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    Home » Recipes » Sauces & Rubs

    Homemade Pickled Red Onions

    Published on July 4, 2018 - Updated on January 13, 2023 by Chef Rodney - Leave a Comment - This post may contain affiliate links.

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    These Homemade Pickled Red Onions are Awesome on Tacos, Hot Dogs or Burgers! Very easy to make as well in your own kitchen.
     
    Homemade Pickled Red Onions

    Recently I was at a party where they had a Mexican food truck and one of my friends noticed I didn’t have pickled red onions on my tacos. I told him that the tacos were super flavorful just the way they were, but he insisted I tried some with my next tacos. Well, he was right! So here is my Homemade Pickled Red Onions recipe.

    red onion

    I will admit that I only recently got into pickling. It’s always been on my list of things to master but it never seemed to bubble to the top. So making this recipe was the perfect opportunity for me to try pickling.

    Homemade Pickled Red Onions

    If you’ve never pickled onions or anything else for that matter, don’t be intimated. It’s very easy, probably easier than 75% of the recipes on this food blog. And that is saying a lot since I pride myself on providing easy-to-make recipes.

    pickled red onions black peppercorn
    Pickled Red Onions with Whole Black Peppercorns

    With just a handful of ingredients, a mason jar, and this recipe you are well on your way to making your very own pickled red onions.

    Homemade Pickled Red Onions

    💭 Ingredient Substitution

    You can use Kosher Salt as a substitute for Pickling Salt. Just make sure there are no additives in whatever salt you use. But if you plan on making recipes like this going forward I suggest you pick up some Pickling Salt. It's pretty cheap so really no excuses not to have some in your pantry.

    pickled red onions with red pepper flakes
    Pickled Red Onions with Red Pepper Flakes

    If you enjoy pickling, make sure you try my Homemade Pickled Jalapeños or my Bread & Butter Pickles recipes. For another easy-to-make recipe, I suggest my Easy Smoked Baby Back Ribs. Yummy!

    pickled red onions on tri-tip sandwich
    Pickled Red Onions on Tri-Tip Sandwich

    💭 How to seal Mason Jars

    Using a ladle, fill sterilized mason jars leaving about ½ inch of headspace.
    Remove any air bubbles by inserting a flexible spatula down the sides of the jars. Adjust headspace if necessary.
    Wipe jar rims, place lids on jar and screw on bands finger tight.
    Place jars in a large pot of boiling water for 20 minutes. Move jars to a cooling rack and let cool until the lids "pop". Do not tighten bands. Let jars cool for at least 4 hours. Test seal by pressing the center of the lid. It should not give. If it makes a popping sound, it has NOT been sealed.

    💭 Ingredient Substitution

    Instead of adding fresh rosemary to the pickled red onions jars, you can use some whole black peppercorns, crushed red pepper flakes, sliced jalapeños, garlic cloves or anything else you can think of.

    For more great recipes with Red Onion, I suggest you check these recipes out:

    • Turkey Cheddar Burgers
    • Black Bean Burritos
    • Spicy Egg Salad Sandwiches
    • Green Chili Pinwheels

    📋 What Ingredients do I need

    You will need the following ingredients to make this homemade pickled red onions recipe (see recipe card for quantities): Red Onion, White Vinegar, White Sugar, Pickling Salt and Fresh Rosemary.

    🥣 How to Make Homemade Pickled Red Onions

    Cut the red onion into thin slices. Place in a pint-sized mason jar.
    In a small saucepan, combine white vinegar, sugar, and salt. Add fresh rosemary and bring the mixture to a boil.
    Pour mixture over onions in the mason jar until full. Let cool for about 30 minutes. Shake the jar till everything is well combined.
    Seal the mason jar and refrigerate for 24 hours.

    Homemade Pickled Red Onions

    Homemade Pickled Red Onions

    These Homemade Pickled Red Onions are Awesome on Tacos, Hot Dogs or Burgers! Very easy to make as well in your own kitchen.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 5 mins
    Total Time 10 mins
    Course Condiments, Sauces & Dry Rubs
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12
    Calories 18 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 Large Red Onion, sliced
    • 1 ½ Cups White Vinegar
    • 2 tablespoon White Sugar
    • 1 tablespoon Pickling Salt
    • 2 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary
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    Instructions
     

    • Cut red onion into thin slices. Place in pint sized mason jar.
    • In a small saucepan, combine white vinegar, sugar and salt. Add fresh rosemary and bring mixture to a boil.
    • Pour mixture over onions in the mason jar until full. Let cool for about 30 minutes. Shake the jar till everything is well combined.
    • Seal the mason jar and refrigerate for 24 hours.

    Notes

    You can use Kosher Salt as a substitute for Pickling Salt. Just make sure there are no additives in whatever salt you use. The rosemary flavoring is optional. You can omit completely or use one of the following instead of the rosemary: 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, 1 small red pepper, 3 peeled garlic cloves or 1 teaspoon of Cumin seeds.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 18kcalCarbohydrates: 3gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 18mgSugar: 2gVitamin A: 5IUVitamin C: 0.9mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 0.1mg

    Nutritional information provided for this recipe is based on 1 serving. This information is an estimate and may vary based on several factors. If nutritional information is important to you and your diet, please verify this recipe with a Registered Dietitian.

    Tried this Recipe?Leave a Comment below and share a picture on Instagram and tag @hot_rods_recipes and hashtag #hotrodsrecipes!

    More Sauces and Dry Rub Recipes

    • Rachael's Horseradish French Fry Dipping Sauce
    • Simple Poblano Ranch Sauce
    • Gluten Free Sweet & Sour Sauce
    • Copycat Taco Bell Green Sauce
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