Quick Pickled Onions

If you haven’t tried pickled onions, you are missing out! Pickling transforms raw red onions from pungent and crunchy to irresistibly tangy and slightly sweet, while still crisp. These onions are the perfect condiment for tacos, burgers, salads, sandwiches, burgers, any dinner “bowl,” and so much more! These quick-pickled onions are ready to serve after a brief 30-minute cooling period. Keep them on hand for any meal that needs some extra oomph. Leftovers are so much more exciting with quick-pickled onions in the fridge.

Yields 2 Cups

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium red onion, very thinly sliced
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup distilled white vinegar
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar or additional white vinegar
• 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup or honey
• 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pack the onions into a 1-pint mason jar or similar heat-safe glass vessel. Place the jar in the sink, to catch any splashes of hot vinegar later.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the water, both vinegars, maple syrup or honey, salt, and pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then carefully pour the mixture into the jar over the onions.
3. Use a butter knife or spoon to press the onions down into the vinegar and pop any air bubbles in the jar. Let the pickled onions cool to room temperature (about 20 to 30 minutes), at which point they should be sufficiently pickled for serving.
4. Cover and refrigerate leftover pickled onions for later. Quick-pickled onions are best consumed within three days, but they keep for 2 to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.
   

NOTES:

• This recipe will make your kitchen smell of vinegar, so you may want to run your stovetop vent while you’re making these pickles. :)
• The trick to making truly quick pickled onions is to slice the onions very thin (about 1/8-inch), so they soften up and absorb the vinegar quickly. You can do this with a sharp chef’s knife or a mandolin. You could choose to slice the onions thicker (about 1/4-inch) for more of a crunch. Beware that your onions will need a few hours, or an overnight rest, to give the vinegar time to reach all the way through the onion.
• Using a combination of apple cider vinegar and regular distilled vinegar makes these pickles taste more interesting. You can use all distilled vinegar if that’s all you have at home.
• Choosing maple syrup or honey instead of plain sugar offers some extra flavor and intrigue, while making these pickled onions naturally sweetened. I don’t recommend making these pickles without any sweetener - they’re well-balanced with it, but quite vinegary and pungent without it.