I absolutely love quick Pickled Red Onions! Actually I love pretty much all pickled vegetables, but pickled red onions are at the top of my list and I think one of the most versatile. They’re so easy to make and pack such a delightfully tangy flavor punch!

Not only is our pickled red onion recipe so easy to make (and to modify based on personal preference), but it pairs well with SO many dishes. Some of my favorite things to add picked red onions are sandwiches, salads, grain bowls, and tacos.

How to Make Pickled Red Onions

Pickled red onion ingredients on a kitchen counter.

Process

Place sliced red onion into a large bowl. Set aside. (If using spice mix, combine with sliced red onions.)

In a small pot combine, vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Stir together. Place mixture over medium heat and simmer until sugar and salt dissolve, 2 to 3 minutes.

Pickled red onion mixture simmering in a pot.

Pour hot vinegar mixture over sliced onion. Gently stir and set aside (allow mixture to sit for at least 30 minutes). Use immediately or transfer contents to a jar, tightly seal and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Pickled red onion in a jar to rest in the refrigerator.

Tips and Tricks for Pickled Red Onion Success

For the most vibrant tart flavor, use white vinegar. It you want a more slightly sweet, softer flavor use apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar.
Some recipes mention to soak the sliced onion in a brine for 24 hours to keep them crisp, but I’ve actually discovered that this does the opposite and softens the onions. For the most crisp pickled onions, pour the hot vinegar mixture over the onions (and spices, if using) and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour before transferring to a jar and refrigerating.
Use kosher (non-iodized) salt. Iodized (table) salt contain anti-caking agents. That plus the iodine can make the pickling liquid cloudy, darken the pickled red onions and alter the overall flavor.
To preserve the shelf life of the pickled red onions, we highly recommend canning your onions once they’re made. This will allow you to keep them for months on end!

Variations

Use half the amount of vinegar and add sour citrus juices in its place like fresh lime juice or lemon juice (or even fresh seville oranges, which is a sour orange variety) . This gives the onions a deep citrus, briny flavor that is delicious!
Alternatively you can add a few strips of citrus rind to the pickling mixture to add a subtle citrus flavor to the onions.
If you want a more mild onion flavor overall, you can blanch the onions in boiling water and transfer them to an ice bath. This will mellow out the onion’s acidity, making it more palatable for some people.
Use different types of onions such a maui sweet onions for a slightly sweeter and milder flavor or a white onion for a more intense and acidic pickled onion.
Play around with spice mixtures depending on your flavor preferences. We gave our preferred spice blend in the recipe card below, but the options are truly endless!
Slice thicker or thinner slice of red onion if you want a greater crunch (thicker) or a more delicate texture (thinner). If slicing ultra thin slices, we recommend using a mandoline.
Replace the sugar with more natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup or agave.