Quick Refrigerator Pickled Red Onions with Spices
Crisp red onion slices in a quick apple-cider vinegar and spice brine.
Quick pickled red onions add a crisp, tangy bite to salads, sandwiches and grain bowls. The source briefly boils the onions in the brine, which can make them soft, so this version pours a hot vinegar mixture over raw thin slices and lets residual heat do the work. Apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, salt, peppercorns and cloves create a lightly sweet brine. Cool the jar and refrigerate it before serving. This is a refrigerator pickle, not a shelf-stable canning recipe. Place thinly sliced onions in a clean heatproof jar or container. Combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt, peppercorns, bay leaf and cloves in a small saucepan. Bring just to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt.
Recipe card
Quick Refrigerator Pickled Red Onions with Spices
Equipment: Small saucepan, clean heatproof jar, knife, cutting board
Ingredients
Instructions
Pack onions
Place thinly sliced onions in a clean heatproof jar or container.
Make brine
Combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt, peppercorns, bay leaf and cloves in a small saucepan. Bring just to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt.
Pour brine
Pour hot brine over onions until covered. Press onions down with a clean utensil.
Cool and chill
Cool until no longer steaming, then cover and refrigerate.
Pickle
Wait at least 30 minutes for a quick tang, or 2 hours for a fuller flavour.
Serve
Use a clean fork to lift onions from the jar and return remaining onions to the refrigerator.
How to tell when it is ready
Onions are bright pink, lightly softened at the edges and still crisp; brine remains clear and aromatic.
Tips
- Slice onions thinly and evenly.
- Keep slices submerged.
- Use a clean jar.
- Chill before long-term storage.
Troubleshooting
- If onions are too sharp, let them chill longer.
- If slices become soft, shorten the time in hot brine next time.
Substitutions
- Use white wine vinegar labelled 5% acidity.
- Reduce sugar for a sharper brine.
Variations
- Add mustard seeds.
- Add a strip of orange zest.
Serving suggestions
- Add to green salads.
- Top tacos or burgers.
- Serve with grilled meats.
- Add to sandwiches and wraps.
Make ahead
Prepare suitable components ahead and store them safely. Refrigerate in brine and use within 2 weeks for best quality. This is not a shelf-stable preserved food.
Storage
Refrigerate in brine and use within 2 weeks for best quality. This is not a shelf-stable preserved food.
Food safety
Keep refrigerated at 4°C (40°F) or below; use clean utensils and do not store this quick pickle at room temperature.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly are the onions ready?
They become lightly pickled after 30 minutes and taste more balanced after about 2 hours in the refrigerator.
How should I store quick pickled red onions for salads?
Refrigerate in brine and use within 2 weeks for best quality. This is not a shelf-stable preserved food.
Add to green salads. Refrigerate in brine and use within 2 weeks for best quality. This is not a shelf-stable preserved food.
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