Name: Spicy Pickled Onions
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 red onion (sliced); 2 garlic cloves (crushed); 1/2 teaspoon black or rainbow peppercorns; 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes; 1 cup water; 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar; 1 tablespoon coconut sugar; 1 teaspoon sea salt or pink salt

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Super easy and flavorful Spicy Pickled Onions make a great addition to your favorite dishes! Naturally gluten-free and vegan. Refined sugar-free, too!

a side shot of a jar filled with pickled red onions

I'm kind of a condiment freak. I like to have all the options when it comes to topping and dressing my food, and more often than not, those items are spicy. Enter these Spicy Pickled Red Onions! They are not only super easy to make, they are well worth the effort for the pop of flavor, color and texture they add to your favorite dishes.

flatlay of ingredients needs to make pickled onions

Table Of Contents

Pickled Onions
Ingredients
How to Make
Tips + Substitutions

Slicing
Onions
Vinegar
Sugar
Spices
Storage

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Pickled Onions

These beauties are:

Super quick and easy to make.
Packed with bold, tangy, spicy flavor.
Versatile and can be enjoyed on a variety of dishes.
Vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, and refined sugar-free.

a cutting board with a jar of pickled onions sitting on it

an open jar of red pickled onions with a fork stuck in

Ingredients

Red onion.
Apple cider vinegar.
Coconut sugar.
Sea salt or pink salt.
Garlic.
Peppercorns and red chili flakes.
Water.

Please note: full recipe amounts and instructions can be found in the recipe card towards the bottom of the post.

an open jar of pickled red onion ingredients

an open jar of pickled red onions resting a wooden cutting board

How to Make

Add sliced onions, garlic, peppercorns and red chili flakes to a clean jar.
On the stovetop, warm vinegar, water, salt and sugar until all is dissolved.
Pour the vinegar mixture over the onions in the jar. Gently press the onions to ensure they are covered.
Let come to room temperature then place the lid on the jar and keep stored in the refrigerator until ready to use.

an array of pickled onion ingredients resting on a dining table and cutting board

Tips + Substitutions

Slicing

You can slice your onion as thinly or as thickly as you would like. Slicing it thinly results in a more tender bite of pickled onion, whereas slicing the onion into thick slices results in bolder splash of flavor in each bite.

Onions

You can use red, white or yellow onions (or even just garlic if that suits your fancy!). However, red onion adds a extra dose of flavor and color!

Vinegar

White vinegar can be used in place of apple cider vinegar if need be.

Sugar

I prefer the flavor and benefits of coconut sugar, but regular or raw cane sugar can be used instead for very similar results.

Spices

Did you find your way here but not you're not fond of spicy? Do not fret, the peppercorns and red chili flakes can simply be omitted from this recipe for still -super-tasty pickled onions!

Storage

Keep pickled red onions stored in the refrigerator throughout use for up to 2 1/2 weeks.

an open jar of pickled onions with a fork stuck in

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a close up view of a clear jar filled with pickled red onions

close view of a fork topped with pickled onions

If you try this recipe please let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, share this post, use Pinterest’s “tried it” feature, or take a photo, & tag me on Instagram and I’ll share it! Thank you so much! <3