Quick Pickled Red Onions are very easy to make and add so much flavor to all your favorite sandwiches, burgers and wraps.
Make a batch of pickled onions in 15 minutes or less!
Making quick pickles is a great way to jump into the world of canning recipes.
During barbecue season you need a jar of pickled onions on the table. if you want to take those burgers and hot dogs to the next level.
Why You Should Make Quick Pickled Red Onions
Making Quick Pickled Red Onions is so easy. You don't need any special canning equipment.
Quick pickles are not meant to be shelf stored long term so you don't need to worry about canning them in a hot water bath canner or having any specialized canning equipment on hand.
Quick Pickles will last 3 to 4 months in the refrigerator.
After you fill jars with the fresh vegetables you want to pickle then pour a hot pickle brine over them you put the jars into the refrigerator and allow them to pickle.
In the case of these Quick Pickled Red Onions, you can eat them in an hour or two.
If you're pickling thicker cut of vegetable and making quick or refrigerator pickles you would allow them to pickle for a couple of days to a week before eating.
Quick pickles are called quick because they are really quick to make and you can start eating them almost immediately.
All you need are a couple of red onions and the ingredients for a basic quick pickle brine.
What is Pickling Salt?
Pickling Salt is a salt product that is specifically made for pickling and canning. It is very fine-grained and dissolves quickly.
Table salt contains iodine and anti-caking products. Table salt is not the same as pickling salt and should not be substituted for pickling salt in this or any other pickle or canning recipe.
Pickling salt does not contain iodine or anti-caking products which can cause the brine to become cloudy and not dissolve completely and may collect at the bottom of the jar.
How To Use Pickled Onions
Now that you have made these awesome quick pickled red onions how are you going to eat them? Pickled onions can be eaten anywhere you would enjoy the flavor of onions.
You can top burgers, hot dogs, sausage, sandwiches, and wraps with Quick Pickled Red Onions.
You can also put Quick Pickled Red Onions on a salad.
Ingredients
- 2 medium red onion
- 2 cups 5% white vinegar (Please read the vinegar bottle and make sure it says 5%)
- 1 cup of water
- 2 tablespoons white sugar, or honey
- 1 tablespoon pickling salt (Please buy pickling salt only)
- 1 teaspoon pickling spice, per jar
Directions
- Thinly slice the red onion using a sharp knife or a vegetable spiralizer.
- Put 1 teaspoon of pickling spice in each jar.
- Pack the sliced onions into each canning jar or a recycled jar you have with a lid.
- In a medium-sized stainless steel or non-reactive saucepan mix the white vinegar, water, sugar and pickling salt. Stir until the sugar and the salt dissolves. Bring the brine ingredients to a boil. Remove the pot from the stove.
- Ladle the hot brine over the sliced onions in the jar.
- Use a canning bubbler or plastic spoon to push the onions down under the brine. You can pack more onion slices into the jar when the onions start to settle.
- Wipe the rim of the jar with a paper towel and place a flat canning lid on top. Screw on a canning lid band.
- Allow to cool to room temperature for about an hour.
- Refrigerate and store for up to four months.
Gourmet Pickling Spice
Buy my new Gourmet Pickling Spice blend to make the best pickles.
Gourmet Pickling Spice
A bold blend of eight hand-selected herbs and spices that adds just the right punch to all your pickling projects—crunchy cucumbers, tangy beets, zesty pickled onions, carrots, or your favorite veggie blends. Endless homemade pickle possibilities!
Helpful Products to Make Quick Pickled Red Onions
Vegetable Spiralizer: Make slicing onions a breeze.
Wide Mouth Canning Jars: Wide mouth jars are much easier to fill. You could also recycle jars you may have already. This is safe to do only for refrigerator-style pickles.
Wide Canning Funnel: Make filling jars with brine very easy.
Large stainless steel ladle
Pickling Spice: You can buy my gourmet blend in the shop or you can find pickling spice at most retail stores.
Pickling Salt: Walmart and most grocery stores sell pickling salt.
Helpful tips to make Quick Pickled Onions
- I doubled the brine for this recipe and made 3 half pint jars of pickled onions.
- Depending on the size of jar you use you may need to make double the amount of brine. Make one batch of brine at a time and fill the jars. The brine needs to be hot when poured over the onion slices.
- I used the OXO Zoodle machine to cut the onions into thin strips. Took less than 5 minutes to do 2 onions this way.
- I used a mixed pickling spice which has all the needed spices. This pickling spice can be used to make quick pickled beets, refrigerator pickles or any other canned pickles recipe.
More quick pickle recipes
Email questions or recipe requests to flouronmyface@gmail.com. Follow me on Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.
Quick Pickled Red Onions Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large red onions (sliced thinly)
- 2 cups 5% white vinegar (Please read the vinegar bottle and make sure it says 5%)
- 1 cup of water
- 2 tablespoons white sugar (or honey)
- 1 teaspoon pickling spice
- 1 tablespoon pickling salt (Please buy pickling salt only)
Instructions
- Thinly slice the red onion using a sharp knife or a vegetable spiralizer.
- Put 1 teaspoon of pickling spice in each jar.
- Pack the sliced onions into each canning jar or a recycled jar you have with a lid.
- In a medium-sized stainless steel or non-reactive saucepan mix the white vinegar, water, sugar and pickling salt. Stir until the sugar and the salt dissolves. Bring the brine ingredients to a boil and remove the pot from the stove.
- Ladle the hot brine over the sliced onions in the jar.
- Use a canning bubbler or plastic spoon to push the onions down under the brine. You can pack more onion slices into the jar when the onions start to settle.
- Wipe the rim of the jar with a paper towel and place a flat canning lid on top. Screw on a canning lid band.
- Allow to cool to room temperature for about an hour.
- Refrigerate and store for up to four months.
- Makes about 3 half pints jars of pickled onions.
Recipe Expert Tips
- Pickling salt - no substitutions.
- Can be eaten immediately once cool.
- Once refrigerated will last up to four months.
Nutrition
Check out the rest of my canning recipes on the Canning Recipes page.
Jenna
Yum! I love making pickled red onions - so easy yet delicous!
Jenna ♥
larry shriver
I am looking forward to trying this recipe........I love onions and I love pickled beets. Want to try the method on beets to see how they will turn out. Thanks.....
Marci
I am excited to try this recipe. I have never canned anything before.