Pickled Red Onions

Before I tasted pickled red onions, I used to wonder, Why would anyone eat those?

Now I wonder how I ever lived without them.

Keep A Jar in The Refrigerator 

These days, I keep a jar in my refrigerator almost all the time. Pickled red onions are one of those simple ingredients that can completely transform a meal. Pile them onto sandwiches, burgers, tacos, grain bowls, salads, or avocado toast, and suddenly an ordinary dish becomes something special. Their bright, tangy flavor adds just the right amount of zing, while their gorgeous pink color makes everything look more appetizing.

My introduction to pickled red onions came at my son and daughter-in-law's house. Before dinner, I noticed several small glass bowls filled with sliced red onions soaking in a clear liquid. Assuming it was water, I paid little attention to them.

Then I took a bite.

Immediately, I knew there was something different about those onions. They were crisp, tangy, and flavorful without the overpowering bite or strong smell that raw onions often have. As I looked around the table, I realized I wasn't the only one impressed. Guests were raving about them and reaching for seconds.

Naturally, I had to ask what made them taste so good.

"What did you do to the onions?"

"Oh," my daughter-in-law replied casually, "we just soaked them in white vinegar for a few hours."

That was it.

My Husband Hates Vinegar

My husband quickly announced that he doesn't like white vinegar. Truthfully, I wasn't exactly excited about white vinegar either. But there was no denying the magic it had worked on those onions. The vinegar mellowed their sharpness, softened their pungent aroma, and transformed them into vibrant pink ribbons bursting with flavor.

The best part? They're ridiculously easy to make. No cooking, no canning, and no special equipment required. Simply slice a red onion, cover it with vinegar, and let time do the work. A few hours later, you'll have a condiment that can elevate almost any meal.

As a bonus, red onions bring some nutritional benefits to the table, too. They're a good source of antioxidants, including quercetin, a plant compound that has been studied for its anti-inflammatory properties. Onions also contain fiber and beneficial plant compounds that support overall health.

Who knew that a humble red onion and a splash of vinegar could create such a game-changing condiment? One taste was all it took to turn me from a skeptic into a devoted fan.

They tasted sensational!  Soaking those red onions in vinegar took the smell and the bite out of the onion, and made them more flavorful  and  artistically more beautiful with hues of  bright deep pink color. I am not sure if this recipe qualifies as actually "pickled" since it doesn't contain any salt , but I call it pickled just the same since the onions taste pickled.

Recipe to Make The Onions

Ingredients
1 medium to large red onion, sliced thin
1 large container of white vinegar

Directions:
Place slices on onion into a medium bowl. Cover the slices with vinegar and allow it to soak for at least 2 hours. Remove from vinegar and place in container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.


Step by Step with Pictures

Slice the red onion thin

Place into bowl and cover with white vinegar

Allow to soak for about 2-3 hours

Remove from vinegar, drain, and serve

The next question is, how do you eat pickled red onions? Are onions good for you? You bet!

To really understand a delicacy like pickled red onions, we have to understand that there are many variations to making pickled red onions. You can substitute vinegars: white, balsamic, apple cider. Some ethnic groups add a sugar, hot peppers or spices.

Almost every ethnic group has its own variation of pickled red onions.

• Germany- serves pickled onion with hot German potato salad
• Russia- pickled herring with pickled red onion slices
• India- as a condiment with daals

Use pickled onions like you would a pickle-. Use your imagination.

• Layer in a sandwich
• add to a tossed salad
• chop into potato salad
• garnish atop black bean soup
• serve with goat cheese, caramelized onions and gluten free crackers
• eat as a topping on gluten free pizza
• cover a vegetarian burger.
• OH! There is more..why not slice a tomato, a piece of fresh basil, and a thick slice of pickled red onion. The possibilities are endless.

Are onions good for you? You bet!

• Lots of immune building antioxidants, quercitin, Vitamin C, chromium to balance blood sugar, fiber , manganese and molybdenum, Vitamin B-6, folate and potassium. 60 calories a cup.

**They are naturally gluten-free too.

How do you like to eat your pickled onions?
So glad you stopped by - please leave me a comment..