How to Make Pickled Red Onions

Make pickled red onions at home with this easy recipe. It only takes 10 minutes to prep and cook them, and then all you have to do is refrigerate them overnight. I always keep a jar on hand!

For more pickle recipes, try our Easy Overnight Refrigerator Pickles.

Why My Recipe

• Only 4 ingredients for the base recipe, plus 7 flavor variations to mix and match.
• Stays good for up to 6 months so you can keep a jar on hand for tacos, salads, burgers, and more!
• It takes only 10 minutes to make, then simply refrigerate overnight.

This recipe makes one pint-sized jar, which is perfect if you’re looking to use as a garnish or topping here and there. However, if we’re making pickled onions, we’re doubling or tripling this recipe while we’re at it, especially because they last for up to 6 months in the refrigerator.

Ingredient Notes

• Red Onion: Red onions are best suited for pickling because they have a milder flavor. While you can certainly pickle white or yellow onions, they both have a sharper, more potent flavor.
• White Distilled Vinegar: Has a neutral flavor, so your spice blend can shine.
• Granulated Sugar: Sugar adds balance to the vinegar and spices.
• Salt: You can use your standard table salt, sea salt, or pink Himalayan salt. Although you’ll want a fine grain that dissolves well.
• Whole Black Peppercorns: Adding peppercorns infuses the brine with a subtle heat, balancing out the flavor.
• Cumin Seeds: Adds an earthy, peppery, slight smokiness to the brine. Not to be confused with ground cumin, these whole seeds can be found in the spice aisle.
• Garlic: Peel the garlic cloves and add them whole. You can find packed pre-peeled garlic gloves at most grocery stores.
• Small Hot Red Pepper: Adding a whole red chili pepper to the brine adds a more intense kick of heat. We recommend a cayenne or Thai chili pepper.

Flavor Variations

This recipe, as written, contains both a base recipe and several suggestions from which you can mix and match or create your own. Fresh herbs and whole spices are the most common additions.

Fresh Herbs: Add a few sprigs of our favorites, rosemary or thyme. Rosemary has a strong peppery, citrus-like flavor, while thyme is described as slightly peppery with a hint of floral sweetness.

Whole Spices: For a subtle heat, we recommend whole black peppercorns. For an earthy, smoky flavor, add whole cumin seeds. Allspice is another addition that brings a complex warmth to the brine, which is often described as a balance of sweet and savory.

Peppers: We recommend adding a single, small red chili pepper to add a kick of heat to your pickled onions. Cayenne or Thai red chili peppers are both great options. If you’re unable to find those little red peppers at your grocery store, you can substitute with a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Serving Suggestions

Pickled red onions can be used in place of raw red onions in any recipe calling for red onion. They are great in salads, on tacos, on sandwiches, on burgers, and more!

Tacos: Top your tacos with these onions for a little texture and tang! We especially love these onions on our Easy Fish Tacos.

Salads: The perfect addition to your favorite salad. These pickled onions pair well with a taco salad, potato salad, or even a simple cucumber salad.

Sandwiches: We love pulled pork sandwiches with pickles of all kinds. These pickled red onions are among our favorites.

Burgers: Swap out raw onions on your burgers for these babies! Give yourself an excuse to make the perfect burger—you won’t regret it!