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You are here: Home / Recipes / Freezing, Preserving & Pickling / Pickled Onions Recipe Only 3 Ingredients

Pickled Onions Recipe Only 3 Ingredients

May 2, 2018 *Updated* October 14, 2020 / By: Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy 80 Comments

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Recipe Jump

This super easy Pickled Onions Recipe using only 3 ingredients is the perfect condiment for tacos, burgers, salads, and sandwiches. Made in minutes and no fancy equipment needed.

Quick pickling transforms raw red onions into tangy, crisp pretty pink ribbons of marinated onions.

Overhead shot of Pickled Onions in a bowl.

Do you like pickling and canning? I am not into all the involved steps, so this quick pickled onions recipe is perfect. In fact, you can even eat these pickled onions the same day! This is also a great way to make pickled zucchini too!

Quick pickle recipes are great to have in the fridge during grilling season. The perfect topping to lots of great burgers, like in this homemade burger roundup.

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RECIPE and INSTRUCTIONS for making these pickled red onions can be found at the bottom of this post.

Recently I shared a salad recipe, and I had a visitor comment that they would like the recipe for the onions I used in the post. So here it is, the secret pickled onions recipe used in my Best Cucumber Salad.

If you are like me, for the most part, I love things to be relatively simple when it comes to cooking. Yes, I do experiment and spend hours in the kitchen sometimes. Those are the days that I am trying out a new cuisine or technique.

Sliced red onions ready to pickle.

My mom was ALL about pickling and canning. The cold room was full of glass jars. Fruit, jams, pickles, sauerkraut, and even pickled eggs. It was quite the ordeal watching her get everything ready. Wash and sterilize the jars, make the brine, fill the jars and then seal them.

Weeks of work during harvest kept the shelves stocked all winter long with delicious, homemade preserves. Canned tomatoes for pasta sauce and soups, jam for your toast, and my hubby’s favourite, pickled beets to eat with a meal.

Sliced onions in a jar and pickling ingredients to add to the jar.

I do miss all those wonderful foods my mom made. Unfortunately the “canning thing” did not rub off on me. I am all for “quick pickling”. This pickled onions recipe is just that, QUICK.

Only 3 Ingredients

This pickled onion recipe is super fast, and you can even eat the onions in about 15 minutes if you like. The longer you keep them, the vinegar will turn a beautiful pink colour, and the onions will soften slightly. They will always be crisp and have a nice tang to them, even after weeks in the fridge (if they last that long).

You will need:

  • red onion
  • rice wine vinegar
  • sugar

You can even turn this into 2 ingredients if you omit the sugar. I like to balance out the flavour a bit, so adding the sugar helps with that.

A glass jar of sliced red onions before the pickling vinegar is added.

My husband’s family was from England, and as you know they do love their pickled foods. My first experience was a store-bought variety. I am not a fan of malt vinegar, so although he liked these very much, they were not my cup of tea.

Raw onions can be a bit hard to eat, even red ones. Hubby does not like raw onions at all, so I wanted a quick and easy way to pickle onions. I didn’t want to involve any special equipment.

He does however LOVE my Crispy Air Fryer Onion Rings.

How To Pickle Onions

These pickled onions are made in minutes, I am not kidding. I just use a plain old sharp knife to slice the onions. If you want perfect slices, by all means use a mandolin. I am all about the simple here. No equipment, no cooking brine, no fuss!

All you do is:

Vinegar getting poured over the sliced red onions in the jar.
  • thinly slice the onion
  • pack the slices in a glass jar
  • mix the rice vinegar and sugar in a measuring cup
  • pour over the onion slices
  • put on the lid
  • DONE!

Quick Pickling Tips

Be sure to thinly slice the onions. The easiest way is with a (affiliate) mandoline. You can also use a very shape knife. Thinner slices will absorb the vinegar quickly. The thicker the slices, the more time it will take to fast pickle the onions.

I need to try these in my Snap Pea Salad Recipe. I bet they would be awesome.

Choosing different kinds of vinegar. For this recipe, I used rice wine vinegar. Feel free to experiment. Other choices could be distilled white vinegar, sherry vinegar or apple cider vinegar.

I used red wine vinegar in this Smoked Salmon Plate to quickly pickle a cucumber.

Ways to sweeten pickles? In this recipe, I used white sugar. You can also use maple syrup, honey, or agave nectar. Again have a little fun in the kitchen and see what you like best.

Best onions for pickling? I like red onions. Other great choices would be White onions, Spanish, Vidalia, or Sweet onions.

OMG, have you tried my homemade onion gravy from scratch? Seriously it is the best onion gravy in town. Move over HP Sauce, this is the NEW steak topper.

Pickled Onions  in a glass serving bowl, fork and jar in the background.

You can see why this easy Pickled Onion Recipe has become a staple. With BBQ season here, they will be flying out of the fridge into salads and burgers all summer long.

Do you have a herb garden? Give Fresh Herb Salt a try. A fun way to make a homemade seasoning salt. Great as a meat rub, finishing salt and an awesome food gift too.

Do you have a quick pickle recipe you make all the time?

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Pickled Onions Pin Image


Overhead shot of Pickled Onions Recipe Only 3 Ingredients in a glass bowl.

Pickled Onion Recipe Only 3 Ingredients

This easy Pickled Onions Recipe using only 3 ingredients is the perfect condiment for burgers, salads and sandwiches. Made in minutes, and you can even eat them the same day.
5 from 29 votes
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Course: bbq side, BBQ/Salad, Condiment
Cuisine: Canadian
Keyword: quick pickles
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 17kcal
Author: Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces red onion (1 onion)
  • 1 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoons granulated sugar
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Get a glass jar with good fitting lid. I used a mason jar.
  • Peel the onion and thinly slice.
  • Place the onion slices into the jar.
  • Mix the vinegar and sugar in a measuring cup until the sugar dissolves. 
  • Pour over the onion slices.
  • Put on the lid.
  • Place in the fridge till ready to use.
  • ENJOY!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 17kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 34mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Notes

If you want all your onion slices to be uniform, feel free to use a mandolin to slice with. These onions will keep for several weeks in the fridge.
Tried this recipe?Take a picture and tag @homemadeandyummy
Nutritional information on this site is generated via a plugin. I am not responsible for the accuracy of the plugin information.
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MEET THE AUTHOR

Gloria Duggan is the author for Homemade & Yummy, where she creates fun and easy recipes. She is also a brand ambassador/influencer for well-known companies. Gloria has judged food competitions and has posted about local food events. Gloria's work has been featured in magazines, and she has been interviewed on several podcasts. Read More…

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Comments

  1. steve

    August 06, 2018 at 5:24 am

    Hi
    I’ve never pickled onions before and this looks like the easiest recipe ever. I have grown a lot of onions this year so I’m looking to pickle quite a few, could you tell me how long they will keep and do I have to store them in the refrigerator?
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Homemade & Yummy

      August 06, 2018 at 8:09 am

      YES they have to be put in the fridge. I have had them for a few weeks, but they will not last as long as actually “canned” pickles. These are meant to be used in a short time.

    • steve jones

      August 07, 2018 at 1:03 pm

      OK thanks very much … I don’t suppose it’ll be too much of a hardship to eat a load at a time lol

    • Homemade & Yummy

      August 08, 2018 at 7:55 am

      ENJOY….I’m sure you will get through them quickly enough!!

  2. Calleigh Keibler

    May 27, 2018 at 10:40 pm

    I fell in love with pickled onion the first time I tried it in Porto’s. I can’t wait to try this recipe.

    Reply
    • Homemade & Yummy

      May 28, 2018 at 9:04 am

      OMG these are SOOOO easy to make. We always have a jar in the fridge.

  3. Julia

    May 20, 2018 at 10:12 pm

    I very recently had breakfast with a friend at a jewish restaurant and the platter of food came with some pickled onions which were delicious! I kept thinking that I need to try and do my own pickled onions so I am very glad I saw this recipe. It looks so easy! I am definitely going to try them. How long will they keep in the fridge?

    Reply
    • Homemade & Yummy

      May 21, 2018 at 5:01 pm

      OMG these are SUPER easy. You really have to give them a try.

  4. Stephanie Simmons

    May 14, 2018 at 11:25 pm

    These do sound so easy to make! And they would be perfect to keep on hand for salads

    Reply
    • Homemade & Yummy

      May 15, 2018 at 8:45 am

      We use them in salads, on burgers, in tacos….we always have a jar in the fridge.

  5. Sara

    May 14, 2018 at 1:09 pm

    I have never had a pickled onion, but these look and sound good! I am going to have to try pickled onions on a burger or a hotdog this summer!

    Reply
    • Homemade & Yummy

      May 15, 2018 at 8:47 am

      OMG these are so good. And super easy to make too.

  6. Femi. O

    May 14, 2018 at 10:27 am

    Can’t wait to try these with some of the burgers we’re planning on testing our homemade bread with! This sounds like it will be a major flavor bomb!

    Reply
    • Homemade & Yummy

      May 15, 2018 at 8:47 am

      YES…these are perfect for burgers. Just had some on a burger last night.

  7. Julie

    May 14, 2018 at 12:31 am

    I love quick pickled veggies! Agree with you that canning isn’t my forte, but anything that can be done in the refrigerator is a great way to use all those summer veggies!

    Reply
    • Homemade & Yummy

      May 14, 2018 at 9:57 am

      I know….we have a jar of these in the fridge ALL the time.

  8. Jessica

    May 14, 2018 at 12:06 am

    My grandma has always been a huge pickled jar fan. I wish that is one thing I carried on from her. I miss her pickled onions and well be trying this recipe in summer when our onions come in!

    Reply
    • Homemade & Yummy

      May 14, 2018 at 9:58 am

      Well my mom and aunts were HUGE canners….however that did not get passed down to me. This is my version.

  9. prasanna hede

    May 13, 2018 at 1:09 pm

    I love pickled veggies and fruits, and always keep a jar in refrigerator. They work great for salad and sandwiches,your recipe is easy and awesome!

    Reply
    • Homemade & Yummy

      May 13, 2018 at 4:38 pm

      I always have these in the fridge. We put them in salads, sandwiches, burgers…and even eggs.

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