By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 4, 2026
Serves 8
40 cal · 45 min
Pickled Red Onions
Recipe GLPR88bf234fbfc031
Quick and easy refrigerator-pickled red onions with a tangy, spiced bite. Crisp half-moons of red onion are preserved in a sweet and vinegary brine infused with warm allspice and a hint of heat from red pepper flakes. Perfect as a vibrant side dish, condiment, or topping for sandwiches, tacos, salads, and grain bowls. Ready to enjoy after cooling and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one month.
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Ingredients
1 large red onion
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
pinch pinch of red pepper flakes
Directions
Trim the top and bottom ends from the red onion. Cut the onion in half from top to bottom, then place each half cut-side down on a cutting board. Peel away and discard the papery outer skin.
Slice each onion half into thin half-moon pieces, approximately 1/8 inch thick. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine the apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, sugar, and kosher salt. Place the pan over medium to medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Once boiling, whisk until the sugar and salt have completely dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the ground allspice and red pepper flakes.
Carefully add the sliced red onions to the hot brine and gently fold to combine, making sure all pieces are submerged.
Allow the mixture to cool completely to room temperature, stirring gently every 10 minutes or so.
Transfer the pickled onions and brine to a clean glass container or canning jar. Cover tightly with a lid and refrigerate until completely chilled before serving. Store in the refrigerator for up to one month. This is a refrigerator pickle and must be kept cold at all times.
Comments
Every ingredient is a staple at any Charlotte grocery chain—red onions, both vinegars, sugar, kosher salt, allspice, and red pepper flakes stock everywhere from Walmart to Harris Teeter. The cost per serving is trivial, likely under 50 cents, since vinegar and spices do the heavy lifting. The stated 45 minutes is honest for slicing and bringing the brine to a boil, though the actual eating window (for crunchy onions) is same-day, while fully soft pickles take overnight; reheating is irrelevant since these are a cold condiment. The real limitation is household fit: this is a side, garnish, or condiment with a sharp, one-note role, not a dish that feeds a family as a main or substantial component of dinner.
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