Pickled Red Onions

A yummy plate of Mexican-inspired food--with pickled onions on top.  1/8/2026

Pickled red onions are a favorite culinary accompaniment in our household.  We started making them last year.  They are so easy!  Not to mention they're a SUPER yummy addition to burgers, wraps, Indian feasts, taco night, salads, and more.  We pretty much always have a jar of pickled onions in the fridge these days.  Currently they're extra cool because they're homegrown onions, too!

Chili Mac with pickled onions.  5/21/2026

Yellow onions shortly after harvest, drying on racks in the garage.  8/2/2026

I decided to write this post after learning that a tub of pickled red onions in a plastic tub goes for like $5 at the store.  That's nuts.  They're so easy and cheap to make DIY, plus no plastic waste.

Shallots and red onions shortly after harvest, drying on racks in the garage.  8/2/2026

An unusal Pizza Friday creation just before going into the oven.  The toppings are pickled onions and slices of leftover tamales.  5/8/2026

Quick Pickled Onions

1 onion, thinly sliced (red are my fav, followed by yellow)
1 cup vinegar (apple cider or red wine vinegar are my go-to)
2 T sugar
1/4 t salt

Combine the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a sauce pan over medium-high heat.  Heat thouroughly until the salt and sugar are dissolved.  Put the sliced onion into a jar and pour in the brine, covering the onions completely.  Store in the fridge.  

Note:  When the onions are all gone, there is often brine leftover.  I will totally re-heat the brine and use it to make a second batch of onions.  

One of our incredible Indian-inspired feasts--including pickled onions as a cooling, tangy stand-in for chutney.  9/13/2025

Mini polenta tarts with pickled onion along with squash, mushrooms, artichokes, and beans.  1/9/2026