Making a small batch of pickled onions is a great way to use up leftover onions. They're easy to make, with just a few minutes of prep time! You'll love using these quick pickled red onions on tacos, nachos, burgers, and more.
Quick pickled onions are easy to make and a great way to use up leftover onions! In fact, you'll often find a jar in my refrigerator at any time.
Made with a few ingredients, pickled red onions are crispy, tangy, and delicious! They're a beautiful condiment that adds a zesty tang to countless dishes and a lovely bit of color as well.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Pickled onions are a breeze to make. With just a few minutes of hands-on prep plus 30 minutes of brining transform simple slices of onions into a deliciously vibrant topping that adds brightness and crunch.
- Quick pickling onions is a great way to use up leftover onions.
- Tuck pickled onions into sandwiches, add them to salads, or add to a charcuterie board.
- But don't just think of pickled onion as a bonus condiment or an optional garnish. I love adding them to rice, fish tacos, avocado toast, and carne asada.
- Although I use honey in my recipe, you can make vegan pickled onions by using maple syrup instead.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Red onion: I use one small red onion in my small batch pickled onions recipe. The amount I measured from the onion I used was 3-ounces/86 grams. You can use a white or yellow onion instead but the red onion is such a pretty color! I slice the onions into half moons that are about ¼-inch thick.
- Vinegar: While you can use rice vinegar or white wine vinegar, I prefer using apple cider vinegar because of its slightly fruity flavor. I do not recommend using balsamic vinegar.
- Lime juice: Use 2 tablespoons of lime juice which is the juice of approximately 1 medium-sized lime. You can also use bottled lime juice. Lime juice adds a lovely fresh citrus flavor.
- Honey: Honey adds a subtle fruity flavor. To make vegan pickled onions, use maple syrup or sugar instead.
- Salt: Most pickled foods contain salt. We use ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt but you can use ⅛ of a teaspoon of regular table salt instead.
- Water: The water dilutes the vinegar so that the pickling mixture isn't so tart.
See below for ways to use leftover ingredients.
Pro Tip: You may want to customize your pickled onions by adding fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary. You can also add an orange peel, a clove of garlic, or a bay leaf. Keep in mind that these extra ingredients will become more pronounced the longer they stay in the onion mixture. You may like to remove them after the onions reach the flavor you like.
How To Make A Small Batch Of Pickled Onions
- Peel and halve a small red onion from top to bottom, cutting down through the stem. Place the flat sides down on a cutting board. Thinly slice each half into ¼-inch slices. Transfer the slices to a small mason jar.
I use a 2-cup mason jar. Do not use a metal jar or a plastic container. Most metals will react with the vinegar, and plastic will absorb the flavors.
- In a small saucepan, heat the water, vinegar, lime juice, honey, and salt over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture comes to a simmer and the honey has completely dissolved
- Let the brine cool slightly, then slowly pour the warm pickling liquid over the onions in the jar, a little at a time so that the liquid doesn't crack the jar. Use a spoon to push the onions down and around so that the onions are fully submerged.
- Cover and let the onions sit for 30 minutes. Store in the refrigerator.
This recipe will yield ⅔-cup of pickled red onions (70 grams).
What To Do With Quick Pickled Onions
As mentioned, pickled onions are my favorite way to add a beautiful pop of color and flavor to almost any dish. They're so versatile! Here are a few of my favorite ways to use them:
- They're excellent on avocado toast!
- Add them to a salad! Try adding pickled onions to a taco salad, potato salad, chicken caprese salad, or a fresh tomato salad.
- Pile them on a burger! Although I love adding them to a simple burger, pickled onions are spectacular on a Juicy Lucy.
- Add them to a tacos, chicken fajitas, steak fajitas, vegetarian enchiladas, beef enchiladas, carne asada, nachos, or a breakfast burrito.
- Jazz up a bowl of rice!
Expert Tips
- Slice the onions thinly, but not too thinly. The pickling process often thins out the onions a little and the moisture from the brine makes them soft. I like to slice my onions to ¼-inch thickness.
- Use the right-sized jar for pickling. Since we are not heat processing these onions, you do not need to use a canning jar. Any jar with a lid or even a glass storage container will work. I use a 2-cup (1-pint) mason jar.
- Clean and dry your jar well before using it. You don't want to introduce bacteria to the onion pickling process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pickled onions can last in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Yes! You can pickle carrots, jalapeños, cucumbers, cauliflower, and other vegetables with this pickling recipe. Just be sure to cover the vegetables with enough liquid and follow the same storing instructions.
Either, I keep my onions in the brining liquid.
Yes, the ingredients in this pickled onions recipe can be doubled if you'd like to make more.
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Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch pickled onions recipe, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
- Red onions: Spinach and Orzo Salad, Cucumber Salsa, Chicken Caprese, Baked Pasta With Roasted Vegetables
- Honey: Peanut Butter Balls, Baked Oatmeal, French Bread, Curried Butternut Squash Soup
- Lime juice: Guacamole, Margarita, Lime Posset, Key Lime Pie
- Apple cider vinegar: Ranch Dressing, Pork Stir Fry, Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls, Baked Beans
If you’ve tried these quick pickled red onions or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Small Batch Pickled Onions
See the post above for expert tips,
FAQs and ways to use leftover ingredients.
Equipment
- Jar
Ingredients
- 1 small red onion (about 3-ounces sliced)
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Peel and halve a small red onion from top to bottom, cutting down through the stem. Place the flat sides down on a cutting board. Thinly slice each half into ¼-inch slices. Transfer the slices to a small mason jar or glass container with a lid.I use a 2-cup mason jar. Do not use a metal jar or a plastic container. Most metals will react with the vinegar, and plastic will absorb the flavors.
- In a small saucepan, heat the water, vinegar, lime juice, honey, and salt over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture comes to a simmer and the honey has completely dissolved.
- Let the brine cool slightly. Slowly pour the warm pickling liquid over the onions in the jar, a little at a time so that the liquid doesn't crack the jar. Use a spoon to push the onions down and around so that the onions are fully submerged.
- Cover and let the onions sit for 30 minutes. Store in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Slice the onions thinly, but not too thinly. The pickling process often thins out the onions a little and the moisture from the brine makes them soft. I like to slice my onions to ¼-inch thickness.
- Use the right-sized jar for pickling. Since we are not heat processing these onions, you do not need to use a canning jar. Any jar with a lid or even a glass storage container will work. I use a 2-cup (1-pint) mason jar.
- Clean and dry your jar well before using it. You don't want to introduce bacteria to the onion pickling process.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Scottie says
I'm wondering if this recipe can be canned?
Would love to send some to my sister.
Joanie Zisk says
No. This recipe is a "refrigerator pickled onions" recipe and is not designed for canning in a water bath, and has not been tested for canning safety. I would recommend using a recipe specifically designed for canning instead.
Margaret says
These pickled onions are delicious.
I followed the recipe exactly as written.
Love the crunch and the liquid used is perfect
not too harsh.
My forever recipe.
Thank you Joanie 👍
Jan R. says
I made these and LOVE them. Need to make more but was wondering if I can use the brine leftover from the first batch to make the second batch. Thoughts?
Joanie Zisk says
Yes, but I would recommend only using the brine one more time. Bring the brine to a boil again before using. The flavors will likely be diluted and you'll have less liquid to work with. Either use fewer onions for your next batch or add additional vinegar, honey, and water.
J Hegyi says
Great recipe.