This bright, jewel-toned condiment only takes about 10 minutes and offers a zesty tang to countless dishes with a lovely splash of color as well.

There are countless uses for pickled onions. Tuck them into sandwiches, especially those with rich meats, like pulled pork; use them as a condiment to top tacos, bean dishes, and rich mayo-based salads, like potato or egg salad; toss them into lettuce salads, grain salads, and salads with sturdy greens, like kale. Their bright-pink color, crunchy texture, and piquant flavor will perk up almost any dish. They’re also perfect for serving with sandwich and salad buffets at parties.

Ingredients

• 1 medium red onion, about 5 ounces
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup rice vinegar, white wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar

Flavorings (optional):

• 1 small clove of garlic, halved
• 5 black peppercorns
• 5 allspice berries
• 3 small sprigs of thyme
• 1 small dried chili

Procedure

1. Slice the onions: Start 2 or 3 cups of water on to boil in a kettle. Peel and thinly slice the onion into approximately 1/4-inch moons. Peel and cut the garlic clove in half.
2. Dissolve the sugar and salt: In the container you will be using to store the onions, add the sugar, salt, vinegar, and flavorings. Stir to dissolve.
3. Par-blanch the onions: Place the onions in the sieve and place the sieve in the sink. Slowly pour the boiling water over the onions and let them drain.
4. Add the onions to the jar: Add the onions to the jar and stir gently to evenly distribute the flavorings.
5. Store: The onions will be ready in about 30 minutes, but are better after a few hours. Store in the refrigerator. They will keep for several weeks, but are best in the first week.

The Vinegar

I usually use a pale-colored vinegar, such as rice vinegar or white wine vinegar. If I happen to be out, apple cider vinegar will do. Do not use the industrial white vinegar that comes in large gallon containers, as it is too harsh-tasting.

The Sugar

The sugar provides a nice balance to the salty vinegar brine, but you can leave it out if you are avoiding sugar. Honey or another sugar substitute might work, but start with less just to be safe. 

The Flavorings

At their most basic, pickled red onions are simply sliced onions that have been covered in a mixture of vinegar, salt, and sugar, and allowed to marinate. It’s a lot of fun to add additional spices and to customize the mixture to match your dish. In the recipe below, I used my favorite mixture of flavorings, which includes fresh garlic and a chili for added oomph. You can leave them out or add additional selections, such as a bay leaf; herbs, like rosemary or oregano; orange peel; or cloves. Asian spices, such as star anise, cinnamon, Szechuan pepper, and fresh ginger, would also be a nice garnish for a rice-based stir-fry or other Asian dish.