Easy pickled red onions
Making your own pickled red onions is so easy and this recipe flavoured with mustard seeds, oregano and Balsamic vinegar is just delicious.
I have been making a version of these pickled red onions for years now and I’m actually not sure why I haven’t shared it before. It’s probably the most versatile of all pickles as it can literally be used in anything. Sandwiches, tacos, burritos, salads. You name it, it works.
For this batch, I flavoured the pickles with mustard seeds, coriander seeds, dried oregano and used a good splash of Balsamic vinegar. The end result was a deeply aromatic pickle with a lot of savory notes, which I really loved. That’s the beauty of making your own pickled red onions, you get to play around and change the ingredients which results in a different tasting pickle every time.
How to pickle red onions
Sterilize a large glass jar then add sliced red onions. Bring vinegar, water and spices to a simmer in a saucepan then pour over the onions. Tightly screw on the lid then allow to come to room temperature before placing in the fridge for at least 24 hours before serving.
How long do pickled onions last?
These pickles will last up to a month if kept in the refrigerator. Make sure the onions are always covered with the pickling liquid (you can top it up with more vinegar and water if necessary).
What to eat with pickled onions
- On tacos: Slow-braised short rib tacos with pickled red onions
- On top of burgers like these Classic bacon cheeseburgers.
- Jazz up sandwiches: Smoked chicken sandwich with jalapeño mayo
- In salads: Easy creamy curried macaroni salad
- On your fav lunchbowl: Chicken quinoa salad with peas and feta
Pickle recipes:
Easy pickled red onions
Ingredients
- 4 cups peeled and sliced red onions
- 1 cup white vinegar
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup Balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- ½ teaspoon peppercorns
Instructions
- Place the red onions in a 1 liter (4 cup capacity) sterilised glass jar.
- In a small saucepan, heat the remaining ingredients until the sugar has dissolved then pour over the red onions, ensuring the onions are completely covered.
- Place the lid on the jar and allow to cool before placing in the fridge for at least 24 hours before serving.
- These pickles will last for up to 1 month in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Easy pickled radishes
I love this! I have been making pickled onions for a long time too but I never ‘cooked’ the vinegar in a saucepan. I just pour it directly over the onions in a jar and leave it. I am no expert – so want to make sure what’s the difference? Should I heat the vinegar and seeds before adding them to the onions or can I do what I have been doing? Thanks in advance
Heating the mixture infuses the herbs and spices more in my opinion and also allows a quicker pickle as the heat breaks down the cells of the onions faster. 🙂
I’ve made homemade pickles Alida, but never pickled onions. I’ll definitely need to try though, because I’m a big onion fan and would probably enjoy them on lots of things!
You so would! They add the perfect acidic punch to burgers, sandwiches and tacos!