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Pickled red onions are one of my favorite toppings for burgers and sandwiches. I honestly don’t enjoy eating out very often because I love homemade food way more, but one of my favorite restaurants is Marty B’s because they have the best house-made pickles and pickled red onions. Every time I eat there, I always want to re-create the dishes I try!

This week I set out to make my own pickled red onions and they’re super easy! I made the most simple version without any added ingredients (like garlic or herbs), so be sure to read the modifications section for additional ideas to make the recipe more unique. And be sure to check out my Greek Chicken Nourish Bowl, because the pickled red onions are a key topping on the dish.

Ingredients

Red onion – I used a small red onion. It fit perfectly in a 16-oz mason jar, which is the most common mason jar size.

Distilled white vinegar – The most common pickling vinegar from my research. You can also use apple cider vinegar, but it would have a very distinct, different taste. I do think that using a couple splashes of apple cider vinegar would be delicious though!

Water

Salt – I used pink salt, feel free to use sea salt.

Coconut sugar – If you want to take the edge off the vinegar taste, then you can add a little bit of coconut sugar or honey to the mixture. I didn’t use it and still loved it, but I will probably try it next time!

16-oz mason jar – for the pickling. You want a freshly cleaned jar that can be airtight.

Method

Wash your hands and clean the mason jar with hot water and soap as well as the knife you are going to use to cut the onion.
Over medium heat in a small pot, heat the vinegar, water, salt, and coconut sugar/honey if using. Heat until the salt and sugar dissolves, then remove from the heat and set aside.
While the vinegar mixture is heating, slice the red onion very thin. The thinner it is, the quicker it’s ready. For super thin slices, it’ll be ready in an hour, but for thick slices, it can take a few hours or longer depending on how thick it is.
Transfer the onion to a 16-oz mason jar, pressing it down a little so it doesn’t completely fill the jar. Then pour the vinegar mixture over top. It should completely cover the onion.
Let it cool at room temperature for an hour. If sliced thin, the onions should be sufficiently pickled and ready to use immediately if desired.
Transfer to the refrigerator for storage. Eat within a 1-2 weeks.

Modifications

Add a couple garlic cloves to the jar to infuse a garlic flavor.
Add a sprig of rosemary, thyme, oregano, or dill to infuse an herb flavor, or you can also add sage leaves, parsley leaves, etc. I recommend adding it straight into the jar with the red onion, not cooking it on the stove with the vinegar. Be sure to wash fresh herbs well before adding it.
If you don’t have fresh herbs, you can add a couple sprinkles of dried herbs (add straight into the jar with the red onion).
Use either white vinegar or apple cider vinegar or a combination of both – whichever suits your preferences best! I opted for white vinegar because apple cider vinegar has a strong, distinct taste that I didn’t want to overpower the onions with.
Add sweetener to taste – I didn’t add sweetener to mine because I wanted a very basic recipe, but you can add a touch of sweetener to take the edge off the vinegar. I would recommend coconut sugar personally, but you can also use honey or even maple syrup or date syrup.
Add slices of lemon, lime, or even orange to the jar for a citrus touch. Be sure to wash them well.

Other recipes you’ll love

Recipes pickled red onions are delicious with:

Greek Chicken Nourish Bowls

Chicken Shawarma Bowls

Moroccan Chicken Nourish Bowls

Buffalo Chickpea Wraps

Other DIY recipes:

Homemade Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Homemade Nut Butter

How to Homemake Oat Flour

Please be sure to leave a comment and review on this post! Receiving support from each of you always makes my day! Thanks so much in advance 🙂

How To Pickle Red Onions

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Author: Christine Manes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cool Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 1 16-oz Jar 1x
Category: Condiment
Method: Stovetop

Ingredients

Scale

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar (or ACV or a combo of both)

1/2 cup filtered water

1 tsp pink salt or sea salt

1 small red onion, very thinly sliced

16-oz mason jar

Optional: 1-3 tsp coconut sugar, maple syrup, date syrup, or honey (I would personally opt for coconut sugar!)

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Instructions

Wash your hands and clean the mason jar with hot water and soap as well as the knife you are going to use to cut the onion.
Over medium heat in a small pot, heat the vinegar, water, salt, and coconut sugar/honey if using. Heat until the salt and sugar dissolves, then remove from the heat and set aside.
While the vinegar mixture is heating, slice the red onion very thin. The thinner it is, the quicker it’s ready. For super thin slices, it’ll be ready in an hour, but for thick slices, it can take a few hours or longer depending on how thick it is.
Transfer the onion to a 16-oz mason jar, pressing it down a little so it doesn’t completely fill the jar. Then pour the vinegar mixture over top. It should completely cover the onion.
Let it cool at room temperature for an hour. If sliced thin, the onions should be sufficiently pickled and ready to use immediately if desired.
Transfer to the refrigerator for storage. Consume within a 1-2 weeks.