Basics by The BakerMama: How to Pickle Red Onion

Learn how to pickle red onion and add tangy flavor to any dish! From tacos to burgers to bagels and lox, pickled red onion brings extra pep and a pop of color to your favorite casual meals.

Basics by The BakerMama

Welcome to Basics by The BakerMama! I created this how-to series to help beginner cooks hone their skills, make the most of their time in the kitchen, and create great family memories. I hope you enjoy!

Would You Eat Them Here or There?

I would eat them anywhere! With a subtly sweet, tangy zip, pickled red onion makes just about any casual meal even more delicious. We love putting pickled onions on sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, carnitas tacos, and salads. We even eat them with BBQ, on bagels with lox, and on avocado toast. If you could find a way to add them to dessert, you can bet I’d give it a try! And pickling onion is so, so easy. If you have a red onion, some basic pantry staples, and 30 minutes, you can have peppy, pickled onion.

Recipes you might want to add pickled onion to:

• Build-Your-Own Burger Board
• Ultimate Sandwich Board
• Breakfast Tacos
• Hot Dog Board

Ok, enough chit chat! Let’s do this!

How to Pickle Red Onion

First, peel the onion and slice it as thin as you can. Then, in a small saucepan with a lid, add the apple cider vinegar, sugar, and salt. Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture starts to simmer and the sugar is dissolved. Turn off heat.

Add the thinly-sliced red onions to the saucepan and stir to coat well with the hot vinegar mixture. Place the lid on top and let the onions marinate for 30 minutes.

Serve immediately or transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.