Liven up your leftovers or add interest to tacos, burgers, sandwiches, nachos and more with these crisp and tangy quick refrigerator pickled red onions! This pickled red onion recipe is so easy to make. Your pickles can be ready to eat in less than 30 minutes!
My friends and family agree: this easy recipe makes the best pickled red onions. They're crisp and crunchy with a satisfying tanginess, they last in the fridge for a month, and you can eat them right away!
Jump to:
❤️Why this recipe works
- You can make them year-round! We often think of making pickles in the late summer when gardens and farmers' markets are overflowing with fresh produce. But pickling red onions in a small batch can be done at any time of the year.
- Convenient! Having a jar of pickled red onions in the fridge for tacos, burgers, sandwiches or pizza means you always have the opportunity to jazz up a meal. They add a bright colour, satisfying crunch and a tangy flavour to any dish!
- Easy to make! Once I realized how easy it was to make Quick Refrigerator Pickled Beans, I experimented with making Quick Pickled Shallots with Apple Cider Vinegar and Refrigerator Pickled Jalapeños. Now I always have a jar of each in the fridge, ready to spice up a recipe.
- Quick! These pickled onions can be ready to eat in under an hour! You won't need a long brining time. No pressure canning is needed either!
🛒Ingredients
Here's a short list of ingredients for this easy pickled red onion recipe!
- red onion
- vinegar
- sea salt
- sugar or another sweetener
- garlic
- black peppercorns
🔪Easy instructions for pickling red onions
- Wash. Wash and sterilize jars and lids by filling them with boiling water or running them through a cycle of the dishwasher. You'll need two 8 oz jars or one 16 oz. jar.
- Combine. Combine the ingredients for the pickling liquid and simmer until the sugar and salt have dissolved and the brine has begun to boil. You can heat the pickling brine in a saucepan on the stovetop or in a glass container in the microwave.
- Slice. Slice the onion. You can use either a sharp knife or a mandoline slicer to make slices about ¼ inch thick.
- Fill. Fill the jars with the onion slices. Add the garlic cloves and peppercorns.
- Pour. Cool the brine slightly, then pour it over the onion slices to fill the jars, leaving about ½ inch of headroom.
- Store. Add a lid and store it in the refrigerator.
Possible Variations
Use a different vinegar. You can substitute apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar or even rice vinegar. Apple cider vinegar will result in a darker brine.
Add some heat! Add a pinch of red pepper flakes, or even a slice or two of jalapeño or habanero pepper.
Pickle white or yellow onions for a different flavour.
Readers' Questions about easy pickled red onions
You can add them to your burger, sandwiches and more as soon as they cool. Their flavour will intensify after a day or two.
You can use any jar with a tight-fitting lid. I like Weck jars, but I also use Mason jars, especially a wide-mouth variety.
PIckled red onions will last for up to a month or more if you keep them in a tightly sealed jar in your fridge.
🗒 Serving Suggestions
- Add pickled red onions to quesadillas, burgers, or sandwiches.
- They make a beautiful addition to an antipasto platter or charcuterie board.
- They also add flavour and interest to this Italian Potato Salad, Summer Veggie Pasta Salad, or Tomato Avocado Black Bean Salad.
When you make these quick pickles, please leave a comment and a star rating below. Thanks in advance! Subscribe to my newsletter and have new recipes delivered straight to your inbox.
📖 Recipe
Refrigerator Pickled Red Onions
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large red onion
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup sugar or Monkfruit sweetener
- 2 tablespoons sea salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons black peppercorns
Instructions
- Wash. Wash and sterilize jars and lids by filling them with boiling water or running them through a cycle of the dishwasher. You'll need two 8 oz jars or one 16 oz. jar.
- Combine. Combine the ingredients for the pickling liquid and simmer until the sugar and salt have dissolved and the brine has begun to boil. You can heat the pickling brine in a saucepan on the stovetop or in a glass container in the microwave.
- Slice. Slice the onion. You can use either a sharp knife or a mandoline slicer to make slices about ¼ inch thick.
- Fill. Fill the jars with the onion slices, garlic cloves and black peppercorns.
- Pour. Cool the brine slightly, then pour it over the onion slices to fill the jars, leaving about ½ inch of headroom.
- Store. Add a lid and store in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Doris
I made with white vinegar splenda and cilantro l used from a 1/2 brine from my sis in law and added white onions and a little water and let it boil then cool a bit and put in fridge l am crazy about pickled onions and now will pickle a bunch of items tomato and cucumbers thank you
Elaine
Hi Doris, Thanks for sharing how you adapted this recipe with the rest of us. Appreciated! I'm crazy about pickled red onions, too and always have a jar in the fridge. Happy pickling!
Mae
I made these and your pickled green beans today! Both are so easy and they turned out perfectly. Thanks so much! I've never made pickles before.
Elaine
Thanks Mae! I'm so glad to hear that you found this recipe easy! Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Laura Nessman
A new fridge staple! These are so easy and SO tasty! I've been putting them on top of fried eggs for breakfast. Delicious!
Elaine
Good idea! I like them on pretty much anything! Great on avocado toast, too.
Anna
So good!! We’ve added these to tacos and burgers this week. They’re so easy to make.
Elaine
Thanks for letting me know! And thanks for the 5 stars, too.