Move over, onion rings. There’s a new way to eat onions, and it’s far healthier and way more fun to make: pickled onions.
Pickled onions pack a punch with their sharp, tangy flavors, vibrant colors, and versatility in all kinds of dishes. But the potential of pickled onions goes beyond just being a condiment. These are a gateway to home canning.
In this guide, we’ll show you how you can make your own pickled onions at home – and give you some simple tips to make even the canning process an absolute breeze.

Is it Healthy to Eat Pickled Onions?
Pickled onions are a low-calorie food that is rich in beneficial plant compounds and antioxidants. The pickling process itself, which often involves vinegar, can have some added health benefits.
Vinegar has been known to reduce blood sugar spikes after meals and may also help increase feelings of fullness – this may be helpful if you’re trying to reduce your calorie intake.
Plus, the onions retain much of their nutritional content, such as vitamins C and B, even after pickling.
Of course, the real beauty of making pickled onions is that it allows you to preserve your bounty of onions long after the harvest season has ended. By canning, you can enjoy these crunchy snacks late into the winter months and beyond. They last for a few years!
And since you’re in charge of what goes into the jar, you can customize your pickled onions as you see fit, adding other ingredients or swapping out (within reason – you have to keep an eye on canning safety) other ingredients as you’d like.
How to Make Pickled Onions: Step by Step
Ready to get started? Here’s a guide on how to make homemade pickled onions – quickly and easily.
This recipe will make one pint, so just multiply it out to get the exact quantity you want (most water bath canners will hold eight or nine pints, so that’s a good benchmark to shoot for).
Ingredients
- 1 red onion
- ⅓ cup vinegar
- ⅔ cup water
- ½ teaspoon pickling salt
- ¼ tsp mustard seed
- ¼ tsp celery seed
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon sugar
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare Your Workstation
Begin by gathering all your equipment: jars, lids, screw bands, canning tools, a large pot, and a cutting board. Don’t forget the water bath canner itself!
Step 2: Wash and Prepare Your Jars
Wash your jars, lids, and screw bands in hot, soapy water, then rinse thoroughly. To sterilize, place the jars in a canner filled with water and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. You can also use the dishwasher method, if you prefer.
Keep the jars warm until ready to use.
Step 3: Prepare the Pickling Mixture
Next, combine your ingredients. In a large, non-reactive (ideally enamel or stainless steel) pot, combine the vinegar, salt, and sugar. Then, add the mustard seed, celery seed, and red pepper flakes.
Over medium-high heat, stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer for a few more minutes to blend the flavors.
Step 4: Prepare the Onions
Peel your onions and, using a sharp knife or mandolin, slice them as thinly as possible. The thinner the slice, the quicker the pickling time and the better the texture.
To soften the pungency of the onions, cover the onions with boiling water for about five seconds, then immediately strain.
Step 5: Combine and Fill the Jars
Place the onions in the hot pickling mixture for a few minutes until they just begin to soften. Do not overcook – the onions should stay crisp.
Using tongs, transfer the onions and to your prepared jars, leaving about 1 inch of headspace. Pour the pickling mixture on top of the onions, leaving about an inch of headspace.
Step 6: Preserve
With a clean, damp cloth, wipe the jar rims to remove any residue that could prevent a good seal.
Place the lids on the jars, then screw the bands on fingertip-tight. This means you should screw them on until you meet resistance, then give a quarter-turn more.
Submerge your jars in the canning pot, ensuring they are covered with at least an inch of water. Bring to a rolling boil and process for 10 minutes.
Step 7: Store
Once the processing time is over, remove the jars from the canner and let them cool for 12-24 hours. Check the seals by pressing on the center of the lid. A good seal will not flex.
Once the jars are finally cool, remove the screw bands, clean the jars, label them with the content and date, and store them in a cool, dark place.
Tips for Making Pickled Onions
Before you dig out your canning gear, here are a few more quick tips for making pickled onions you might like to know about.
Start With Good-Looking Onions
The quality of your onions will determine the quality of your pickled onions. Look for onions with tight, dry skins and avoid any that feel soft or have blemishes. In general, you’ll need about one pound of onions per pint jar, but this can vary depending on the type of onion.
Choose the Right Kind of Vinegar
Choose a high-quality vinegar with at least 5% acidity. The most common choices are apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, and white vinegar, each providing a distinct flavor profile to your pickled onions.
Just make sure you select a vinegar that you enjoy. This will be one of the strongest flavors in the pickling liquid. I like apple cider vinegar for its additional health benefits and its reddish color, but many other people prefer red wine vinegar because it imparts an even richer hue. The choice is yours!
Slice the Onions as Thin As Possible
Uniform, thin slices will pickle more evenly and quickly than thicker ones. A mandolin can be your best friend for this task!
Can You Pressure Can These Pickled Onions Instead?
Pressure canning pickled onions is indeed an option, although it’s worth noting that water bath canning is generally the recommended route for pickled onions. It just helps them retain their desired texture and flavor a bit better.
Pressure canning may lead to a softer, potentially soggy consistency due to the increased temperature and pressure.
Try This as a Refrigerator Recipe Instead of Canning, Too
While home canning offers the advantage of long-term storage, a simple refrigerator pickling recipe can be ready to eat in a day or two. You’d simply store the finished product in the refrigerator and consume within a few weeks rather than proceeding with step number six in the instructions above.
How Long Will Pickled Onions Last?
When stored properly – out of direct sunlight, in a cool location – pickled onions can last for a year or more. Once the jar is opened, make sure you stash it in the refrigerator and use it within a month for the best quality onions.
Final Thoughts
Feeling hungry yet?
With this guide to making and canning pickled onions, you now have everything you need to embark on the pickling process safely. Your journey might start with the humbled pickled onion, but with this knowledge, you may feel brave enough to try some other pickled creations as well (pickled carrots, anyone?).
Grab your apron and get started today!
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