Easy Out of this World Pickled Onions Recipe

Pickled onions recipe that is easy to make and super delicious; great for a variety of recipes from salads and sandwiches to burgers off the grill!

The Benefits of Eating Pickled Foods

Let’s talk about gut health. Pickling and fermenting foods can help with a healthy gut but putting good bacteria in your system. Pickling is also full of nutrients, amino acids and other nutrients.

Pickled Foods can also improve digestion, reduce ulcers and may offer your liver some protection.

Pickled Onions Recipe

This pickled onions recipe is truly out of this world! Your taste buds will be thanking you, I promise. Even if you’ve never been a fan of pickled onions I highly recommend giving this recipe a shot. I can eat these straight out of the jar; but they compliment lots of things too. Use your pickled onions are a great addition to a relish tray and on sandwiches, burgers, salads, tacos; or use them on anything else you’d like to kick the flavor up a notch.

The great thing about pickling this way is that the benefits of the raw vinegar and onions are not cooked away like they are in canning. You’ll still be getting those gut-healthy probiotics, if you use the raw apple cider vinegar that I recommend.

At the end of the post you’ll see an easy to print version of this recipe for your convenience.

Ingredients for Your Pickled Onions

• 1 large red onion
• 1 cup of raw apple cider vinegar, like this (I prefer raw apple cider vinegar but any will do)
• 1/2 cup of water (I recommend filtered for best results)
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 2 teaspoons of kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon of whole peppercorns
• 1-2 pinches of red pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf
• Mason Jar with tight lid, like these or these (but leftover spaghetti sauce jars can work too if they are cleaned well)

Note: The peppercorns, red pepper flakes and bay leaf are optional, but make the flavor amazing. 

Directions for Your Pickled Onions

1. Slice the ends off your onion and remove the papery peel.
2. Cut the onion into even, thin, round slices (a mandolin slicer makes this super easy)
3. In a bowl whisk together your brine (vinegar, water, sugar and salt) until the sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside.
4. Add your onions and spices to the Mason jar.
5. Pour your brine over the onions and spices.
6. Place in your refrigerator for at least 24 hours to allow the onions to soak up the flavor of the brine.

How to Store Pickled Onions

The onions are not shelf stable so be sure to keep them in the refrigerator. They should keep fine for several weeks, if you don’t eat them up before then.

Pickled Onions FAQ

• Are they pickled onions spicy?
  The red pepper really doesn’t give them much heat. You can certainly add more if you want to pump up the spice.
• Why don’t you can these?
  Canning would ruin the health benefits of pickling the onions.
• How do you use pickled onions?
  I like them on burgers, chopped up in salads and they are fantastic on sandwiches.

Note: This recipe is meant for refrigerator pickling only and not for canning purposes.

PRINT THIS RECIPE

But wait…there’s more! I don’t just pickle onions my friends! Check out these other pickling recipes to tempt your taste buds.

Pickled Garlic (oh yeah)

Super Easy Pickled Jalapenos 

Pickled Eggs & Beets Like Grandmas Used to Make