Quick and Easy Refrigerator Pickled Red Onions

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These refrigerator pickled onions are just about the easiest quick pickle recipe (aka "quickles") you can make! Not only do they add a tart crunch to tacos, sandwiches, and salads, but their fuchsia hue adds a gorgeous pop of color. Keep them in a jar in the fridge-they are best the first week you make them but will keep for several weeks.

Refrigerator Pickled onions in a glass jar.

I love to make these pink pickled onions year-round and keep them on-hand. They're the ultimate condiment and add that extra oomph to so many dishes! I use them as a topping for my Harvest Grain Bowls (delicious Buddha bowls) and Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa Tacos and usually serve them with pulled pork sandwiches too.

They're also fantastic on avocado toast. Another one of my favorite ways to use them are as an extra topper for my Ultimate Cheeseburger in addition to or in place of the grilled onions. Have I convinced you yet to make these perfect pickled onions? Let's do it!

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Ingredients
Instructions
Substitutions
Variations
Equipment
Storage
Tasty tip
Frequently asked questions
Related
Pairing
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Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
Food safety

Ingredients

First, we should gather all the ingredients for these quick-pickled onions. Here's what you need. There's a good change you already have everything in your pantry:

red onion
distilled white vinegar
water
granulated white sugar
kosher salt

(See recipe card for quantities.)

Instructions

Now that we've got everything, it's time to get cooking!

First, peel, halve, and cut the onion crosswise into thin slices.

Then, pack the sliced onions in a medium-size glass jar with a lid. (I like to use a Weck jar.)

Whisking the brining liquid in a saucepan for the refrigerator pickled onions.

Next, whisk together the brining liquid in a saucepan and bring to a simmer until the sugar and salt dissolve.

Red onion slices in a glass jar with brining liquid.

Finally, pour the hot pickling liquid over the onions in the jar. Close the lid and let come to room temperature before storing the refrigerator.

Hint: I recommend transferring the hot liquid from the saucepan into a liquid measuring cup. It'll make pouring the brine over the onions easier and less messy.

Substitutions

There's a good chance you have all the ingredients for these pickled pink onions on-hand, but here are some easy change-ups if you need them:

Onion - Use your favorite type of onion here instead of a red onion. White onions, sweet onions, or yellow onions are great choices. You can also use shallots.
Vinegar - There are so many different vinegars you can use instead of distilled white vinegar. Apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, and rice vinegar are all great alternatives. Just make sure it's at least 5% acidity. Just make sure it's at least 5% acidity.

Variations

Looking for even more ways to make this pickled red onion recipe your own? I've got you covered!

Spicy - Add a little crushed red pepper flakes to the brining liquid to heat things up.
Herbaceous - Add your favorite fresh herbs. Place a sprig or two of rosemary or thyme into the liquid to enhance the flavor of these refrigerator pickled onions. You can also add a bay leaf.Add a sprig or two of rosemary or thyme to the liquid to enhance the flavor of these refrigerator pickled onions.
Different Vegetables - You can use the recipe for the brining liquid to pickle so many veggies. Cucumbers, blanched carrots, blanched green beans, and okra are all wonderful options.

Equipment

Here's what you'll need to make this easy recipe:

liquid measuring cup
measuring spoons
Mason jar or other large jar with lid
small saucepan
whisk

Storage

Be sure the lid is sealed tightly and that these refrigerator pickled onions have come to room temperature before refrigerating. They're best for the first week after you make them but will last a couple of weeks when stored in the fridge.

I don't recommend freezing these. If you do want to freeze them, you can freeze the raw red onion slices and then pickle them later and store in the refrigerator.

Tasty tip

Do onions make you cry? While I don't have a trick to preventing tears, make sure your knife is super sharp. This will help prevent the need to press down on the onion to cut it. It's those onion juices that emit the gas that causes you to cry, so I like to wash my knife and hands often if I'm cutting a particularly pungent onion.

Frequently asked questions

If you've never made refrigerator pickled onions before, you may have some questions. Here are some common ones and answers that may help:

How long do pickled onions last in the fridge?

These refrigerator pickled onions are best within the first week of making them, but they'll last up to 3 weeks in the fridge (but will start to lose their beautiful hot pink color the longer they're stored).

How do you store pickled onions in the fridge?

You'll need a medium-size glass jar with a tight-fitting lid for storing these refrigerator pickled onions. I love the look of this Weck jar, so that's what I used.

What is the best vinegar for pickling?

You'll want to use a distilled white vinegar for pickling. Make sure it has at least 5% acidity.

Can I freeze pickled onions?

Technically, yes you can freeze pickled onions but I don't recommend it because freezing can affect the texture. If you want to freeze the onions, you can freeze the slices and then pickle them later.

Do you let the brine cool before pickling?

I don't. I find that adding the hot or warm brining liquid to the onions helps soften them up a bit and speed up that pickling process. Before you put the jar of pickled onions in the fridge though, make sure everything has come to room temperature.

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Pairing

Here are the dishes I like to serve with this pickled red onions recipe:

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