Quick Pickled Onions
Piquant and spicy, these quick pickled onions take only 5 minutes to make and are ready to eat in 20 minutes. Using a handful of store cupboard ingredients, this pretty and very tasty condiment will keep for up to a month in the refrigerator and can be used in many different ways.
Makes 1 jar
Ingredients
- 300ml red wine vinegar.or any of the following vinegars: apple cider, white wine or rice vinegars.
- 1 teaspoon caster sugar. Or granulated.
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- bay leaf
- ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes .
- ¼ teaspoon whole peppercorns
- ¼ teaspoon coriander seeds
- ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 150g/1 large red onion, peeled. Or use a brown or white onion.
- 100ml – 200ml boiling water, as required
NB Simply omit any herbs/spices you do not have immediately to hand or you do not like.
Instructions
NB You need to start making this a minimum of 25 minutes, but preferably at least 2 hours, before you want to eat the pickled onions.
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Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.
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Heat the vinegar in a pan, over a moderate heat, with the sugar, salt, bay leaf, chilli flakes, whole peppercorns, coriander and cumin seeds. When the sugar and salt are dissolved, take off the heat.
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Meanwhile, peel, halve, and thinly slice the onion. Tip into a bowl and cover with boiling water. Immediately use a a sieve to drain well.
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Transfer the onion to a sterilised jar with a lid. Pour over the vinegar and spices but remove the bay leaf. Top up the jar with boiling water, if it is not full. (See Recipe Notes for details on how to sterilise jars.)
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Seal the jar tightly, shake to mix and leave to cool. Store in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Recipe Notes
Equipment:
- chopping board, knife and measuring spoons
- measuring jug
- saucepan
- sterilised jam jar
More details on ingredients and instructions:
Please see the ingredient list and the instructions in the post above, for further information.
Pickled onions can be used in many different ways. For example:
- try adding to salads such as this Feta and Avocado Salad.
- on top of cooked pizza.
- in hot or cold sandwiches. Add to a hot cheese toastie or add some to Taid’s Chicken Butty.
- wonderful on burgers – beef, chicken or vegetarian.
- serve with Mexican food such as tacos, burritos and nachos.
Can I make this recipe even more quickly?
Yes you can! If you are short of time or ingredients, simply thinly slice the onion and toss with 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar, in a non-metallic mixing bowl. Let it sit for 20 minutes and serve. Transfer any leftovers into an airtight jar, squash the onion down and cover with more vinegar. Store in the fridge.
Whilst the sugar, salt, bay leaf and spices add a subtle flavour boost, they are not really strictly necessary, particularly if you are looking to save time or you don’t have them in your cupboard. Any extra ingredients you don’t have, simply leave them out.
Sterilising jam jars:
Wash the jar and lid in hot water, place on a baking tray and put in a cold oven. Turn the oven on to 160°C/325°F/Gas 3 (fan 140°C) and leave the jar in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven to cool.