When I make salads and bowls, I love to add onions. But sometimes, I want to add a little kick to my red onions. Red pickled onions are not only simple to make, they are a fabulous addition to any salad, sandwich, or bowl. Although red onions are generally strong tasting, pickled onions are milder in taste. Despite the vinegar base, the sweet taste of agave or maple syrup makes these pickled red onions a delicious addition to any recipe.
WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE NEEDED FOR PICKLED RED ONIONS?
- Pint-sized mason jar
- Red onion
- White vinegar
- Agave or maple syrup
- Rosemary or other herbs and flavors
OPTIONAL FLAVORINGS (PICK ONE OR MIX AND MATCH TO ACCOMPANY YOUR FOOD)
- Black peppercorns
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Hot red pepper
- Basil
- Jalapeno
- Dill
- Garlic
- Cumin seeds
Regardless of the flavors, you choose to infuse into your onions, rosemary is my preference. I absolutely love rosemary, but basil or hot peppers can change the flavor drastically and enhance the flavors you are trying to match with a recipe.
If you plan to make a Mexican dish, jalapeños would clearly be a good choice. Basil would enhance any onions for an Italian Dish.
HOW TO MAKE PICKLED ONIONS; SO SIMPLE IN ONLY A FEW MINUTES
In order to make pickled onions, all you need is a few simple ingredients and then choose your flavors.
- Peel and slice the red onion into thin slices.
- Place onions and rosemary into a pint-sized mason jar, or other glass, plastic, or ceramic container with a sealable lid.
- In a small saucepan stir together vinegar and agave
- Add additional optional flavorings as desired.
- Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.
- Pour mixture over onions in a jar until full.
- Place the lid on and let cool to room temperature.
- Place the lid on to seal and refrigerate.
- Wait overnight and use for your favorite recipes
- Will last sealed in the refrigerator for 7-10 days
If you love onions as I do, and you want to pickle quickly and easily, unlike other pickling processes, try this. Pickled onions last a week to ten days in the refrigerator. Ours didn't last that long.
WHAT RECIPES ARE GREAT TO INCLUDE PICKLED RED ONIONS?
ANTIPASTO SALAD
GREEK WRAP SANDWICH
VEGAN POKE BOWL
LENTIL BURGERS
ROASTED VEGETABLE TACOS
Pickled Red Onions
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pint sized mason jar
- 1 red onion
- 1½ cups white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons agave or maple syrup
- 2 large sprigs of rosemary
Optional Flavorings (Pick one or mix and match to accompany your food)
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 small hot red pepper
- 3 whole peeled garlic
- 1 teaspoons whole cumin seeds
Instructions
- Peel and slice the red onion into thin slices.
- Place onions and rosemary into a pint-sized mason jar, or other glass, plastic, or ceramic container with a sealable lid.
- In a small saucepan stir together vinegar and agave.
- Add additional optional flavorings as desired.
- Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.
- Pour mixture over onions in a jar until full.
- Place the lid on and let cool to room temperature.
- Place the lid on to seal and refrigerate.
- Wait overnight and use for your favorite recipes
- Will last sealed in the refrigerator for 7-10 days
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
Dean
What do you mean by agave? What part of the agave should I use?
Did you mean agave sugar? Or agave syrup?
Please help.
Kathy Carmichael
Dean, you can use agave syrup or maple syrup.
ron
Is not agave high in fructose and therefore hard on the liver?
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Ron! Because it is boiled and then used in pickling, the amount of agave has minimal absorption into the onions. You may also substitute maple syrup if you prefer. I hope this answers your question.