Quick Pickled Red Onions (No Cook Recipe)

Try this no cook recipe for quick pickled red onions once, and you'll be hooked! 4 basic ingredients, a quick onion massage, and an hour of marinating time makes the best pickled onion side dish ever!

I've added to my quick pickle recipes with Mexican Escabeche vegetables and the lime pickled onions I use for Mexican black bean dip, but this red onions recipe continues to be a most-requested condiment. It's been added to many home cook menus throughout the years. 

Add a vibrant blast of colorful red onions for the perfect topping, from chickpeas with barbeque sauce, oil-free hummus wraps, and spiced tempeh crumble taco meat to easy vegan chickpea burgers.

⭐ Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Quick pickled onions take the bit out of raw onions with a simple mix of acids, salt, and a sweetener. 
• No cook marinated onions means you don't need to worry about maintaining high heat to get the brining solution just right. 
• Lasts for a week or more in the refrigerator.

📋 Recipe Ingredients

Red onions. Use 2 or 3 medium raw red onions. You can also use different types of onions, such as standard yellow or white onions or shallots.

Vinegar. Red wine vinegar or variations such as merlot or raspberry vinegar are more mellow than white vinegar. Besides, they give the red onions the beautiful pink color we love. Rice wine vinegar is another option. It's also possible to use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. Remember, more pungent vinegar will result in a more intense flavor.

Sugar. I use date or coconut sugar. A liquid sweetener such as pure maple syrup or date paste is a great substitute. 

Salt. There isn’t a lot of salt, but it balances the acidic vinegar and sugar sweetness. 

Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.

📖 Recipe Variations

Add extra flavor using different types of vinegar, garlic cloves, bay leaf, mustard seeds, star anise, or red pepper flakes.

⏲️ Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Thinly slice the onions. 

Step 2: Mix the vinegar, sugar, and salt, then massage the onion slices. 

Step 3: Marinate at room temperature for an hour. Mix them a few times. 

🔪 Pro Tips

• Safety first. A sharp mandoline can be a trusted time-saver. Still, if you get in a hurry or get distracted, it can be a painful experience. If you use a mandoline to slice onions, please practice all the recommended safety precautions.
• A sharp chef's knife will also yield thin onion slices. If you don't feel secure balancing a whole onion, choose easy. Cut the onion in half from stem to end. Place the onion halves, cut side down, and slice the onion into half-moons. 
• Use a wide-bottomed rather than a taper bowl. This makes it easier for more onions to contact the pickling liquid.

🍴 Serving Suggestions

Serve pickled red onions as a side dish or condiment for a variety of recipes. If you're garnishing with sliced onions, pickled onions will be all the better.

Bring new zest to a slice of hummus or avocado toast. Try red onions instead of caramelized onions for creamy onion dip or bulgur and red lentil mujadara. Add a twist to your favorite pasta or potato salad recipe and wow them with your culinary prowess. 

💭 Frequently Asked Questions