Go Back
Glass jar of pickled red onions on a wood board with a linen napkin

Pickled Red Onions

A five ingredient refrigerator pickle of thinly sliced red onion in a warm vinegar brine, ready in fifteen minutes and better after a day in the fridge.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Condiment, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 15
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large red onion about 280 g / 10 oz, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup 240 ml apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
  • 1 cup 240 ml water
  • 2 tablespoons 25 g granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons 9 g kosher salt
Optional
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 smashed garlic clove
  • pinch red pepper flakes

Method
 

  1. Slice the onion into thin half moons.
  2. Warm vinegar, water, sugar, and salt together until dissolved, just short of a boil.
  3. Pack the sliced onion into a pint jar.
  4. Pour the warm brine over the onion until fully submerged.
  5. Cool on the counter for fifteen minutes, then refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Use kosher or pickling salt, not iodized, to keep the brine clear.
Slice as thin and even as possible, about 1/8 inch, for the fastest, most even result.
This is a refrigerator pickle, not a shelf stable canned one; keep it cold at all times.