Quick Pickled Red Onions

Name: Quick Pickled Red Onions
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 large red onion (about 8 oz.), halved and sliced thin; 1/2 c. distilled white vinegar; 1/2 c. water; 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar; 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt; 1 tsp. black peppercorns; 1 bay leaf

Sharp, sweet-sour, and bright pink within an hour. They keep for weeks and go on tacos, sandwiches, grain bowls, and anything rich enough to need cutting through.

Serves: 8
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 5 min
Total: 15 min

condiment
make-ahead
vegetarian

Ingredients

1 large red onion (about 8 oz.), halved and sliced thin
1/2 c. distilled white vinegar
1/2 c. water
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. black peppercorns
1 bay leaf

Instructions

Pack the sliced onion into a pint jar, pressing it down. Tuck in the peppercorns and bay leaf.
Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve, about 3 minutes.
Pour the hot brine over the onion until submerged. Press down any slices that float.
Cool to room temperature, uncovered, about 30 minutes. They are edible at that point and better after an hour.
Cap and refrigerate.

Notes

Keeps 3 weeks refrigerated. The color fades from magenta toward pale pink after the first week; the flavor holds.
Apple cider vinegar makes a rounder, fruitier pickle. Red wine vinegar is good too. Skip balsamic — it muddies the color.
Slice thin, about 1/8 inch. Thick slices stay crunchy and raw-tasting in the middle.
Additions worth trying, one at a time: a smashed garlic clove, a few coriander seeds, a dried chile, a strip of orange peel.

Nutrition

Serving size: about 1/4 c., drained
Calories: 14
Protein: 0.5 g
Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 3 g
Fiber: 0.5 g
Sugar: 1.5 g
Sodium: 145 mg

Estimated from the ingredient list, per serving. Not a substitute for a label.