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    Home » Food Preservation » Canning » Quick Pickled Onions

    Quick Pickled Onions

    Posted on April 26, 2019 By Beth Neels

    145 shares
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    These quick pickled onions are so easy! They will only take 5 minutes of your time and they are so versatile! Add them to lots of dishes! So delicious!

    pile of pickled recd onions on marble board

    Have you ever tried pickling onions? It is so easy, you won’t even believe it! No cooking in a pressure canner or a hot water bath canning pot! The best part is they will last for many months in your refrigerator!

    quick pickled onions on board and in jar

    What are Pickled Onions?

    Pickling is the process of preserving fruits and vegetables in an acidic solution, or sometimes just a salt. This technique has been used for thousands of years. It is thought that the process may have begun in northwestern India.

    quick pickled onions on marble board

    What Vinegar Can You Use to Make Quick Pickled Onions

    The acid varies, depending on the flavor profile you are looking for. It can be any of the varieties of vinegar, including;

    • red wine vinegar
    • white wine vinegar
    • apple cider vinegar
    • white vinegar
    • among others

    Other acids include lemon or lime juices.

    pickled onions in canning jar with fork

    Should You Store Quick Pickled Onions in the Refrigerator?

    The short answer is Yes! For health reasons and for the longevity of these pickled red onions, the best to place store them is the refrigerator. I usually only make a small batch so that we use them up within six months, or so.

    How to make them at Home

    1. Measure spices.
    2. Toast in dry pan.
    3. Slice onion in half, leaving root end in tact.
    4. Slice into 1/8″-1/4″ thick slices
    5. Measure sugar & salt.
    6. Measure vinegar.
    Spices measured into small bowl. Toasting spices in small pan. Red onion sliced in half. Red Onion sliced 1/4 inch thick on board. Sugar and salt measured into small bowl. Vinegar measured in cup.
    1. Heat vinegar, water, sugar and salt to boiling. Allow to cool.
    2. Crush garlic.
    3. Break apart onion slices.
    4. Pack into canning jars.
    5. Add spices.
    6. Add garlic. Seal.
    Vinegar in small pan. Crushed garlic on board. Onion slices broken up on board. Onions and garlic stuffed into canning jar. Spices added to jar. Brine added to jar to cover onions.
    overhead view of pickled red onions in jar

    How to Use Pickled Red Onions

    Pickled Red Onions are a delicious and versatile condiment for a lot of your recipes! They go perfectly with;

    • Venison Tacos
    • Pork Tacos
    • Burritos with Cheese Sauce
    • Chunky Chili
    • Smoky Chipotle Turkey Burgers
    • Grilled Tuna and Cheese
    • Spicy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

    Other delicious canning recipes

    • Easy Pickled Hot Peppers
    • Candied Jalapenos
    • Hot Pepper Relish
    • Oscar Relish
    • Peach Jam
    pickled red onions in mason jar with fork

    Look at the lovely color of these pickled onions! The red wine vinegar helps with the lovely red color, but they are honestly still a lovely pink/ red if you substitute any other vinegar.

    pickled onions on marble surface

    So that is a super easy canning recipe that you can accomplish in just a few minutes! Perfect for those who are new to the world of canning, or preserving your own food! To learn more about canning and preserving, these posts will help!

    Love gardening? These posts are packed full of information about how to get that big harvest by the end of the season! Don’t miss my How to Start a Garden Series! The first part is Planning Your Garden!

    Second is Preparing the Garden Site.

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    The fourth is Garden Maintenance, and the last is Harvesting a Garden and Preserving the Harvest, this post has over 100 FREE recipes for preserving your harvest!

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    Tools I Use

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    • canning jars
    • saucepan
    • chef’s knife
    • mandolin

    That’s how easy it is to make Quick Pickled Onions. Thanks for stopping by today!

    Enjoy! And have fun cooking!

    Xoxo,

    Binky’s Signature
    Open jar of pickled onions.

    Quick Pickled Onions

    Quick Pickled Onions will only take 5 minutes hands on time and keep in the refrigerator for many months. Plus they get better with time! Perfect for your Cinco de Mayo party! 
    See Step by Step Photos Above!Most of our recipes have step by step photos and videos! Also helpful tips so that you can make it perfectly the first time and every time! Scroll up to see them!
    5 from 10 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Condiment, Side Dish
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 1 pints
    Calories: 136kcal
    Author: Beth Neels
    Cost: $2

    Ingredients

    • 1 tsp cumin seed
    • 1 tsp coriander seed
    • 1 red onion sliced 1/8- 1/4″ thick
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1 cup Red Wine Vinegar others vinegar will work. See post for details.
    • 1/2 cup water
    • 2 Tbsp Sugar
    • 1 tsp Salt
    • 2 cloves garlic

    Instructions

    • Toast cumin and coriander in dry pan until fragrant. Remove and set aside.
    • Add vinegar water, sugar and salt to the same pan. Bring to boil. Stir to combine.
    • Slice onions, squeeze as many as you can into pint jars. (Depends on how big your onion is.)
    • Crush garlic. Add to jar. Add spices and garlic to each jar.
    • Cover with vinegar mixture. Seal jars.
    • Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 3 days, up to about 6 months.
    canning jars- Half Pint
    saucepans
    mandolin
    knife, chef’s knife
    See all of my favorite tools and gift ideas on my New Amazon Store!Check out Binky’s Amazon Store!

    Video

    Notes

    **Notes**
    Best if used with 1 month. They are still edible afterwards, but retain their color best early.
    Do in small batches.
    Cut onions very thinly with a chef’s knife, or carefully on a mandolin.
    Can substitute vidalia onion, if you prefer a milder flavor.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1pint | Calories: 136kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 1g | Sodium: 1564mg | Potassium: 132mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin C: 6.7mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 1.3mg
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    This post may contain affiliate links, which means I get a small commission if you click the link and purchase something, at no additional cost to you. See FTC Disclosure, here.

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    145 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Helen

      May 02, 2022 at 12:59 pm

      Can you leave the sugar out of this recipe? Would prefer to be Keto friendly. Thanks-

      Reply
      • Beth Neels

        May 02, 2022 at 1:14 pm

        You could but you could also use a keto friendly sugar substitute.

        Reply
    2. Brian Jones

      April 29, 2019 at 3:13 am

      5 stars
      You are speaking right at my ‘food heart’ with quick pickles, the arrival of spring and summer always pushes them to the front of my menu planning. These look and sound delicious!

      Reply
      • Beth Neels

        April 30, 2019 at 1:50 pm

        Thanks so much Brian! I am happy you stopped by! Your comment means so much!

        Reply
    3. Jacqueline Debono

      April 29, 2019 at 1:58 am

      5 stars
      I have never made pickled onions but yours look so good and sound so easy to do, I have to make them! We have really nice red onions here in Italy, so I’m definitely going to pickle some!

      Reply
      • Beth Neels

        April 30, 2019 at 1:49 pm

        I can’t wait for fresh onions to come into season around here. These would be even better! Thank you Jacqueline!

        Reply
    4. Fiorenza

      April 28, 2019 at 8:26 am

      5 stars
      Simple and quick recipe, and well detailed also with photos (really beautiful). I will prepare these pickled onions to serve with the roast chicken, I’m sure they will be appreciated! Thank you for sharing

      Reply
      • Beth Neels

        April 28, 2019 at 3:02 pm

        They would be quite delicious with chicken! Thanks so much Fiorenza!

        Reply
    5. Susan

      April 27, 2019 at 6:46 pm

      5 stars
      Good call toasting the spices! I’ll bet that adds a whole new level of flavor. BBQ season is here and these are a perfect side! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • Beth Neels

        April 28, 2019 at 3:01 pm

        I love toasting spices! It really brings out their flavor! Thank Susan!

        Reply
    6. Nikole Berg

      April 27, 2019 at 6:15 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! Pickled red onions are one of my favorite condiments! I haven’t made some in a while, so I’m anxious to try your recipe!

      Reply
      • Beth Neels

        April 28, 2019 at 3:01 pm

        They are so good, aren’t they? Thank you Nikole!

        Reply
    7. Jen

      April 26, 2019 at 11:54 am

      5 stars
      I can’t wait to try this. These will be perfect to add to our tacos and sandwiches. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Beth Neels

        April 26, 2019 at 12:44 pm

        They are delicious on sandwiches and burgers! Thanks for stopping by Jen!

        Reply
    8. Marie

      April 26, 2019 at 11:02 am

      5 stars
      I can’t believe that I’ve never tried making pickled onions before. I didn’t know that it only takes 5 minutes. It’s such a versatile ingredient. I need to give this recipe a try!

      Reply
      • Beth Neels

        April 26, 2019 at 12:44 pm

        They are so good on so many different foods! Thanks for checking them out Marie! I really appreciate it!

        Reply
    9. Andrea Metlika

      April 26, 2019 at 10:54 am

      5 stars
      These were so much easier to make than I thought. I can’t wait to do this.

      Reply
      • Beth Neels

        April 26, 2019 at 10:57 am

        They really are super easy! Let me know how you like them Andrea!

        Reply
    10. Meghna

      April 26, 2019 at 10:39 am

      5 stars
      Thanks for this supa cool pickled onion recipe, I was looking for the same for quite some time. Making it this weekend.

      Reply
      • Beth Neels

        April 26, 2019 at 10:41 am

        Oh, good, I am glad you found it Meghna! Let me know how you like them!

        Reply
    11. Katie

      April 26, 2019 at 10:25 am

      5 stars
      Wow! I never knew how easy it was to make pickled onions! I think I first tried them at an Indian restaurant, of all places. I have always assumed you had to know how to can / preserve to make them (and that’s way out of my range!) This is so fun and looks easy, I’ve gotta try it!

      Reply
      • Beth Neels

        April 26, 2019 at 10:40 am

        Yes, they are super easy! They are so versatile, I bet they are delicious with Indian cuisine! Thank you Katie!

        Reply
    12. Beth Neels

      June 10, 2022 at 11:48 am

      You’re welcome Bahis. Thanks for checking out the recipe.

      Reply

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    Welcome! Thanks for stopping by! I am Beth "Binky" Neels, wife, mother of 2 boys and 3 dogs! I will impart tips and tricks I have learned over the years, to make cooking easier and fun for you!

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    Welcome! Thanks for stopping by! I am Beth "Binky" Neels, wife, mother of 2 boys and 3 dogs! I will impart tips and tricks I have learned over the years, to make cooking easier and fun for you!

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