Quick Pickled Onions

If you are looking for a beautiful, deliciously fresh tasting condiment to add to your homemade pantry, there is no better recipe than this one for Quick Pickled Onions! Nothing is prettier than this jar of rose-colored bits of flavorful goodness looking back at you from a lighted refrigerator when you open the door! And you will enjoy them more than you ever thought you might...

If I had to choose only one condiment, it would be these Quick Pickled Onions!

Recipes like this one for Quick Pickled Onions are how I (and so can you!) turn out creative meals, that don't take all day. Why? With today's busy schedules nobody has time for that! Condiments are the answer, my friends, homemade condiments to be exact. These perfectly pickled onions add flavor to a quick sauté, whether it is meat or veggies. Also when sprinkled over salads, and even stirred into tuna salad for sandwiches. And need I remind you about a spoonful tucked into a burger? No matter where you use them, the food will be delicious...

Do you ever have a busy day where you are willing to jump into the car and go fetch some take-out for dinner? It's OK, we all have, from time to time! But slowly I learned that every meal I cook and serve can be not only homemade but enjoyable, delicious, and healthy. Also, not every meal needs to take hours...they don't in my kitchen and certainly don't have to in yours!

Your own homemade condiments become part of a well-stocked pantry, so everyday meals come together quickly! And did I also mention delicious? Yes, we do talk these pickled onions up, and for good reason. The flavor! Plus, it just doesn't make sense to spend time cooking a meal, that no one will enjoy, or worse, not eat. Which is exactly why we love to make and use condiments. 

Take a look at how we use Quick Pickled Onions in our recipes:

Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon Sour Cream Pickled Red Onions and Capers.  A better dish you will not find, easy to make and so delicious. 

BBQ Chicken Salad for Sandwiches.  A unique take on chicken salad for sandwiches! Not too sweet and so easy to make. 

Winter Pea Salad Plate with Tomatoes and Cashews.   All salads should be this good...

Red Onion Chicken, so easy you will make this one on repeat. 

Onion Island Salad Dressing, move over 1000 Island there is a new dressing in town!

There are other recipes as well, but I think you get the idea...

Delicious and so easy to make. 

Yes, Quick Pickled Onions are, that tasty! And as luck would have it, they are also very easy to make. We prefer red wine vinegar in this recipe, but it is not set in stone. Use what you prefer or have on hand! There is no right or wrong vinegar, they all will make a delicious jar of pickled onions. But I do love the deep red color when made with red wine vinegar. And Quick Pickled Onions will keep for a long time! You will find, however, that they just don't last a long time! Often I will double the recipe so we don't run out...

Now, about those bay leaves and whole cloves!

Personally I love the flavor of bay leaves and cloves together, and have been eating Quick Pickled Onions for many a year, made exactly this way. But as luck would have it, when I went to the pantry for this latest batch, my bay leaf jar was empty. Immediately I thought it would be the perfect time to try this recipe without the bay leaves and whole cloves. So I did. They are just as beautiful as ever, and just as tasty! So if you are not a fan of cloves or a bay leaves, do give this lovely condiment a try without them! Trust me, they are quite delicious!

Some thoughts on this recipe:

You may also make Quick Pickled Onion Rings. They are quite pretty and make a lovely gift for a friend. 

The pickling brine is delicious when added to your homemade vinaigrette. 

After all the pickled onions have been eaten, use the brine to marinate chicken thighs or pork chops before pan-frying or grilling out of doors.  

Ingredients needed for this recipe:

• red onion
• whole cloves
• bay leaves
• red wine vinegar
• sugar 
• salt

You will also need the following:

• kitchen knife
• cutting board
• measuring cups
• medium-sized saucepan
• pint jar with lid OR storage bowl and lid

Now we are ready to begin!

Quick Pickled Onions
adapted from: sidewalk shoes,
makes 1 pint (or so)

Update: 07.14.2025

1 medium/large red onion, diced

3/4 c white, cider, or red wine vinegar 
2 t salt
3 T sugar
1 - 2 bay leaf - or make a plain batch if desired
2-4 whole cloves - or make a plain batch if desired

Remove the outer peel and any tough layers of the onion. Dice into small pieces. 

Combine vinegar, salt, sugar, bay leaf, and whole cloves in a medium-sized saucepan, bring to a boil and let simmer until sugar is dissolved.

Add the diced red onion pieces, stir once or twice. Remove the saucepan from the heat (do not cover), and let sit until mixture has cooled to room temperature. 

Pour the contents into a pint jar, cap, and place them in your refrigerator. 

Storage options for Quick Pickled Onions. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 6 months, due to the high acid/brine solution. But rest assured, they don't last long, so no need to worry about spoilage!

UPDATE:  For your convenience, a "copy and paste" version of Quick Pickled Onions has been included below. 

You may also enjoy:

White Chocolate Peanut Butter.

#DIYHomemadeHousehold

#wholefoodingredients

#scratchmadefoodforyourfamily

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Printable "copy and paste" version:

Quick Pickled Onions
adapted from: sidewalk shoes,
makes 1 pint (or so)

UPDATED: 07.14.2025

1 medium/large red onion, diced

3/4 c white, cider, or red wine vinegar 
2 t salt
3 T sugar
1 - 2 bay leaf - or make a plain batch if desired
2-4 whole cloves - or make a plain batch if desired

Remove the outer peel and any tough layers of the onion. Dice into small pieces. 

Combine vinegar, salt, sugar, bay leaf, and whole cloves in a medium-sized saucepan, bring to a boil and let simmer until sugar is dissolved.

Add the diced red onion pieces, stir once or twice. Remove the saucepan from the heat (do not cover), and let sit until mixture has cooled to room temperature. 

Pour the contents into a pint jar, cap, and place them in your refrigerator. 

Storage options for Quick Pickled Onions. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 6 months, due to the high acid/brine solution. But rest assured, they don't last long, so no need to worry about spoilage!

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