BEHOLD: the jar of wonder you didn’t know your fridge was missing. These pickled red onions are crisp, bright, and just sweet enough. They’re basically the fairy dust that makes tacos, burgers, sandwiches and salads fly. They take 5 minutes to make, use basic ingredients, and turn the most boring meal into something magazine-cover-worthy. Make a jar once and you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them!
I combed my son Edison’s hair for church the other day, and he immediately revolted. “My head HURTS Mom! It’s too heavy on this side!!” Cue the hugest eye roll of my life.
I don’t know what it is about little boys. They have no chill. I will spend 15 minutes detangling, brushing, and arranging my daughter’s hair with no complaints, but the 15 seconds I spend combing my son’s hair? NIGHTMARE!! Although, come to think of it, this might just mean that I don’t comb their hair often enough…Yes, that’s my kid who looks homeless in his school picture. 😂
Okay today is a PICKLE day!! Not just any pickle. Pickled red onions, my friend. Aren’t they so pretty and pink? If Barbie had a signature side dish, this would be it. If you have not been introduced to these beauties, get ready for your life to be a lot more delicious!
The best pickled red onions
Pickled red onions are literally like a POW and WHAM to your mouth! They’re crisp, tangy, bright, and oh-so-fresh. They are the instant upgrade your taco, burger, or salad deserves. They take 5 minutes, which is almost all hands-off time, and I always have what I need to make them. (Thank you, Mom and Dad, and your extremely prolific lime tree that keeps me in fresh citrus half the year! Also, bless you, California)
This recipe works because it respects the onion. (I feel like this could be a great t-shirt. “Respect the Onion.” Band name?)
No cooking or canning is needed to tame your onions into a tangy wonder: We’re just going to gently tone down the bite, while keeping most of the crunch. Lemons and limes are magical like that.
I lived in Peru for a semester in college teaching English, and Ceviche is the most popular dish there. I don’t like seafood (I’ve grown a little in this realm…Salmon! Shrimp!) Peruvians would spend hours trying to convince me that Ceviche is God’s gift to mankind, and it’s not really raw fish because the lime juice “cooks” it.
Uh huh. Yeah, they were not convincing that 19-year-old college kid with a diet of crackers and yogurt and ice cream that lime is enough to cook raw fish.
But…it kind of does, actually. The same is true for these here pickled onions. The lime does a fresh and quick job of “cooking” the onion and breaking down all the chemicals that give you dragon breath. So you get all the flavor of red onion in your dish without offending everyone you come into contact with for the next 24 hours.
Important ingredients (only 3!)
- red onions, duh. I know some people don’t like red onions and pick them off their salad. It’s because they’re not pickled!! Pickling takes away the sharpness of raw onion, leaving the flavor without the bite.
- lemon juice or lime juice are my top picks. While you can pickle red onions with almost any kind of vinegar, lemon juice is so delightfully bright and fresh, I much prefer it. Plus, we’re trying to tone down the intensity of the onion, and vinegar can be intense in a totally different way. (Read: bitter) If you’re making these for tacos use lime instead, it’s great too.
- Kosher salt is essential for pickled onions for three reasons: it pulls water out of the onions so they don’t go all limp and mushy, it helps you taste the real flavor of the onions, and it creates a brine with the lemon juice that preserves the onions so you can keep them in the fridge for a week or so without them spoiling. Don’t skip it!
How to make it
Start by cutting your onion into thin slices. I made a whole post about how to cut an onion, check it out if you need a refresher! You can also use a mandoline if you have one.
I like to slice my onions as thin as possible! I know it can get tricky at the end, be safe. But super thin pickled onion slices are 🤌
Add all the onions to a bowl, then start squeezin’, right into the bowl of onions. Roll the lemons around on the counter first to help release the juices.
You can use lemon juice or lime juice. Plot twist, this yellow thing is actually a lime. Gotcha! haha. My parents have a lime tree but it’s a variety that has yellow rinds. It doesn’t matter whether you use lemon or lime, it’s just a flavor preference. Lime is great if you’re eating tacos!
But I’m telling you, do NOT use straight up vinegar, or apple cider vinegar. I’ve tried it, it is not the same! And don’t even think about using bottled lemon juice. You won’t get the brightness of flavor!
Use a citrus reamer to get the most juice out. (I love this one). You need to make sure you juice enough liquid to preserve the onions. 3 lemons won’t make enough pickling liquid to completely cover the onions, but it’ll be enough to keep them fresh for a week or so.
Voila! Add in some salt and pepper, and that is literally it. If you’re wondering why the last 3 process shots looked identical, it’s because there is no more to the story 😂 This is why I make these SO often. Super easy, tons of flavor, goes with everything.
You can eat these onions in as few as 5 minutes. I prefer to let mine pickle at least 30 minutes though, for the best flavor. And they are even better an hour later, or the next day.
Toss them in your fridge and add this to your lunch tomorrow! You will love past-you!
I love to add these to Turkey Burgers, Tacos, Gyros, Veggie Sandwiches, Pozole Soup, Quesadillas, Burrito Bowls, literally any salad, the list goes on and on!
Variations to try
I love using lemon juice but maybe you want a different flavor to go with a specific recipe. Here are some ideas for you!
- Use lime juice instead of lemon (you’ll need 6-8 limes for 1/2 cup of juice) and add a pinch of red pepper flakes (amazing choice for Mexican food)
- Use rice vinegar instead of lemon juice and add a pinch of sugar. This is perfect for Asian inspired recipes!
- Use apple cider vinegar. Any vinegar is a last resort choice in my opinion. It’s good, but not as fresh as citrus. Vinegar onions are a great way to lighten any dish that’s a little heavier or fattier. Think Southern cooking, Thanksgiving leftovers, mac and cheese… The vinegar makes the overall flavor MUCH stronger, so try it out for yourself first before making it to serve others.
What to put pickled red onions on
Basically you can put pickled red onions on anything that could use a pop of bright flavor and color. I’m talking basic stuff like scrambled eggs, a tuna sandwich, or a bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon. But some recipes really only sing their song when you add these babies: here are a few solid examples (and some of my favorite recipes to boot).
- Chicken Shawarma >> no street cart, no problem. Pickled red onions are practically mandatory on these babies
- Laura’s Fresh Veggie Sandwich >> as a carnivore I endorse these 100%. soooo good
- Homemade Gyros >> don’t go out for Greek, make these at home! Perfectly spiced
- Beer Battered Fish Tacos >> crispy perfectly fried fish with the pop of pickled onions = absolutel heaven
Storing the leftovers
Quick-pickled onions are perfect for keeping in your refrigerator for a week or two. Just leave them in their salty lemony brine. Store them in a glass jar with a lid or just a tupperware. As long as they’re sealed, the container doesn’t matter. They’ll last for a week or two. We always use a batch up way faster than that because they’re so good on everything!
If you know you won’t finish a full 2-onion batch of these in two weeks, you might want to make a half batch (just one onion). You can’t freeze pickled red onions or they’ll be soft and slimy (ew) instead of crisp and delightful, so don’t go there bro.
More onions!
Appetizers, Dips & Snacks
Caramelized French Onion Dip
Soup Recipes
Easy French Onion Soup
Christmas Recipes
3 Ingredient Roasted Potatoes with Crunchy Onions
Recipes for Dinner
Bacon and Goat Cheese Aioli Burger with Crispy Onions
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Quick Pickled Red Onions
Ingredients
- 2 red onions
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup lemon juice, about 3 lemons
Instructions
- Slice 2 red onions very thin. Here's a refresher on How to Cut an Onion. Add them to a medium bowl.
- Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of salt on the onions. Add freshly cracked black pepper. to taste. (I like to add a lot! At least 1/2 teaspoon)
- Squeeze the juice from 3 lemons (or limes!) over the onions.
- Stir and let sit for at least 5 minutes. I prefer to let my onions pickle for at least 30 minutes. They are even better (and pinker) after 2-3 hours. Be sure to stir them occasionally so all the pickle love can be distributed!
- Add to Turkey Burgers, Tacos, Gyros, Veggie Sandwiches, Pozole Soup, Quesadillas, Burrito Bowls, literally any salad, whatever you want!
- Store leftovers in the lemon and salt brine in a tightly sealed container, like a glass jar or tupperware with a lid, for up to 2 weeks.
