Quick Pickled Red Onion

Quick Pickled Red Onion

Pickled red onion livens up a wide array of dishes, providing a bright crunch and a festive fuchsia hue. The bite of the onion itself is tempered in a sweet, salty and sour brine. Choose from a variety of vinegars, depending on what’s in the pantry, including white, red or apple cider vinegar. For extra flavor, feel free to add a couple of garlic cloves, mustard seeds, allspice berries or coriander seeds to the brine. The pickled onion can be used right away or stored in the fridge for up to 1 week; their flavor will develop the longer they sit. Use them as a topping for any number of dishes, including salads, soups, eggs and burgers. 

Yield: 2 cups (with pickling liquid)

1 large red onion

2 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

¾ cup vinegar (white or red wine, distilled or apple cider)

Thinly slice the red onion by halving through the root and slicing in the same direction. Separate the slices by hand, as best you can, without getting too obsessive.

Place the onion slices in a heat-proof, wide-mouth jar or container (about 1 pint capacity). It might seem like they won’t fit, but the onion slices will shrink as they pickle.

Add the salt, sugar, vinegar and ¼ cup water to a small saucepan. Heat over medium-high, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. As soon as the mixture comes to a boil, remove from the heat and pour half of the liquid over the onion, pressing down the slices with the back of a spoon. Add the remaining liquid, continuing to press down the slices.

Cover and give the jar a gentle shake. Set aside to pickle for about 30 minutes. Serve right away, or cool to room temperature and place in the fridge in the pickling liquid, covered, for up to 1 week.

TIP: This is a good way to make lots of ‘small batch’ pickled vegetables. Easy & no-fuss.

However, it’s a good idea to rinse canning

Jars in hot water, then set them in a shallow pan with an inch or two of hot water in it

Before filling the jars with boiling hot brine.

(Also keeps any spills contained). Pouring

Hot brine into cold canning jars can crack them. A tip my mom taught me long ago.

*I use a mason jar. Fill it about half way with everything except the onion. Microwave a minute or two, then add the red onion (which have been sliced on a mandolin for ease and uniformity). After a half hour, put the lid on and store in the fridge for a week. I love them on avocado toast and they also elevate cold cut sandwiches.

*I always add a bay leaf and a few peppercorns. I add a littles sugar but this amount and the amount of salt seem a bit excessive.