Quick Summary: Quick-pickled red onions that add tangy crunch to carnitas, fish tacos, and nearly any Mexican dish. Five minutes to prep, 30 minutes to marinate, keeps for weeks in the refrigerator. Essential condiment for your Mexican cooking.
Note: This post is by my daughter, Tesla
Jump to: RECIPE | Uses for Pickled Onions | Other Things to Pickle | Health Benefits? | Other Preserving Methods | FAQ
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A few years ago, freshly out of college, my then-roommate was from Belize. She shared a wonderful dish with me called cochinita pibil, which is a pulled pork dish with an achiote marinade.
After the roommate moved out and took all her Belizean recipes with her, I stumbled upon a recipe for cochinita pibil served with pickled onions.
The recipe for the pickled onions looked easy and sounded like something I would like to eat. I was just starting to learn about cooking my own food and the pickled onions seemed like a perfect entry into a flavorful (but still easy) world of food.
Although that cold winter day was the first time I had pickled something, it was certainly not the last time! See the video below (you tube video) for a detailed ”how-to” and the recipe card for the text form of the recipe.
What to Serve with Pickled Onions?
My family is somewhat notorious for eating the same item for days on end in various ways (aka creative leftover dishes). Pickled onions are the perfect versatile condiment that allow us to change up a dish to become a “new” meal.
Egg salad, beans, salads or any type of sandwich are just a few of the dishes subject to pickled onion additions.
My dad’s favorite “dish” using pickled onions is a sandwich with Miracle Whip, braunschweiger and pickled onions on rye bread.
My mom prefers pickled onions on burgers or in a burrito bowl.
For me, it’s a rare day when I have any type of Mexican food without pickled onions. I really love the sweet, cool crunch of the onions in the soft and hot black beans.
I also love the tangy onions in salads (especially a version of this nicoise salad) or in my DIY poke bowls. And of course one of my favorite Mexican dishes that uses pickled onions is Mexican fish tacos.
However you use them, pickled onions are a slightly sweet, slightly tangy, and definitely delicious addition to any recipe.
What Else is Good Pickled?
After pickling onions, I discovered you can pickle pretty much anything! Our family’s newest favorite pickled item is these pickled beet eggs, but we’ve also made our own kimchi (pickled and fermented cabbage), and even pickled chicken gizzards!
Pickled watermelon rind has recently become very trendy, and I think I’ll try that one next on my pickling journey. I’d also eventually like to try pickling jalapenos.
You don’t have to be too adventurous or an experienced chef to pickle foods, which is the beauty of pickling and why I took it on!
Another benefit of pickling is that pickling is so simple- most of the magic happens after you walk away. Pickling can sometimes take a few days to marinate, so patience and planning are key here.
Are There Health Benefits to Pickling?
There have been many studies on the benefits of pickled or fermented foods to the gut flora suggesting that pickled foods can boost digestion and energy levels.
However, most recipes for pickled foods contain a fair amount of sugar and salt. I’ve read that the process of fermentation and pickling lowers the carbs and impacts of sugar, but I’m not sure how reliable those sources were.
Most pickle recipes contain sugar and salt. Whether the fermentation process reduces the impact of the sugar is debated. For quick pickles like these (not truly fermented), the sugar and salt are still present.
More Methods for Preserving Summer’s Produce
- Easy Green Tomato Pickles
- Freezing Summer Tomatoes (plus freezer tomato sauce recipe)
- Preserving Fresh Herbs as Herbal Infused Salts
- Freezing Compound Butters made with Fresh Herbs
- Red Pepper & Eggplant Spread for Cheese Trays & Sandwiches
- Homemade Dandelion Jelly
- Salt & Vinegar Cucumber Chips
- How to Make Shrub Syrups (cold process vs. hot)
- Sun dried tomato butter
- Green Tomato kimchi
FAQ
Up to 2-3 weeks refrigerated in an airtight container. They’re best after a day or two when the flavors have fully developed.
Yes, but red onions have a milder flavor and turn a beautiful pink color. White or yellow onions work but are sharper.
Apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. Any vinegar around 5% acidity works. Rice vinegar creates a milder pickle.
Yes. The onions will be more tart. Start with 1 tablespoon instead of 2-3 and adjust to taste.
After the initial 30-minute room temperature rest, yes. These are quick pickles, not shelf-stable preserved pickles.
Yes. Try adding sliced jalapeños, whole cloves, bay leaves, or fresh herbs like oregano or thyme.
30-minute Pickled Onions
Equipment
- Heat proof jars With air-tight lids
- Small pot
Ingredients
- 2-3 red onions large onions
- 1.5 Teaspoons whole black peppercorns
- 2 Cups vinegar white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 – 3 Tablespoons sugar
- 3 Teaspoons table salt
- water enough to fill jar
Instructions
- Peel the onions and cut them in half. Using a sharp knife or a mandolin, thinly slice the onions and place in a large glass jar (or heat proof bowl) with an airtight cover2-3 red onions
- Add the peppercorns to the jar and lightly shake the jar to disperse the peppercorns1.5 Teaspoons whole black peppercorns
- In a small pot, combine the vinegar, sugar, and salt and heat until sugar and salt are dissolved (couple of minutes). Pour into the jar (or a heat proof bowl) with the onions2 Cups vinegar, 2 – 3 Tablespoons sugar, 3 Teaspoons table salt
- Fill the jar with water until the water level reaches the top of the onionswater
- Let sit in room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour and place the extra in the refrigerator for later. Serve immediately, or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks.
These are amazing. We ate almost all of them without even ever getting them on to other food. They are just a good snack all by themselves.
Sooo glad you enjoyed them. They are so easy to make and just keep in the fridge for snacking or enhancing dinners.