Quick pickled red onions that are crisp, tangy, barely sweet, and bright pink, perfect for waking up tacos, a burger, or a salad. I make them in 10 minutes. You can taste them after 30 minutes of resting; personally, I find them even better the next day.
Published on October 2, 2026
PREP TIME
10 min
COOK TIME
2 min
DIFFICULTY
Very Easy
STORAGE
2 weeks
I started making pickled red onions in Singapore. With the heat and humidity all year round, I’ll admit that a fresh, tangy condiment on the plate was always welcome. A small jar of pink onions was almost always in my fridge, next to the soy sauce and fish sauce.
When we moved to the United States, it became even more obvious: pickled red onions are everywhere, on burgers, tacos, salads, and snack boards. I still make them regularly, and now I pickle radishes, carrots, and cucumbers, too.
Quick Pickled Red Onions Recipe
Crisp, tangy, lightly sweet quick pickled red onions made with apple cider vinegar and white vinegar, ready to taste after 30 minutes. A homemade condiment for salads, burgers, tacos, and snack boards.
10
servings10
minutes2
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Ingrédients
1 medium red onion
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1/3 cup cold water
1 tablespoon light brown sugar or cane sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Optional whole spices and dried seasonings, such as star anise, peppercorns, or dried chile…
Instructions
- Slice the onion
Peel the onion and slice it about ⅛ inch thick using a mandoline or a sharp knife. - Fill the jar
Place the onion slices in a clean jar, then add any spices you're using.
- Make the brine
Heat the two vinegars, the sugar, and the salt in a small saucepan, just until they dissolve completely. Remove from the heat, then stir in the cold water. Taste the brine and adjust it to your liking.
- Pour in the brine
Pour the brine over the onions until they're completely submerged.
- Cool and refrigerate
Let cool, close the jar, and refrigerate. You can taste the pickled onions after 30 minutes, but I find them even better the next day.
Minute Papillote Tip
- I often make these pickles with the half red onion left over from another recipe.
Why Do Pickled Red Onions Turn Pink?
This is one of the best parts of the recipe. As soon as the vinegar hits the onions, they start turning bright pink. That’s the anthocyanins, the pigments naturally found in red onions, reacting to the acidity of the brine.
The longer the onions sit, the more that pretty pink spreads through the slices. After a few hours, they already have the vivid pink color that pickled red onions are known for.
How Long Does It Take to Pickle Red Onions? 30 Minutes, 2 Hours, or 24 Hours
| Resting time | Texture | Flavor |
|---|---|---|
| 30 minutes | Very crisp | Sharp onion bite |
| 2 hours | Softer | Tangier |
| Next day (12 to 24 hours) | Tender | Mellow, rounder flavor |
| Up to 2 weeks | Keep refrigerated in a closed jar, onions submerged in the brine. The flavor keeps mellowing a little more each day. | |
After 30 minutes, you can already serve them: the onions are still very crisp with a sharp bite, and the brine is starting to flavor them.
After 2 hours, they soften and taste tangier.
I prefer to wait 12 to 24 hours, but it’s very personal. The onions are then less sharp, the brine has soaked into the slices, and the spices have had time to flavor the jar.
If you love crunch, serve them soon. If you prefer a rounder flavor, wait until the next day.
What to Serve with Pickled Red Onions
I add them whenever a dish needs a little freshness and tang. In tacos, a burger, or a big composed salad, you’ve probably thought of it already.
- Try them in a simple green salad, too: it’s really delicious.
- On a hard-boiled egg, the tang cuts through the soft, creamy yolk.
- With cold meats, like chicken breast or roast beef, they’re a great alternative to mustard.
- I stir them into plain yogurt, raita-style, to serve with baked potatoes or my chickpea fritters.
- On toast, they add a tangy touch: try them with this avocado and hummus toast (in French: a chance to practice!).
And you, what do you serve them with? Tell me in the comments, I’m always looking for new ideas.
My Tip: Taste and Adjust the Brine
Many recipes use a 3-2-1 ratio (3 parts vinegar, 2 parts water, 1 part sugar), which makes a rather sweet brine. I find that a little too sweet: the pickles lose their bite. I prefer a brine that’s much less sweet: mine has roughly a third of the sugar, just 1 tablespoon for a scant cup of brine.
Taste it before pouring it over the onions. If you like it from the spoon, it’s perfect. If not, add a little sugar to soften it or a little vinegar to make it brighter. And here’s my grain de sel, as we say in French (it means “my two cents”): taste first, adjust after.
Add the spices or aromatics of your choice to the jar with the onions, before pouring in the brine. No need to add too many: their flavor will develop as the onions rest.
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What to Do with Leftover Red Onion
I often have half a red onion left over after making another recipe.
Rather than wrapping it up and forgetting about it in the fridge (!), I slice it and make a small jar of “minute” pickles.
It’s also a good way to use up a few radishes.
What to Do with Leftover Pickling Brine
When you’ve finished the red onions in the jar, don’t necessarily throw out the leftover brine. You can use a little to brighten a vinaigrette or to season certain vegetables directly.
It’s perfect, for example, in a carrot salad, even without any oil: its tangy, lightly sweet, and salty flavor creates a particularly good balance with the carrots.
Quick Carrot Salad with Pickling Brine
Grate 2 medium carrots into a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of leftover brine and toss. Taste, then add more brine, a teaspoon at a time, until it’s as tangy as you like. Let it sit for 10 minutes. No oil needed: the tang, a touch of sweetness, and the salt balance the carrots on their own. Add a few pickled onion slices on top if you like.
Troubleshooting Your Pickled Red Onions
Why are my pickled onions too sharp?
Give them more time. After 12 to 24 hours in the fridge, the onions are less sharp and the brine has soaked into the slices. If you’d like a gentler flavor next time, taste the brine before pouring it over the onions and add a little more sugar.
Why did my pickled onions get soft?
That’s the resting time at work. After 2 hours, they soften and taste tangier, and they keep mellowing. For the most crunch, serve them soon after the first 30 minutes.
Why aren’t my pickled onions pink enough?
The color comes from the anthocyanins in red onions reacting with the acidity of the brine, and it spreads through the slices over a few hours. Give them time, and make sure the onions are fully submerged in the brine.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Do Quick Pickled Red Onions Last?
Keep the pickles in the refrigerator, in a tightly closed jar, making sure the onions stay submerged in the brine.
They keep very well for two weeks. In my kitchen, the jar rarely lasts that long…
Can I Make Pickled Red Onions Ahead of Time?
Yes, I like to make them the day before. You can even make them several days ahead: they wait in the fridge, in their brine, and their flavor gets a little mellower each day.
Do I Need to Sterilize the Jar?
No, it isn’t necessary for this recipe, since the pickles are kept in the refrigerator and eaten within two weeks. These are refrigerator pickles, not canned ones, so don’t store them at room temperature.
Just use a perfectly clean jar, close it tightly, and keep the onions submerged in the brine.
Can I Use This Brine with Other Vegetables?
Yes. It works well with radishes, carrots, or cucumbers, sliced thin enough to soak up the brine quickly. My favorite combination: small cucumbers with big sprigs of dill.
Can I Reuse the Brine for New Onions?
Yes, absolutely. Pour it over freshly sliced onions and keep the jar in the fridge. Just eat those onions quickly.
More Ways to Add Flavor to Your Meals
Roasted Garlic Without Oil
Soft and mellow: I mash it into sauces and potatoes or spread it on toast.
Homemade Fajita and Taco Seasoning
My homemade blend for fajitas, tacos, chicken, or vegetables. Ready in five minutes. (In French: more practice!)
Easy Dip for Raw Vegetables
Two ingredients, ten minutes: a light, airy dip for raw veggies before dinner. (In French)
If You Enjoy Pickled Vegetables
Homemade Pickled Ginger for Sushi
The same idea with rice vinegar: tangy, crunchy pickled ginger.
Ottolenghi's Smacked Cucumber Salad
An Ottolenghi recipe I love, with onions pickled in 30 minutes.
