This super easy Pickled Onions Recipe uses only 3 ingredients. The perfect condiment for tacos, burgers, salads, and sandwiches.
A simple method to make onion pickles in a jar. Beginner-friendly, fail-proof, perfect results without canning.
Do you like pickling and canning? I am not into all the work involved in traditional canning. This shortcut method is right up my alley. A great way to make pickled zucchini too! Speedy, made easy pickles in minutes.
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.
RECIPE and INSTRUCTIONS for these quick pickled onions can be found at the bottom of this post.
Recently I shared a cucumber and onion salad recipe, and I had a visitor comment that they would like the recipe for the onions I used in the post. This is it, the perfect pickled onions for salads.
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.
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.
3 Ingredient Pickled Onions
This shortcut pickled red onions 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 sugar helps with that.
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 of traditional English pickled onions. 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.
Stress-Free Pickled Onions Process
These pickled red 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!
- 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/Suggestions
Be sure to thinly slice the onions. The easiest way is with a (affiliate) mandoline. You can also use a very sharp 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. You can even use little pearl 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.
You can see why this quick and easy homemade onion pickle recipe has become a staple. With BBQ season here, they are 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 homemade seasoning salt. Great as a meat rub, finishing salt and an awesome food gift too.
If you happen to be growing some mint, this flavoured simple syrup is perfect for adding to drinks, ice cream and more.
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You may also like these pickle recipes:
Easy Pickled Red Onions
Ingredients
- 10 ounces red onion (1 onion)
- 1 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoons granulated sugar
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.
Julie
I love these at restaurants and have been wanting to make my own. These came out perfectly! I’ll be using this recipe again for sure!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
So easy right? The perfect pickled onion recipe for sandwiches and more.
Mina
This is perfect with my favorite meat dishes! I also use it on salads and sandwiches! Yummers!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
Yup we love these pickled red onions too in so many delicious ways.
Kate
Such a fuss-free and easy recipe! Definitely going to try it. Thank you for sharing. 🤩
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
You are welcome. These pickled onions are so easy to make.
Liz McCray
Can you use the same recipe with other veggies? would love to pickle some veggies for my bloody mary garnishes!!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
Perfect for zucchini, and other veggies too. Remember it is not traditional canning, so they won’t last as long.
Bernice Hill
Such a great recipe and I love to use the onions on so many things. I always have a jar ready and waiting in the fridge!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
I agree, I have these pickled onions on hand too. Perfect for grilling season.
Tina
I love pickled onions and was excited to find your recipe because now I can make them at home! Thanks!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
These pickled onions are so easy to make. ENJOY!
steve
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
Homemade & Yummy
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
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
ENJOY….I’m sure you will get through them quickly enough!!
Calleigh Keibler
I fell in love with pickled onion the first time I tried it in Porto’s. I can’t wait to try this recipe.
Homemade & Yummy
OMG these are SOOOO easy to make. We always have a jar in the fridge.
Julia
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?
Homemade & Yummy
OMG these are SUPER easy. You really have to give them a try.
Stephanie Simmons
These do sound so easy to make! And they would be perfect to keep on hand for salads
Homemade & Yummy
We use them in salads, on burgers, in tacos….we always have a jar in the fridge.
Sara
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!
Homemade & Yummy
OMG these are so good. And super easy to make too.
Femi. O
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!
Homemade & Yummy
YES…these are perfect for burgers. Just had some on a burger last night.
Julie
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!
Homemade & Yummy
I know….we have a jar of these in the fridge ALL the time.
Jessica
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!
Homemade & Yummy
Well my mom and aunts were HUGE canners….however that did not get passed down to me. This is my version.
prasanna hede
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!
Homemade & Yummy
I always have these in the fridge. We put them in salads, sandwiches, burgers…and even eggs.