Pickled Red Onions

Pickle a big batch, put them on everything.

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated March 05, 2025
Closeup of a barbacoa taco, topped with pickled red onions and cilantro.

Serious Eats / J. Kenji López-Alt

Why It Works

  • One sliced jalapeño adds a subtle heat to the onions.
  • Placing a paper towel over the onions ensures the slices on top are submerged and fully pickled.

There are very few (savory) dishes which aren't improved by a few ribbons of pickled red onions. The balance of jalapeño, sugar, and vinegar makes them the perfect addition to roast pork, tacos, grilled cheese sandwiches, or fried eggs.

May 2012

Recipe Details

Pickled Red Onions Recipe

Cook 5 mins
Active 5 mins
Resting Time 25 mins
Total 30 mins
Serves 32 servings
Makes 1 quart
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Ingredients

  • 1 jalapeño pepper, cut into 1/4-inch rings

  • 2 large red onions, finely sliced (about 1 quart)

  • 1 cup distilled white vinegar

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 1 cup water

  • 1 cup sugar

Directions

  1. Place jalepeño and onions in a medium mixing bowl. Heat vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a small skillet over high heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil, then pour over onions. Press onions down with a spoon until submerged. Place a double layer of paper towels on top of onions and press down until completely saturated in liquid to keep onions submerged. Allow to sit until onions are softened and liquid has cooled, about 25 minutes. Onions will keep indefinitely in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Onions will keep indefinitely in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Read More

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
29 Calories
0g Fat
7g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 32
Amount per serving
Calories 29
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 50mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 7g 3%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 1mg 5%
Calcium 3mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 16mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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