Spicy pickled onions are the perfect topping to add a pop of beautiful color as well as a crisp hot and tangy topping for salads, sandwiches, rice bowls, and much more! In this post you will learn how to pickle and store these spicy onions as well as some of the best ways to serve them.
Ingredients
Red Onion Sliced thinly
Apple Cider Vinegar can be substituted for unseasoned rice vinegar or white vinegar
Water
Sugar
Kosher Salt: or sea salt
Garlic Cloves peeled
Serrano Peppers Sliced
Tools You May Need
Pint-sized Mason Jar with Lid
Canning Funnel (optional)
Knife
Cutting Board
Small Pot
Spicy Pickled Onion Directions
STEP 1: Chop the ends off of the onion. Peel and thinly slice it, then place it into a pint sized mason jar.
STEP 2: Add the apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, and salt to a small pan, and bring it all to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
STEP 3: Once the brine is boiling and the sugar and salt have dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and cool for about five minutes. While the brine is cooling, slice the serrano peppers and peel two cloves of garlic.
STEP 4: Add the peppers and garlic to the mason jar then carefully pour the brine over the onions using a canning funnel if you have one. Be sure to fully cover the vegetables. Set aside to cool.
STEP 5: Once the onions have cooled completely, place your lid on the jar and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or ideally around two or three hours before eating.
Tips
- Make sure to not skip cooling the brine before pouring it over the onions. A boiling hot brine can damage jars at the sudden heat change.
- Though these are ready in thirty minutes, the longer they sit the more pickled they will taste. They are great if you can leave them pickling for several hours or even overnight.
- You don’t need to boil the brine long at all. Once everything is dissolved and it’s good to go. This may even occur before it boils at all, but you do need it hot to speed up the pickling.
Variations
Non-Spicy
To make regular pickled onions, simply omit the peppers.
Less Spicy
Substitute the serrano peppers for jalapeños. Jalapeños vary in their spice level, so just be aware that you could also get some pretty hot peppers this way. Test them before you add them if this is a concern to you.
Less “pickle-y”
To make the pickle flavor a bit more mild, substitute the apple cider vinegar for unseasoned rice vinegar. This has a much more mild taste and a bit less acidity. Keep in mind that the faster you eat these pickled onions, the less pickled they will taste as well.
How to Store
Refrigerate these spicy pickled onions in their jar. They will last for about two or three weeks.
What to serve with Spicy Pickled Onions?
Mediterranean Wraps (our favorite way to serve them)
Tacos
Rice Bowls
Nachos
Sandwiches
Salads
Sausages or Hot Dogs
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If you tried these spicy pickled onions with a dish other than those listed above, we would love new ideas! Let us know how it was in the comments below!
Spicy Pickled Onions
Ingredients
- 1 Red Onion sliced thinly
- 1 Serrano Pepper sliced
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 3/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 3/4 Cup Water
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- 2 tsp Kosher Salt or sea salt
Instructions
- Peel and thinly slice the onion, then place it into a pint sized mason jar with the sliced pepper and garlic cloves.
- Add the apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, and salt to a small pan, and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
- Once the brine is boiling and the sugar and salt have dissolved. Remove pan from heat and cool for five minutes.
- Pour the brine over the onions. Set aside to cool.
- Once the onions have cooled completely, place lid on the jar and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before eating.
Notes
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- Though the onions are ready in thirty minutes, the longer they sit the more pickled they will taste. It’s best if you can leave them pickling for several hours before eating if not overnight.
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- To make regular, non-spicy pickled onions, omit the serrano pepper.
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