Wondering how to make homemade quick pickled red onions fast?! This no cook version requires no boiling of the vinegar brine. It’s easy, foolproof, and a delicious addition to your recipe repertoire. Use your refrigerator pickled vegetables on sandwiches, tacos, bowls, toast, and more!

overhead view of pickled red onions in brine in a jar

If you’re a regular reader of the Veg World blog, then you probably know that I love quick pickled vegetables! They are so easy to make and a wonderful way to add veggies to meals without even really trying. My love affair with this genre of vegetable started with red onions and has since expanded to more unique renditions, such as Pickled Asparagus, Celery, and Radishes.

I’ve been making this recipe for well over 5 years, but I realized it needed a makeover! Plus, I’ve since learned a new hack of making quick pickled red onions with a no cook method.

Since quick/refrigerator pickles aren’t intended to be canned or shelf-stable like traditional pickles, they don’t need the step of boiling the brine (which is necessary to ensure the food safety of canned pickles). Instead, you can use hot tap water to dissolve the sugar and salt. If you want to boil your brine, go right ahead, but the instructions I included in this post are for making quick pickled red onions without cooking. It saves time and energy (and a dirty dish)!

After you make your onions, I’d love to hear how you use them. I included some ideas in the post, but feel free to leave a comment to let me know all the delicious ways you enjoyed the recipe.

Jump to:

Ingredients and Substitutions
Instructions and Equipment
Uses
Storage
More Pickle Recipes
📖 Recipe
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sugar, red wine vinegar, salt, and a red onion next to each other on a counter

Ingredients and Substitutions

Red onion: About 1 medium red onion yields enough slices to fit into a 16-ounce jar.
Red wine vinegar: You can substitute apple cider or white wine vinegar if needed.
Hot water: Quick pickled red onions taste best with a brine that’s equal parts vinegar and water.
Sugar: Use granulated sugar for pickling.
Salt: I like to use a coarse salt like kosher or sea salt.
Possible additions: Feel free to add a teaspoon or more of whole peppercorns, fresh herbs like dill or thyme, red pepper flakes, or mustard seeds to the brine. I personally like red onions with just sugar and salt in the brine, since I think they have a wonderful flavor on their own and get sweet yet tangy when pickled.

Instructions and Equipment

The full recipe card, with ingredient quantities and instructions, is at the bottom of the post. Here are some of my tips, including equipment recommendations.

thinly sliced red onion in a mandolin on top of a cutting board

The first step is to slice the red onions. Thinly sliced onions are easy to eat and become really flavorful when soaking in brine. You can use a sharp knife to slice them, but the best method is using a mandolin. Remember to use the guard and exercise caution!

thinly sliced red onion in a jar before being covered in vinegar brine

Next, stuff the onions into a 16-ounce jar with a wide mouth, such as these Ball ones. In another jar (or just a mixing bowl with a whisk), add the brine ingredients. Seal and shake until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Then, pour the brine over the onions. Seal, let them come to room temperature, then put them in the fridge or enjoy right away.

Uses

There are so many uses for quick pickled red onions. Try them on:

Tacos, like my Ancho Chile Black Bean Sweet Potato Tacos
Charcuterie boards
Burgers, sandwiches, and wraps
Gyros, like my Eggplant Gyro Sandwich
Bowls, like my Salmon Teriyaki Bowl with Veggies
Falafel, like my Curry Carrot Falafel
Nachos
Avocado toast
Pizza
Fish
Salads
Scrambled eggs

pickled red onions sitting in a brine in a jar on a counter

Storage

No cook quick pickled red onions aren’t meant to be shelf-stable or long-lasting like traditional pickles that have been made according to proper canning techniques. Store them in a sealed jar in the refrigerator and use within 2 weeks.

More Pickle Recipes

I’d love to hear how you like this recipe! Rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments, and follow the Veg World on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looking for something totally different? Browse the recipe library.

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