The Quick Pickled Red Onions My Mom Puts on Everything

So simple it almost doesn’t warrant a full post… But I want to share just HOW good this easy combination is!

Use these slivered red onions to add a punch of pickled fun to your favorite salads, pastas, or protein! They pair beautifully with Italian and Mediterranean flavors but have also made appearances on tacos and even ramen in our house. My mom recently gifted us an entire jar of them and they are certainly going to find their way onto this weekend's chilaquiles!

These little slices add a zippy little crunch to anything and everything. They’re fun because similarly to quickles (‘quick’ pickles), you can add whatever you like (or leave out what you don’t!) and make them all your own. They also make the prettiest addition to a housewarming basket or care package – Really, any spring and summer gift could use a pop of color! And who doesn’t love something homemade and low cost!?

Today I’m sharing my mother’s tried and true recipe, but take a peek just past the recipe to see what variants she loves most! Try your hand at these quick pickled red onions to impress at your next get together – Seriously, such a gorgeous pop of pink!

YOU WILL NEED:

• 1 red onion (a medium one will fill one mason jar!)

• 1 ¼ C apple cider vinegar

• ½ C water

• 3 tbs granulated white sugar

• 1 tbs salt

TO MAKE:

1. Slice red onion as thinly as you can and add to mason jar (or similar “locking” storage container).

2. Bring vinegar and water to a low boil and add sugar and salt. Allow sugar and salt to dissolve completely.

3. Simply add apple cider vinegar mixture to your onions – Nearly to the top, with just a bit of clearance for the lid.

4. Stir/muddle onions and allow mixture to come to room temp before sealing and storing cold. Allow to chill for at least a few hours before enjoying!

Some of my mom’s favorite add ins…

→ Red pepper flakes, as recommended by Delish.com’s rendition, for an extra bite! (But be sure to add these when adding the liquid to the onions; cooking the red pepper flakes with your pickling liquid will make it very hot very quickly!)

→ Whole allspice to add a balancing sweetness that’s savory enough to complement the flavors without overpowering

→ Minced garlic, for an added depth of savory flavor

→ Celery salt or garlic salt as substitution (or half sub!) for sea salt in the base recipe

You can substitute the apple cider vinegar for white vinegar, but the apple cider vinegar truly complements the red onion so beautifully – The white vinegar, in our opinion, doesn’t allow for the same flavor profile to blossom.

White sugar is the most popular for these onions, and substitutes like honey aren’t necessarily recommended – But I haven’t personally tried that, so feel free to give it a whirl! Honey melts beautifully in warm water, but white sugar dissolves in a way that still allows the vinegar to pickle the onions – Honey may slow that process by adding a thickness to your mixture. 

These quick pickled red onions last great in the fridge for about 3 weeks – Any longer and they may begin to wilt and become very pungent. But don’t worry… They’d never last that long!