Learn how to make the bright, crunchy, and easy Lena’s Kitchen Pickled Onions Recipe. Give sandwiches, salads, bowls, and more a “bright pop of flavor.” With only four ingredients, you’ll end up with a sweet and tangy topping for either breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
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Recipe for Pickled Onions
If you’ve been following me for a while or have been watching my Instagram stories or live cooking sessions, you know I love making dish-enhancing elements such as sauces and sides. This may be my Ukrainian background speaking, but I find that there’s something very special about elevating an entire meal with very simple additions, like Lena’s Kitchen Pickled Onions.
Pickled onions and vegetables are also a huge nostalgic item for me. Making them brings up fond memories of being in the kitchen as a child, watching my mom and grandma spend time cutting up a variety of vegetables to pickle over the winter. We would bring jar after jar down into the basement with heaps of other yummy varieties.
It doesn’t get much easier than this. Lena’s Kitchen Pickled Onions Recipe is ready to enjoy in only FOUR steps! Here’s how it’s done:
How To Make Pickle Red Onions
- Chop your red onion in half and slice thinly into half-circle slices.
- Add them to a bowl, rinse with warm water, and lightly squeeze the onions to drain the excess water.
- Place the onions into a mason or Weck Tulip jar. Add in the salt, warm water, and rice vinegar, and finish by mixing with a spoon or sealing the jar with a lid to shake.
- Refrigerate the pickled onions for at least 4 hours, or for the best results, leave them overnight.
Keep a full jar of Lena’s Kitchen Pickled Onions in your fridge so they’re on hand when you need to spruce up a meal. This recipe will last up to two weeks in the refrigerator, however, they’re so delicious, they may not even last that long! My family goes through an entire batch in less than a week.
What Onions To Use For Pickling?
My favorite onions to use are red onions and shallots, because of the oink hue they give to your dishes. But here are some others you can play around with or use what you have. If you only have white or yellow onions and happen to have a raw beet, you can add a few slices to give you that beautiful pink hue too.
- Red Onions – my favorite onions to use, you will get great pink color from them.
- White Onions – will be stronger in flavor once pickled.
- Sweet Onions – will add a natural sweetness.
- Shallots – will add a stronger and more pungent flavor to your dishes with a light pink hue.
Best Vinegar For Pickling?
Pickled onions can be used with any variety of vinegar. This is the time to experiment if you want! I suggest using a combination of vinegars, one strong + one more mellow for a smoother tangy flavor.
- Rice Vinegar is my favorite vinegar to use, because of its mild flavor.
- Champagne Vinegar will add a touch of natural sweetness to the onions.
- White Wine Vinegar will also add a touch of sweetness.
- Apple Cider Vinegar will add a little more funky flavor to the onions.
- White Vinegar will give you the strongest flavor, I would use less vinegar to water ratio.
Vegetables For Pickling
This pickling recipe is not exclusive to red onions! As I did as a child, you can pickle almost any vegetable and transform it into a tart, tangy, and sweet garnish. Swap the onions for your favorites, or try any of these suggestions:
- Thinly sliced cucumbers
- Radishes, thinly sliced or quartered
- Carrots, cut into matchsticks
- Cabbage (for this, I add a few cloves of garlic, fresh dill, and a bay leaf)
- Daikon radish, either sliced thinly or cut into matchsticks
Lena’s Kitchen Pickled Onion Recipe Tips
- Slice the onions very thinly: The thinner the red onions are, the quicker they will absorb the vinegar and pickle faster. Use a sharp knife or a mandolin to achieve this.
- Rinse your onions: Rinsing the onions before pickling will prevent the onions from being that strong onion flavor. I just squeeze them a bit in warm water and then add to the jar.
- Choose the vinegar wisely: No sugar added rice vinegar is my top choice for this recipe. It’s a very neutral flavor that compliments the red onions, and the finished results are not too sweet. White wine or champagne vinegar are nice alternatives but will taste slightly sweeter. I would NOT recommend using apple cider or white vinegar as they both resulted in an overpowering flavor.
- Be patient: In only four hours, these easy pickled red onions are ready to munch on. However, for the absolute best results, I highly recommend leaving them in the fridge overnight. This way, the onions will soak in all of the flavors and become much more flavorful.
- Make multiple batches at a time: This recipe is extremely flexible. Easily double or triple the batch and seal them in mason or Weck jars. Consider gifting small jars of the pickled onions to friends or family!
- Reuse the liquid: After your first batch is all used up, you can reuse the pickling liquid up to 4 times. Adjust the vinegar, salt and add some hot water to the next batch.
How To Use Lena’s Kitchen Pickled Onion Recipe
A jar of Lena’s Kitchen Pickled Onions Recipe is always on my table, ready to compliment my next meal. They go well with either breakfast, lunch, or dinner! As to not overwhelm you, my quick-pickled onions will allow any of the following recipes to shine:
- Smoked Salmon Street Tacos
- Game Day Taco Salad
- Low Carb Asian Pork Lettuce Cups
- Healthy Taco Bowls With Mexican Beef
- Fully Loaded Keto Deviled Eggs
- Low Carb Mediterranean Burger Salad
- Crispy Chicken Cutlet Sandwich
- Low-Carb Breakfast Bowl
If you make LENA’S KITCHEN PICKLED ONIONS Recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photo’s of your creations is my favorite!
Lena’s Kitchen Pickled Onions Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
- ¾ cup rice vinegar, you can sub with white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar only
- 2 cups water, hot
- 1 ½ tbsp sea salt
Instructions
- Chop red onion in half. Peel and slice very thin into half-circle slices. Use a mandolin if you have one.
- Add the onions into a bowl with warm water, and lightly squeeze the onions to release the onion flavor. Drain the water.
- Place the onions into a jar. I use a 35.9oz Weck Jar, or you can use a wide mouth 32 oz mason jar. You want to have enough space for everything to fit. In a measuring cup add the salt, hot water, and rice vinegar. Mix with a spoon. Pour on the onions.
- Let cool on the counter. Then cover with a lid and refrigerate for at least 2-4 hours, or leave them overnight in the refrigerator for the best results. (Reuse the liquid up to 4 times. Adjust vinegar and salt each time if needed.)
Olivia Anderson
I make this regularly! Perfect recipe and great on avo toast
Kimber Matherne
I am absolutely a pickled onion convert thanks to this recipe. These are the perfect combination of tangy and sweet. It is just a bonus that they are such a beautiful color too!
Erin
These are a staple for us!
Meagan
I’ve been making this recipe since Lena shared. I’ve tried other recipes but this one is still my favourite
Lina Yaychenya
Love this recipe! Had it this morning with breakfast! Was so so good! Excited to try it with other meals!!
Thank you Lena for some delicious recipes!
Emiliya
An absolute staple in our fridge. So simple and flavorful. Add color and crunch to so many recipes with these yummy onions. 😋 Love these on a breakfast bagel or a charcuterie style spread.
Jim Hart
Trying black vinegar, will check tomorrow.
Anna
These are so delicious and should be a staple in every house. Great in salads, salmon bagels, you name it.
lena
Thank you so much for trying my recipe Anna, happy to hear you loved it.
Jessica
This is a staple in our house, so fast and easy to make, and you can use them as toppings for literally anything, or with soups & sandwiches, on tacos! Love this pickled onion recipe.
Olia Onishchenko
If I could give this 10 starts, I would!! If you don’t have this in your fridge right now, run home and make it, because you’re missing out!
Literally transformed our meals! So packed with flavor, and incredibly easy to make! I think this recipe took me a whole 3 MINUTES!
Maria
Delicious and very easy to make.
lena
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks a lot for making it!
Larisa Sidorov
AMAZING! My absolute favorite thing to have in the fridge. I also love how simple and easy the recipe is. So so yummy, I can literally eat them alone 😅🙌🏽
lena
That is so great to hear Larisa, thank you so much for trying the recipe and loving it.
vita
Family favorite! Instructions are easy to follow and so so yummy!
lena
Ohh I am so happy you love this recipe Vita. Thank you for sharing your review.
Inna
SO GOOD!! Not only is this easy but it’s also versatile and delicious. We have done the pickled onions and added extras if we wanted things pickled like garlic and jalapeños. Taste fabulous in a sandwich!
lena
Ohh I am so happy you loved this recipe. Thank you for sharing your review.
Elisa
This is the best pickled onion recipe I have ever tried. I’ve used it for several years now and they are my favorite. I love how Lena gives so many options for variations.
lena
That’s so great to hear, thank you!
Valya
Absolutely love it! Using it on the board, sandwiches. When I make it for guests, it goes fast! People love it, especially men! Thank you!
Erika
In Lena we trust! I’ve tried a lot of pickled onion recipes and it’s either more steps than I care to do or the flavor is too strong. This one is so easy and only 3 ingredients! Lena always has the little tips and tricks (like who would have thought to rinse the sliced onions?). These are perfect.
lena
This makes me so happy to hear. I love it too, so easy and delicious. Glad you enjoyed it as well.
Natalie
This is so delicious!!!! I’ve been making it for about a year now, my family loves it just with anything and even on its own.
Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe, Lena ❤
lena
Thank you! Love to hear it’s going in regular rotation!
Zhanna
These are amazing!!! Goes well with so many dishes!!
lena
Oh! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s one of our absolute favorites.
Sonya
Best pickled onion recipe around!! So fast,easy and delicious!! ✌?❤️?
lena
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for trying it out!
Maria
One thing you should always have in your fridge? THIS! Thanks Lena!
lena
Thank you! Love to hear it’s going in regular rotation!
Cristina
Love this easy recipe!
I put these onions on top of salads, inside tacos and lettuce wraps and use it for a lot of other dishes. So good!
lena
That’s so great to hear, thank you!
Rachel Murrow
Bright and vibrant ! Flavor is so good
Anna Mantsevich
My absolute favorite thing to put on everything!!!! Perfect for breakfast lunch or dinner, or my favorite snack sandwich ♥️. I can’t not stress enough how everyone needs to try this!
My husband being a Ukrainian loves his onions and this was a hit for him! Thank you for this creation of a must have in our fridge?????? My husband thanks you too!
Donnette
I have been making this recipe for a about a year now. So EASy- so DELICIOUS ! Our house is never ever without these onions. You can also reuse the liquid at least 1/2x My guests have loved them too, so I have started making them as gifts for everyone
Yelena Lisun
Been making this recipe for a few years now. It is perfection in a mason jar. They go good on anything. Chaffles, eggs, bagels or just straight out of the jar!
Jenny
Easy and delicious recipe! Our new favorite topping! Thank you Lena!!
Gretchen
Is you’re up in the air about making these don’t hesitate for another second. They are SO SO delicious. This morning we had them on breakfast bagel sandwiches and I’m not kidding they made the meal. These will now be a staple in our house. So glad I discovered them!
Kristina Stepanova
Fantastic pickled red onions. I also made cucumbers, radishes and tomatoes. All turned out amazing!
Alyssa
These pickled onions are sooo good. I made two batches and they are already gone a few days later.
Jessica
Absolutely the best recipe and so easy!!
Danielle Webb
These are my go-to pickled onion recipe and I love adding peppercorns into the jar with them, too! So perfect on a Mediterranean salad!
Kayla
Everyone needs to make these! So simple and adds such a nice flavor to so many dishes. I added them to steak sandwiches and it really kicked up the flavor. Can’t wait to make an extra batch for my dad, I know he’ll love them.
Veronica
This picked anion is so so good it goes with anything
Noel P
Great for red onions and cucumbers! Love this recipe and I had everything in the house already.