How To Make Pickled Onions - Easy Pickled Red Onions Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long do homemade pickled red onions last? ›

Set aside to cool to room temperature, then store the onions in the fridge. Your pickled onions will be ready to eat once they're bright pink and tender - about 1 hour for very thinly sliced onions, or overnight for thicker sliced onions. They will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

You can use pickled red onions in any dish that could use a pop of acid: Add the crunchy condiment to a charcuterie board for a snacky supper. Throw them on a grilled cheese sandwich, pulled pork sliders, or a tray of nachos.

All you have to do is blanch (which is a fancy way of say cook super quickly) sliced onions in water, then drain them, then bring them to a quick boil in a combo of vinegar, water, and a bit of salt. That's it. Then they cool in their brine, and you can store them in the fridge for months.

What makes pickled red onions so healthy? Red onions are rich in folate, or vitamin B9, which can improve cardiovascular health and reduce your risk of a stroke. Our pickled red onions contain many other vitamins and minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, and vitamin C.

If they give off an off-putting or sour smell, it's best to discard them. Additionally, if you spot any signs of mold, it's time to say goodbye. Changes in color from vibrant pink to brown or a slime-like texture are also indicators of spoilage.

Some people choose to soak their onions in a salt water mixture before pickling, but I don't find it necessary. In theory, this step draws out extra moisture to keep the texture of the onions nice and crisp even as they sit in the vinegar mixture.

Eating a whole jar of pickled onions is not necessarily bad, but it is not recommended. Pickled onions are high in sodium, so eating too many of them can lead to high blood pressure and other health problems. Additionally, pickled onions can be acidic, which can irritate the stomach.

Place the vinegar, 1/4 cup of olive oil, sugar, peppercorns and thyme in a large noncorrosive saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the onions to the hot liquid and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the onions to steep for at least 2 hours or overnight.

"Pickles are about vinegar and salt, not sweetness," says Perry. Yes, you should have some sugar, but be wary of recipes that call for more than a ¼ cup of sugar. Your brine should lean salty, not syrupy. If you just use vinegar in your brine, it will be way too sharp, warns Perry.

Make Those Pickled Onions Last

And always use a recipe that has been scientifically tested and approved. Failure to do so could lead to serious illness, including botulism, which can easily go undetected in improperly canned foods and can be fatal.

Do pickled onions need to be submerged? ›

Tips for pickling onions

However, it's important to ensure that the onions fit well in the jar, allowing them to be fully submerged in the brine. Clean your jar. Especially for the second recipe, make sure your jar and lid are very clean so as not to introduce bacteria to the onion pickling process.

Tacos: The sweet acidity is especially good on fish tacos and carnitas. Mayo-based salads: Add chopped pickled red onions to egg salads and potato salads, or use as a topper for deviled eggs. Green salads: Top any salad with pickled red onions to add flavor and eye-candy.

Some compounds in onions, garlic, or both, can be responsible for bad breath and even body odor. These include: Allicin.

Because it is high in salt, this plays a major factor in pickled products' addictive nature . It could also indicate a sign of low blood pressure. 'Pickle juice is also popular with those following a ketogenic diet as they may need more sodium to manage electrolyte balance,' says Shona Wilkinson, aka DR VEGAN.

Storage: Store the pickled onions in an air tight glass container in the fridge. The quick method will last up to one month and the slow method will last up to two months.

Return lid and airlock and continue to let ferment at room temperature out of direct sunlight for 5-7 days. Transfer finished pickled red onions to jars and move to the refrigerator. Fermented onions will keep refrigerated for at least 2 months.

"As long as the pickles are kept cold, they can last upwards of 75 days unopened in the fridge," Andre shares. Once opened, any pickles should be stored in the fridge, submerged in brine, to maintain freshness for at least up to three months, according to the USDA.

Final Answer:

Pickled onions last longer than fresh onions due to the preservation process involved in pickling. This process creates an acidic environment that inhibits the growth of spoilage-causing microorganisms, thereby extending the shelf life of pickled onions.