Spicy pickled red onions anyone? This is the pickled onion recipe you have been waiting for. Done in under an hour with a spice kick – it doesn’t get much better than this!

If you love pickled onions, I have great news for you! It’s very easy (not to mention cheap!) to pickle your onions at home. This recipe includes a spicy twist that makes pickled red onions with a heat punch.

For me, the best part is that you can use these spicy pickled red onions in so many ways! They go great with tacos, burgers, sandwiches, and more! I am genuinely obsessed with adding pickled red onions to my favorite dishes. And if you love red onions as much as I do, I’m sure you’ll appreciate the beautiful composition of flavors added by jalapenos and peppercorns.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • It’s SO EASY. After I became a food blogger, I discovered that many items on my grocery list are actually really easy to make at home. These spicy red onions are no exception!
  • By making your own pickled onions, you can be sure they don’t contain any unnecessary additives. You can also pick the highest quality ingredients, or opt for locally grown produce.
  • Let’s face it, we often buy an entire bag of onions with the best intentions… and then life happens. So if you’ve found yourself with a few onions that need to be used sooner rather than later, this is the perfect recipe!
  • I cannot adequately express to you how AMAZINGLY the flavors go together. I guess you’ll just have to try for yourself!
  • It takes less than 10 minutes of prep to make a whole batch that will easily last you an enitre week.

How to Make This Recipe

Thinly slice your onions and jalapenos. Make sure the jar is clean, and transfer sliced veggies into your jar. I used a 20-ounce jar, but you might need to adjust the volume depending on the size of your onion.

Add peppercorns and sugar to the jar. Pour the hot water and apple cider vinegar over the contents until they are submerged. Stir, seal the lid, and place the jar in a sunlit spot on your counter.

It takes about an hour for the onions to pickle, but you are welcome to wait a little longer. The longer the onions spend in the brine, the more pungent the taste will turn out. After that, these spicy pickled red onions can be stored in the fridge for about a week.

Hack It!

  • You can stick with the sugar brine as per the recipe, or you can add a teaspoon of salt in addition to sugar. It creates a slightly different flavor balance.
  • In our household, we like our food to pack some heat. Feel free to adjust the amount of jalapeno to your preference. You can also experiement with other hot pepper varieties to make these spicy pickled red onions.
  • It’s ridiculously easy to upscale! If you’re having a BBQ party (or if you just really like pickled onions), just multiply the ingredients and grab a bigger jar!
  • Apple cider vinegar is a great fermenting agent. In fact, you can even make your own using apple scraps!
  • If you’re not a fan of cider vinegar, feel free to use white wine vinegar or rice vinegar.

Other Recipes You’ll Love

If you love simple, beginner-friendly recipes like this one, you should check out the PlantYou Planner! It’s a digital meal planner with a huge database of easy plant-based recipes for every occasion. It’s much easier to plan your meals ahead when you have over 500 recipes to choose from! Additionally, the planner generates a shopping list that reflects your weekly meal plan and allows you to toggle the number of servings. It’s a perfect tool for people who want to eat plant-based but don’t like the hassle!

And if you’ve been hanging around for a little while, you already know that MY DEBUT COOKBOOK was released last month! The amount of support it received was honestly incredible, and I thank every single one of you who preordered my book or bought it from a local bookstore. In case you haven’t grabbed a copy yet, call your local bookstore and ask for the PlantYou Cookbook – it has 140+ easy vegan recipes to satisfy your cravings!

Spicy Pickled Red Onions

The Recipe: Spicy Pickled Red Onions

Pickled red onions with a spicy twist.
5 from 6 ratings
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Servings: 10
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • ½ Jalapeno, sliced
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp peppercorns
  • 1 tbsp sugar

Equipment

  • knife
  • chopping board
  • Mason Jar

Instructions 

  • Add the thinly sliced red onion and jalapeno slices to a jar (I used a 20 oz jar), along with the pepper corns and sugar. Pour over the hot water and apple cider vinegar until they are covered by the liquid. Stir, seal the lid and place in a sunlit spot on your counter.
  • The pickled onions will be ready an hour later when they are vibrant in color and have a bold pickled taste. Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 1 week.
Cuisine: American
Course: Side Dish
Author: carleigh