Active Time
5 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 5 minutes
This pickled red onion recipe might be simple, but it has layers. The strategy for making them, as noted by one astute reviewer, is pretty much “mix everything together and wait.” One more bonus? It’s made entirely from pantry staples: The pickling liquid is water, salt, sugar, and vinegar. That’s it! We’ve opted for cider vin here, but white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, or rice vinegar would all be fine.
Consider this easy recipe a blueprint: Switch out the sweetener for maple syrup or honey; add seasonings such as ½ tsp. crushed black peppercorns, coriander, or red pepper flakes; or toss in a smashed garlic clove, a slice of jalapeño, a few sprigs of thyme or oregano, or a bay leaf. For the prettiest pickles, slice your onions vertically to keep the slivers relatively equal in size.
You’ll need at least an hour for this pickled red onion pickle. Need quicker quick-pickles? Heat the brine in a small pot until it simmers around the edges, then pour the warm vinegar mixture over the sliced onions; they should be ready in about 15 minutes. Once cool, you can refrigerate them (in their liquid) for up to two weeks. Because they go with literally everything, they probably won’t be around that long. You can use your red onion pickles to brighten up a juicy pile of ribs or your favorite breakfast sandwich. Scatter them over a grain bowl or fish taco. Or add them to a cheeseboard for an easy snacky dinner.
Ingredients
Makes about ½ cup
½
1
1½
1
Preparation
Whisk ½ cup apple cider vinegar, 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar, 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and 1 cup water in a small bowl until sugar and salt dissolve. Place 1 red onion, thinly sliced, in a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid; pour vinegar mixture over. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
Do Ahead: Pickled red onions can be made 2 weeks ahead. Cover and chill. Drain onions before using.
Editor’s note: This recipe for pickled onions was first printed in our June 2012 issue. Use up your stash with our best sandwich recipes →
Nutrition Per Serving
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Reviews (1099)
Back to TopLove this recipe! I make it regularly and find no fault with the easy-to-read recipe instructions as some have posted in other reviews. I've been experimenting with adding various types of peppercorns, dried herbs, and also mixtures of vinegars of all types and acidity levels. For such a simple recipe, the flavor yield is big! I use these in everything from sandwiches to salads to snacks. The onions retain their crunch and the vinegar, salt, and sugar brine really brings all of the potent raw onion flavors into harmony. Thank you Bon Appetit!
James White
Wellington, FL
3/9/2024
Super simple and easy, assuming you actually read the recipe. I almost skipped it because of the poor reviews, but I'm glad i didn't. I added a handful of pink peppercorns and some Aleppo pepper flakes, used honey instead of sugar, and did half white vinegar; because I ran out of apple cider. They turned out incredible.
Kat
Oregon
12/13/2023
this recipe is so fast and easy. I've been making it for such a long time. recently I didn't have enough apple cider vin so I added white distilled vin too and the result was still great. it's fun to add woodsy herbs/whole spices too when you have them
Brian
Austin, TX
9/20/2023
This simple little recipe was a huge hit with our dinner guests!
Kristi O
Harrisburg, PA
8/11/2023
Poorly written recipe especially for a novice cook.
Anonymous
5/30/2023
This is the easiest go-to flavor enhancer for years. I use this for onions, radishes, cukes, carrot ribbons, etc! Love this recipe because there is no heating so I can use it on the weekday fly.
SueP
Brea, CA
2/25/2023
Easy recipe. I don't get why people don't read the recipe carefully before starting. Water is not an ingredient, in case of doubt, re-read the instructions to see if something wasn't missed. This is my go-to recipe. Thanks!
Anonymous
North Carolina, US
2/11/2023
Read the instructions. The first line under "Preparations" states 1 cup of water.
Anonymous
12/3/2022
Well the fact that water wasn’t listed didn’t ruin my day. I just filled the jar up with water after adding the other ingredients. Seriously I know common sense is not everyone’s lucky lot in life but come on! Isn’t part of cooking experimenting and winging it? Also I have made many a successful meals from bon appetite recipes. Thank you for taking the time to always be an excellent place to go for recipes and videos etc.
R Bailey
Los Angeles, Ca.
10/31/2022
Glad I read the reviews..Water ? How much? I wondered why the amount of liqiud in the ingredients list didn't cover all the 1/2 onion I used in the jar.
SzAm
Ontario Canada
10/5/2022
I'm all set to go. How much water?
Stu
CT
9/16/2022
Y'know, I'd have expected bon appetit to give better attention to the details. I, like other reviewers, prepare ingredients beforehand. When something is left off the ingredient list, I feel set up to fail. Happily, I just dumped out the original brine and did it over again, WITH WATER. C'mon bon appetit, you can do better than this.
Anonymous
8/30/2022
My entire day was ruined by this recipe. Let me take you back to the beginning. I read the ingredient list and set up my mis en place. I am totally ready to go. I get into the preparation step and go to mix my first three ingredients with the...water?? I don't recall water being in the ingredients list. I think to myself, am I going crazy? Could I have missed this vital, life giving ingredient? So I go on back and reread the ingredients list. Lo and behold there is no water on the ingredients list. Now I look like a total fool, all my ingredients ready to go for pickled onions and I have no water. Panic ensues. Do I throw everything out and start again? I did not have the answer. How am I to continue? I did not know. Never did have the picked onions. Just kidding. Great recipe for picked onions.
Mia
Newton, MA
8/17/2022
I'm old school - add a stick of cinnamon and a star anise pod, boil the brine to ensure the salt dissolves and pour it over the onion. Store in the brine and use the brine in salad dressings.
WBJ
NoCal
7/2/2022
Especially since I have stomach problems with the raw onions. There are always 1 or 2 jars of pickled onions in my fridge. They can be used in so many dishes. In addition, the color is a pure joy.🎀
Millie20
Switzerland
6/17/2022