There is a certain sandwich at a certain sandwich shop that my husband is fairly obsessed with and when I asked him what he loves so much about it, one of the things that topped his list was the pickled onions. We are both onion lovers, but I guess I never thought too much about pickling them. Looking back on it, the fact that someone could go for years and years almost always having onions on hand and never think of pickling them is kind of silly, right? Well, today was the last day that my husband would have to go out to some sandwich shop to get his beloved pickled onions.
They are actually quite easy to make, especially if you have a mandolin to help with the slicing. All you need is some apple cider vinegar, salt, sugar and spices and you too can make a jar of beautiful bright pink pickled onions.
Let’s get started…
Start by thinly slicing your red onion. Today, I am just doing 1 large red onion, but you can absolutely double or triple this recipe if you want to have more on hand.
Using a mandolin is the fastest and easiest way to do this, but if you do not have a mandolin, cut each onion in half, lay them cut side down on a flat surface and carefully slice them as thin as possible. As the onion begins releasing its juices (the same ones that make you cry!), you may have some trouble controlling it as you cut, so keep some paper towels on hand and dry your board if your onion begins to slide around the board. Easy fix and you shouldn’t lose any fingers…
Once your onions are sliced, add 1 cup of apple cider vinegar and 1/2 cup of white vinegar into a small saucepan and place it over medium high heat. Once it begins to boil, turn off the heat and add 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt and whisk until they dissolve.
Now whisk in your desired seasoning. Today, I am using 1/2 teaspoon of celery salt, 1/2 teaspoon of whole peppercorns, 1/2 teaspoon of crushed garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes, but this is a flexible blend. If you like more garlic, toss more in! If you want more spice, add more peppercorns or red pepper flakes. You can also add fresh herbs!
Once everything has been whisked together, pour the mixture over the thinly sliced onions and give them a good toss. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place them into the refrigerator to chill until you are ready to use them. They get better with time, but you can technically use them after 15-20 minutes if you are tight on time.
Add them into a salad, top your burgers or sandwiches with them, add them over nachos or even pizza. If you love onions, this is such a fabulous way to add them to so many dishes.
Quick Pickled Red Onions
Ingredients
- 1 cup of apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup of water
- 1 red onion, very thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of crushed garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon of celery salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of whole peppercorns
- a pinch of red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Add 1 cup of apple cider vinegar and 1/2 cup of water into a small saucepan and place it over medium high heat
- Bring the water and vinegar to a boil and then transfer the saucepan onto a heat proof surface, such as a wooden cutting board
- Add 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt into the hot liquid and whisk until they are dissolved
- Add the spices of your choice and whisk to combine
- Place your thinly sliced onions into a large mixing bowl, pour the mixture over the onions and toss until all of the onions are coated
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill until you are ready to use
