Pickled Red Onions
These sweet and spicy pickled red onions are the best ones ever! They're a quick and easy Southern condiment that's a perfect crunchy, zesty addition to sandwiches, BBQ, and salads.
Servings: 12 servings per 8 oz jar
Cost: $0.04 per serving
Equipment
- 8 ounce jar(s) with tight fitting lid(s)
- funnel
- kitchen towel(s)
Ingredients
For the Pickled Onions
- 1 large red onion halved and thinly sliced
- 1 stick cinnamon (use 1 stick per jar)
- 12 whole cloves
- 12 black peppercorns
- 3 tablespoons sugar add more to taste if necessary
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar with the mother such as Bragg's
- ½ cup lime juice freshly squeezed
Optional Additional Ingredients
- star anise
- garlic cloves smashed but left intact
- mustard seed
- bay leaf
- fresh ginger
- red pepper flakes
- cumin seeds
Instructions
Blanching the Onions
- Begin by slicing the onions very thin. If you have a mandolin, this is the perfect use for it.
- Add the sliced onions to a medium bowl. Pour enough boiling water over onions so that they are covered. Drain after 45 seconds. Stuff the onions to glass jars or a food safe glass container with lid.
Making the Brine
- Toast cinnamon, cloves, and peppercorns (and any additional spices you desire) until fragrant in a small saucepan over medium heat, 3 to 5 minutes. Watch carefully and move the spices around in the pan, as the high heat will scorch them. Remove from the heat.
- Whisk in the vinegar, lime juice, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and salt, then add 1 cinnamon stick. (If you're making two or more jars, use one stick per jar.) Bring to a simmer and cook until the sugar and salt have dissolved, about 1 to 2 minutes. Taste for sweetness then add more sugar as needed. I used 5 tablespoons in my batch.
Loading the Jars
- Remove the cinnamon stick(s) from the brine. Using the handle of a spoon, poke a hole amidst the onions in the jar, then insert the cinnamon stick in the hole.
- Pour brine and spice mixture over the onions. Fill to the top of the jar(s). Tap to loosen any air bubbles trapped in the onions. Allow to stand at room temperature on a kitchen towel until cooled, about 25 to 35 minutes.
- Place lid on jar and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. The onions will keep tightly sealed in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Notes
- Thinly slice the onions, preferably with a mandolin, for the quickest pickling and the best texture.
- Use sterilized, very clean jars to keep the onions fresh. Wash the jars with hot, soapy water or run them through the dishwasher before using.
- Experiment with different add-ins to change up the flavor.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 23kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Sodium: 99mg | Potassium: 43mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 6IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.1mg