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I blame Panera for this recipe. Their Green Goddess Salad is one of my favorites and I absolutely fell in love with Pickled Red Onions after trying them mixed together with that creamy salad dressing *mouth watering*.

Fast forward a few years and COVID life began. Being stuck in a house, feeding 4 adults and 3 children for a year led to me finally getting around to making everything that was sitting on my Pinterest boards. Greek Night became a thing for which I decided we needed Pickled Red Onions and boom. They have lived in my fridge ever since.
Food Safety
Quick pickled recipes are NOT intended to be shelf-stable. We aren't going full canning life over here. This is intended to live in the fridge, pulled as needed, and will still stay fresh for around a month. So don't go making this, throwing it in your pantry, and then getting sick on me. 10/10 don't recommend it.
Recipes to Pair With
If you are looking at ways to put your Pickled Red Onions to use, I put together some of the recipes I use them with all the time. Our Mediterranian Greek bowl or our Carnitas Street Tacos are great examples of ways to add a big bright pop of flavor to very different recipes!

Two Recipes in One
This pickling liquid is the exact same one I use for Pickled Jalapenos, which is why I almost always have a jar of both in my fridge at all times.

Set two jars next to each other. Fill one with sliced red onions, and jalapenos in the other. Pour the pickling liquid over top until full.
Yes... it really is that simple.

Storing Your Pickled Onions
I bought a whole mess of glass containers from Amazon & IKEA and I use them for everything. They particularly come in handy for this recipe though.
Glass Storage Containers
Leftover soup, spaghetti, sauces, or pickled jalapenos and onions... I use these for everything.
As far as how long you can keep them, my personal rule of thumb is a month in the fridge. I generally work through them in that time frame, and then just make another batch.
If you find you haven't gone through the whole jar and you are creeping up on that 30-day mark, my personal recommendation is to toss them and start a new batch. When in doubt, throw it out!
📖 Recipe
Pickled Red Onion
Equipment
- Glass Jar with lid
Ingredients
- 1 Cup White Vinegar
- 1 Cup Water
- 2 Small Red Onion - sliced thin
- 2 tablespoon Granulated Sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt - optional
Instructions
- Slice your onions into thin strips and add them to a glass jar (make sure it has an airtight lid).
- Place the water, vinegar and sugar in a pot and bring to a simmer. Stiring until the sugar is dissolved.
- Carefully pour the liquid over the onions until it reaches the top of the jar.
- Let it come to room temperature, cover with a lid, and store in the refrigerator until you need them!
Video
Notes
- Slice them thin: Thin rings soak up the brine faster and give you that bright pink color and snappy bite quicker.
- Give it time if you can: They're ready in about 30 minutes, but a few hours in the fridge deepens the flavor and color beautifully.
- Storage: Keeps in an airtight jar in the fridge for 2-3 weeks - they just get better as they sit.
- Put them on everything: Tacos, burgers, salads, grain bowls, avocado toast - they add a tangy pop to almost anything.
- Don't dump the brine: Once the onions are gone, use the leftover pink brine to quick-pickle another round of veggies.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate, calculated from the listed ingredients, and provided as a courtesy.
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