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📍 Introduction:
Pickled red onions are a secret weapon of an organized home chef. Tangy, sweet, and a little crunchy, they help brighten & sharpen the flavor of whatever they are added to. Given their short prep time (~ 5 minutes) and long shelf life (a few weeks in the fridge), this condiment registers as seriously high leverage. Go ahead and try adding these to salads, sandwiches, tacos, grain bowls, meat dishes, & more. We bet you’ll be adding this to your meal prep repertoire in no time.
🧂 Ingredients:
*Note: these are approximate ratios; recipes vary (see examples below)
Red onion (medium or 2 smalls)
Vinegar - 3/4 cup
Water - ½ cup
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Peppercorns (optional)
Garlic cloves (optional)
✅ Instructions:
Slice onion(s) thinly
Boil the water, pour over salt and sugar in the jar to dissolve
Add other ingredients
Chill & store in the fridge (up to a few weeks)
📝 Notes Tips & Tricks
If you struggle to slice thinly, consider using a mandoline
Slice the onions into rings for easiest retrieval from the jar
Sugar cuts the acidity, but if you prefer to avoid it honey or other substitutes work too
For vinegar stick with pale-colored (e.g., rice, white wine, white distilled, apple cider); you can also mix and match
Glass jars work well. To reduce waste, clean and reuse purchased condiment jars
Additional flavoring options include: bay leaf, herbs (e.g., rosemary, oregano), orange peel, spices (e.g., cloves, star anise, cinnamon), ginger - get creative! 👩🎨
🎓 Further Study
Zuni Café’s Red Onion Pickles [NYTimes]
Quick Pickled Onions [Bon Appetite]
Pickled Red Onions - Easy, Quick, 5-minutes [Rachel Cooks]
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Pickled Red Onions 🧅