quick pickled red onions & the best vinegar to use

Quick pickled red onions are delicious in wraps, on sandwiches, burgers, served alongside grilled or roasted meats & are especially good on a cheese board or part of a ploughman’s lunch – a very English platter of assorted snacky food that is so perfect for a throw-together meal or picnic. If you’re one for making doner kebabs you have to add these.

Quick pickled red onions are mind numbingly easy to make: slice the onions thinly using a mandoline (watch those fingies), a food processor, or, if your knife skills are on-point, slice them by hand using a good, sharp knife. The wafer-thin slices are mixed with rice vinegar (the trick to a really good quick pickle is the vinegar), a little sugar & salt. Rice vinegar enhances the onions’ gorgeous magenta hue (much more than any other vinegar I’ve used) & retains all that wonderful crunch we love in a good pickle. Plus rice vinegar has more flavor than your bog-standard white vinegar or white wine vinegar, especially if you opt for seasoned rice vinegar. I’ve tested this with both seasoned & regular rice vinegar & they’re both good. I’ve also tested this recipe using other vinegars – rice vinegar is the best – both for colour & flavor. Perhaps because of its slightly lower acidity of 4.2%. Mostly because of its flavor. I also use it in stir-fries & salad dressings.

If you’re making a burger this coming weekend, or you’re like me & love anything pickled, then you really need to make these pickled red onions. They’ll keep for two to three weeks in the fridge & they’re even better a day or two after making. There’s no cooking, heating or fussing. I slurp them straight from the jar. Often. Pickled onions, cheese & bread – an almost perfect lunch. Toodles, Lovoni xo

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quick pickled red onions & the best vinegar to use

Rice vinegar enhances the red onions’ gorgeous magenta. Use seasoned or plain rice vinegar. The onions are best prepared a day or two in advance giving the onions time to sweeten & the flavors to develop. Serve on any type of sandwich or with a Middle Eastern feast, cheese board or antipasto platter.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time0 mins

Refrigerate2 d

Course: condiment

Cuisine: British

Keyword: pickled onions, red onions

Servings: 10 servings

Author: Lovoni

Cost: $3

Equipment

• mandoline
• bowl

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (white sugar)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 lbs red onions peeled, trimmed & thinly sliced

Instructions

• Combine vinegar, sugar & salt together in a large bowl. Add the onion & stir for 3 to 5 minutes or until the onion is starting to softened (I often use my hands for this). Transfer the onion mixture to glass jars with sealed lids or a plastic container with a well-sealed lid. Refrigerate for 12 to 48 hours before serving. Store any leftovers in the fridge up to 21 days. Makes about 4 cups.