These homemade quick & easy pink pickled onions, made with red onions and cider vinegar, can be found in our fridge most weeks. Really easy to pull together with just six ingredients, most of which are pantry staples.

Jump to:

• Six simple ingredients
• How to use Pink Pickled Onions
• More delicious recipes

Once infused the red onions will turn the vinegar a beautiful pink blush colour. Pickled red onions pack a lot of flavour into food and for a condiment lover like me, great to have to hand.

Six simple ingredients

Pink pickled onions really are the easiest condiment to whip up fast! You will need:

• Red onions
• Cider, white or white wine vinegar
• Salt
• Sugar
• Whole Black Peppercorns
• Black Mustard seeds

You'll also need a sharp knife to slice the red onions or a mandoline for more even slices.

My personal favourite blend of spices is whole black peppercorns and black mustard seeds but there are so many options for alternative flavourings. Other variations could include:

• Black onion seeds and chilli flakes.
• Yellow Mustard seeds, fresh Ginger and Bay leaves.

Experiment with your own personal pickling blend!

How to make Pink Pickled Onions

• First slice the red onions into rings or half rings as thinly as you can.
• With your fingers, separate the layers of the red onion, see photo above.
• In a large glass jug add the cider vinegar, whole black peppercorns, black mustard seeds, salt and sugar.

• Stir well until the salt and sugar has fully dissolved.
• Add the sliced red onions and press down into the liquid until fully submerged.
• Leave for few minutes, then transfer into a suitably sized jar that can be sealed.
• Place in the refrigerator and try to resist!

When will Pink Pickled onions be ready to eat?

They will be ready in less than an hour but will be even better when flavours are allowed to infuse and meld together for longer.

How to use Pink Pickled Onions

They are so versatile in their use and add huge flavour without adding too many calories or any fat.

They are great in burgers, fajita's, sandwiches, delicious in potato salads, in fact anywhere you want to add a zingy condiment to your food.

Can I use any vinegar?

I typically use cider vinegar, but white or white wine vinegar also work well. Malt vinegar and balsamic vinegars are not recommended though.

Do I need to boil the vinegar before using?

My preferred method is simply to add all the ingredients together and allow the flavours to infuse together with the red onions.

The other method is to put the vinegar with the salt, sugar and spices into a saucepan and bring to the boil, around 2-3 minutes. Take off the heat, allow to cool a little before pouring over the red onions. Allow to fully cool, then pour into a suitably sized jar, seal and pop in the fridge.

The choice is yours!

What's the benefit of pickling food?

Food will be preserved much longer when pickled. My grandmother would pickle many different vegetables for her family store cupboard which was in the basement of her house, no need for a fridge there!

Pickling is also a form of fermentation that turns the sugars in food into friendly bacteria which in turn is good for the gut.

Happy Pickling!

More delicious recipes

• Easy Mushroom and Nut Vegetarian Sausage Rolls
• Parsley Pesto with Almonds
• Sweet Potato Red Onion Puff Pastry Tart
• Cheesy Mushroom and Leek Potato Pie
• Super Simple Salmon Bites

Nutritional Info Link:

• Red Onions