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    Home » Recipes » Vegetables & Salads

    Dec 19, 2021 · Modified: Nov 26, 2022 by Harriet

    Pickled Pink Onions

    Jump to recipe card

    Pickled pink onions are so easy to make! You can make this in less than 10 minutes. Use this pickle to give your favorite meals a burst of flavor and color.

    A close up of pink onions in a white bowl.
    Jump to:
    • 👛 Cost To Make
    • 🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe:
    • 🥘 Ingredients In This Recipe
    • 🍳 Step By Step Instructions
    • 📖 Variations
    • 💭 Recipe Tips
    • 📝 Frequently Asked Questions
    • 👪 Serving Size
    • 🍬 Calories Per Serve
    • 🥗 Serving Suggestions
    • 🌡️ Storage
    • 🌽 More Veggie Recipes
    • 📋 Recipe Card
    • 💬 Comments

    With just five ingredients, pickled pink onions are fast and easy to make, and delicious to eat.

    👛 Cost To Make

    Estimated cost = $1.90 or $0.38 a serve

    🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe:

    • Pickled pink onions will give any dish a great burst of color.
    • The red onions will turn pink soon after the hot pickling liquid is poured over them.
    • You can serve this small batch of refrigerator pickles as soon as they have cooled. But it is best to leave them for about an hour or more for the flavor to develop.

    🥘 Ingredients In This Recipe

    The printable recipe further down the page has the complete list of ingredients, including quantities and step-by-step instructions.

    Image showing ingredients need to make an onion pickle.

    Red Onion - are sweeter and milder in taste than other onions. Pick ones that a firm and have not started to sprout. 

    Vinegar - any vinegar will do, we used white vinegar, but you could also use apple cider vinegar, malt vinegar, or wine vinegar. 

    Salt - is not only for giving flavor. It is also a preservative.

    Sugar - use white sugar. Sugar is a preservative like vinegar and salt, plus it balances the flavor of the pickling liquid by reducing the sourness of the vinegar.

    Water - is used to dilute the strength of the vinegar.

    🍳 Step By Step Instructions

    Sliced red onion in a glass jar.
    1. Peel the onions and cut them in half from the top to bottom root section. Next, cut into thin slices.
    2. Place the onion slices into a dry sterilized jar.
    3. Make the pickling liquid.
    4. Pour the hot liquid over the onions, use a clean fork or spoon to push the onions down into the liquid, then put the lid on.
    5. Allow it to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, then store in the fridge.

    📖 Variations

    You could add any of these ingredients to the jar with the onions for extra flavor.

    • Add a clove of crushed garlic.
    • Mix in dried herbs, like oregano, or thyme, or basil, or other dried herbs you like.
    • Add in whole seeds like coriander, or peppercorns, or cumin, or fennel, or allspice berries, or celery.
    • Add small sprigs of fresh herbs like rosemary, or thyme, or basil, or mint, or other fresh herbs.

    💭 Recipe Tips

    Sterilize the jars

    Use glass jars with metal lids and sterilize them before filling. 

    • Wash the jars and lids thoroughly with hot soapy water, rinse very well. 
    • Then carefully pour boiling water into the bottles and over the inside of the lids.
    • Use a folded tea towel to protect your hands and carefully empty the hot water from them.
    • It is best not to use a tea towel to dry them because they will air dry quickly because they will be hot. 

    Making the pickling liquid, after heating the liquid and dissolving the sugar, taste it and add more sugar or salt to taste if necessary, then bring to the boil again before pouring into the jar.

    📝 Frequently Asked Questions

    How long will these pickled onions keep?

    Pickled pink onions will last about 2 -3 weeks in the fridge when stored and handled correctly.

    The onions must stay submerged in the pickling liquid, and always use a clean spoon or tongs when removing them from the jar.

    👪 Serving Size

    A serving size of these pickled pink onions is about 50 grams (1.7 ounce).

    🍬 Calories Per Serve

    There are about 35 calories in each 50 gram (1.7 ounce) serving.

    🥗 Serving Suggestions

    • Use pickled pink onions as a filling for sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, and wraps.
    • Serve them as a quick and easy side to grilled meats or roasts.
    • Serve them as a simple side to Mexican, Indian, and other Asian foods.
    • Use them as a topping on tacos and pizzas.
    • Put them into salads for pops of color.
    • Use them on vegetable platters and charcuterie platters.
    • Use them as a simple topping with cream cheese on crostini.

    🌡️ Storage

    This pickle will last longer if stored in an air-tight jar in the fridge and will last 2-3 weeks.

    Don’t freeze onion pickle because it is so easy to make and has a nice texture when made fresh. When frozen, the texture changes and the onions become too soft and mushy.

    🌽 More Veggie Recipes

    You might also like this recipe for Achar an Indonesian vegetable pickle, or this quick carrot pickle recipe, or these recipes:

    • Homemade allspice recipe
    • Pickled ginger
    • Mango pickle
    Two bottles of pickled pink onions.

    I do hope that you try this pickled pink onions recipe. If you do, please come back and leave a comment below because I would love to know how you went.


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    📋 Recipe Card

    Onion pickles in a bowl on a wooden board.

    Easy Pickled Pink Onion

    Pickled pink onions are easy to make and are great for many things. Use them as a sandwich filling, a topping on pizzas or tacos, a simple side dish to your main meal, or include them on food platters.
    Print Recipe
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    Prep Time : 5 mins
    Cook Time : 0 mins
    Chilling time : 1 day
    Total Time : 1 d 5 mins
    Cuisine: : Western
    Course : Appetiser, Sides
    Servings : 5 x 50 grams (1.7 ounce) servings
    Calories : 35 : kcal
    Estimated Cost (AUD) : $1.90 or $0.38 a serve

    EQUIPMENT

    • 1 glass jar with metal lid - 3 - 4 cup capacity
    • Small saucepan
    • Measuring cups
    • Kitchen knife
    • Cutting board

    INGREDIENTS

    • 250 grams (2 large) red onions
    • ⅔ cup white vinegar
    • ⅔ cup water
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar or to taste
    Tap button to prevent your screen from going dark while cooking.

    INSTRUCTIONS

    • Sterilize the jars. - see notes below.
    • Peel the onions and slice them in half, then cut them into thin slices.
    • Pack the onion slices into the sterilized jar.
    • Put the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
    • Pour the hot pickling liquid over the onion slices, making sure that the onions are covered in the liquid. If necessary push the onions into the liquid with a clean dry fork or spoon.
    • Seal the jar with the lid and allow the pickle to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
    • Then store in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or longer before eating.

    Notes

    Sterilize the jars
    • Use glass jars with metal lids and sterilize them before filling.
    • Wash the jars and lids thoroughly with hot soapy water, rinse very well.
    • Then carefully pour boiling water into the bottles and over the inside of the lids.
    • Use a folded tea towel to protect your hands and carefully empty the hot water from them.
    • It is best not to use a tea towel to dry them because they will air dry quickly because they will be hot.
     
    Making the pickling liquid, after heating the liquid and dissolving the sugar, taste it and add more sugar or salt to taste if necessary, then bring to the boil again before pouring into the jar.
     
    How long will these pickled onions keep?
    Pickled pink onions will last about 2 -3 weeks in the fridge when stored and handled correctly. The onions must stay submerged in the pickling liquid, and always use a clean spoon or tongs when removing them from the jar.
     
    RECIPE VARIATIONS
    You could add any of these ingredients to the jar with the onions for extra flavor.
    • Add a clove of crushed garlic.
    • Mix in dried herbs, like oregano, or thyme, or basil, or other dried herbs you like.
    • Add in whole seeds like coriander, or peppercorns, or cumin, or fennel, or allspice berries, or celery.
    • Add small sprigs of fresh herbs like rosemary, or thyme, or basil, or mint, or other fresh herbs.
    Nutrition Facts
    Easy Pickled Pink Onion
    Serving Size
     
    1 x 50 gram (1.7 ounce) serving
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    35
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    1
    g
    2
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    6
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Sodium
     
    469
    mg
    20
    %
    Potassium
     
    74
    mg
    2
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    7
    g
    2
    %
    Fiber
     
    1
    g
    4
    %
    Sugar
     
    5
    g
    6
    %
    Protein
     
    1
    g
    2
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    1
    IU
    0
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    4
    mg
    5
    %
    Calcium
     
    15
    mg
    2
    %
    Iron
     
    1
    mg
    6
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Nutrition Disclosure

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Emily says

      December 21, 2021 at 3:11 pm

      5 stars
      I love the onion colour.

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Harriet! The face and photographer behind Recipe Pocket. I am a mother of two who is a cook by day and blogger by night.

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