Quick Pickled Onions
I have been pickle obsessed since I was born. I would hoover baby dill pickles, jar after jar as a kid and it’s really no different now. Pickle juice? No problem….I’ll drink it. Now that I’m an “adult” (ew!) I enjoy pickles in a variety of ways such as, picklebacks – where you take a shot of Jamison Irish Whisky and follow it up with a shot of pickle juice. I have also come to enjoy a variety of other pickles like pickled beets, mustard pickles, pickled beans, pickled asaparagus and of course pickled onions!!
I think that Vancouver taco craze got me started on pickled onions. The sweet, tangy, pink onions are the perfect addition to any type of taco. They are so easy to make, I think it’s imperative to have them on hand for any Taco Tuesday at your house!
With literally 4 ingredients and maybe five to ten minutes of prep time there is no excuse. Ya just gotta enjoy these little pickley bites!
You can leave these guys plain or spice them up with some peppercorns, herbs, cinnamon sticks, citrus zest or chilis. I went with peppercorns and a cinnamon stick but either way…you’re going to love ’em!
Quick Pickled Onions
The quickest way to add lots of flavour to your tacos, salads and burgers!
- 1 small red onion (very thinly sliced)
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sweetener (sugar, coconut sugar, honey)
- 1 teaspoon pickling salt (or kosher salt)
- 1/2 cup warm water
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In a small pot, bring 2 cups of water to the boil.
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Place the onions in a sieve and slowly pour the boiling water over them. Drain well.
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In a small mason jar, combine the vinegar, salt and sweetener. Stir until dissolved. If using any additional flavourings (mentioned above) add now.
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Add the onions to the jar, along with the warm water. You may need to use more water depending on the size of your jar.
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Set aside for at least 1 hour.
Use whatever sweetener you have on hand – white sugar, coconut sugar or honey.
Use as a topping for whatever you like – tacos, burritos, soup, salad, sandwiches or burgers!
Can’t make them tonight? Pin it for later!
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10 Comments
Angie@Angie's Recipes
Just finished my pickled red onions :-)) I didn’t rinse the onion slices with boiling water though.
Koko (kokobrill.com)
Ooh, yummy!! I’m a big baby when it comes to onions so I’ll do anything I can to lessen that “raw” taste. I really like these ones with just black peppercorns and a cinnamon stick, too!
Colleen Milne
I love quick pickling! I do red cabbage a lot, but I’ve never tried onions. They sound delicious, so I will try for sure. And I’ve never heard of a pickleback, so I learned something new here! 🙂
Dana | KillingThyme.net
I love this quick pickle recipe! I always mean to make a batch, but then I get distracted and when I need pickled onions, I’ve come up with a way to “instant pickle”. It’s saved my butt a few times. Haha. Sadly, it’s given me less motivation to pickle an entire jar, but I’m sure I’d find uses for them. Quick pickling is so handy these days; it’s hard to find time for canning!
Natalie Browne
I’m so in love with pickled onions right now. I love adding them into salads and tacos. My favourite way to make them is by adding a few radishes, star anise and ginger. I love how quick this recipe is. Perfect for when you need a pickled onion fix, lol
Sean Bromilow
I freakin’ LOVE pickled onions like these! They’re so easy too, and they pack so much flavour. You’re so right too – they really are the perfect accompaniment to basically any taco. And I have to say, while I like standard pickling with a hot water bath, I think that these might be best as a fresh/raw quick pickle. Yum.
Koko (kokobrill.com)
I ferment red cabbage quite a bit into big batches of sauerkraut – it’ so delicious!! Oh yes…try a pickleback if you dare 😉
Koko (kokobrill.com)
Thanks Dana! These are so fast to make, I totally agree it kind of beats the whole canning effort. However I have been learning about canning with my great aunt which has been a really cool experience! 🙂
Koko (kokobrill.com)
I love them too! Oh my gosh I will have to try your version, too!
Koko (kokobrill.com)
Ah, love your enthusiasm!! They are such a great way to add in all kinds of flavour!! 🙂