve never been a fan of raw onions… I know, I’m sorry, it’s just one of those things… but these tender sweet-and-tart pickles are totally my speed. They’re a lovely and tasty topping for salads. I also love them on sandwiches, on burgers and sliders, in pitas and tacos, or cooked in omelets and other egg dishes. Really, you can add them to pretty much any savory dish for a pickled burst of flavor. They are super easy to make. As time passes the onions take on a pretty purplish-pink hue in the jar. These pickles would make a fun and unique homemade gift for the gourmand in your circle of friends. Or you can keep them all to yourself, if you’re feeling indulgent. It’s all good!
Want to learn more about pickling, home canning, and other adventurous old-timey methods of food preservation? Check out these links:
How to Ferment Cabbage and Make Sauerkraut
Pickled Red Onions
Ingredients
Brine Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup vinegar
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 3 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
Pickle Ingredients
- 2 pounds red onions
- 1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons peppercorns
- 3 bay leaves
NOTES
Instructions
- To make brine: Combine water, vinegar, sugar and salt in a saucepot and simmer over low heat, stirring often, until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Set aside until ready to use.
- Trim the onions and slice into thin strips.
- Toss onions with 1 ¾ tsp kosher salt and allow to sit for about 30 minutes, then rinse.
- Evenly distribute the peppercorns and bay leaves between the pint jars.
- Add about 1/2 lb of sliced onions to each jar. Gently press down with tongs to make sure everything is loosely packed.
- Cover with brine, leaving about ½ inch of headspace. Make sure your brine is hot when you pour it over the onions.
- Let the jars return to room temperature, put the lids on, and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. The longer they sit the more they’ll pickle.
Nutrition
I made some of these following your recipe and they are so good.
I want to make a large batch and store them in my pantry.
Can you process in hot water bath for long term storage in pantry?
Thank you
The recipe calls for 2 lbs of onions for 3 pint jars, but says to put 1/2 lbs in each jar. That would be 1 1/2 pounds, not 2. Is it 2 lbs before trimming?
Thank you. Looking forward to making this!
Tina
After trimming and removing the outer skins you’ll be left with about 1 1/2 pounds of onion slices. Enjoy!
Can you use Apple Cider Vinegar for this recipe?
Yes.
Great recipe. Worked out well. I was curious. The nutritional label doesnt have the serving size Do you know it?
The nutritional information refers to one pint of pickles. I don’t have info for a smaller serving size than that.
I grew some red onions and I am going to try and pickle them in a jar with in the next couple of days
Can I use pickling salt instead of kosher salt?
Yes!