Pickled Red Onions

These Pickled Red Onions are made with just two ingredients. Thinly sliced red onion and fresh lime juice come together in about 5 minutes of actual prep, with no cooking involved. Pack the onions into a jar, pour the lime juice over them until they're fully submerged, and let the fridge do the rest. They're tangy, bright, and noticeably mellowed, and they keep in the fridge for up to 2 to 3 weeks.

Prep Time5

Refrigeration time4

Total Time4 5

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pickled red onions

Servings: jar

Calories: 45kcal

Ingredients

1 piece red onion large. sliced as thin as you’d like your pickled onions to be
4-5 pieces limes

Instructions

Slice the onion: Slice the red onion as thin as you'd like your pickled onions to be. Thinner slices soften faster.
Pack the jar: Place the sliced onion into a clean jar.
Juice the limes: Juice 4–5 limes.
Cover the onions: Pour the lime juice over the onions until they are fully covered. The amount of juice you need will depend on the size of your onion and your jar.
Shake and chill: Seal the jar, shake a few times, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. The longer they sit, the more the sharpness mellows and the flavor deepens.
Stir or shake again: Give it another shake later so the slices soak evenly.
Use when ready: They’re good at 4 hours, but even better the next day.

Notes

How long to chill: Let them sit at least 4 hours. Overnight tastes even better.

Keep onions covered: Make sure the lime juice fully covers the onions so they soften evenly.

Citrus options: Lemon juice works in place of lime juice, or use a combination of both.

Sweet pickled onions: Add 2 tablespoons of sugar to the lime juice and stir until dissolved before pouring over the onions.

Storage: Keep in the fridge for 2–3 weeks. Use a clean fork each time.

Nutrition