Looking for a quick pickled red onions recipe that's both easy and delicious? These no sugar added pickled onions are the perfect tangy addition to your favorite dishes, and they're ready in just 15 minutes! Made with red wine vinegar and a touch of grenadine for natural sweetness, this easy pickled onion recipe will become your go-to condiment.
These quick and easy pickled onions add a tangy crunch perfect for elevating tacos, burgers, salads, and more. Ready in minutes and bursting with flavor, they’re especially popular during grilling season or as a vibrant topping for seasonal dishes.
We love eating a small traditional Indian salad of these pickled red onions with most curries, like my easy rajma curry, or tucked in paneer kathi rolls. I always keep a jar on hand to instantly brighten up any meal!
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✨Why you'll love this recipe?
- Does not have loads of sugar - unlike traditional pickled onion recipes. This version gets subtle sweetness from grenadine while maintaining that perfect acidic bite.
- Beautiful pink color - from the pickled onions with red wine vinegar and grenadine makes them as visually appealing as they are tasty.
- Ready in 15 minutes - while your pickling liquid boils, you slice the onions and then mix the two together and chill until ready to enjoy!
📋Recipe Ingredients
- Onion - I use red onions in this pickled onion recipe. I love the crunch and the color!
- Red wine vinegar - I love the flavor profile of red wine vinegar for pickling onions. It has a robust, slightly fruity acidity that complements the sharpness of onions without being too harsh.
- Grenadine - provides sweetness without refined sugar. Just make sure to use real pomegranate grenadine rather than the high-fructose corn syrup versions. It enhances the pink-red hues of red onions, and the pickled onions turn a gorgeous deep pink or magenta color.
Don't forget to check out the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients along with the quantities.
📖Substitutions, Additions and Variations
- Different Vinegars: While this recipe features pickled onions with red wine vinegar and grenadine, you can substitute with apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.
- Spice It Up: Add black peppercorns, sliced jalapeños, or red pepper flakes for heat.
- Color Variations: You can use yellow or white onions, though red onions provide the most striking color contrast.
👩🍳Steps to make this recipe
Step 1: Make the Pickling Liquid - In a small saucepan, combine the red wine vinegar, water, and grenadine. Turn the heat on medium-high and add the peppercorns (if using) (Image 1). Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and turn the heat off.
Step 2: Prepare the onions - Peel and thinly slice the onions (Image 2). You can cut them in circles or into thin half-moons, about ⅛ inch thick.
Step 3: Place the sliced onions in a clean, wide-mouthed glass jar or container (Image 3) with a tight-fitting lid.
Step 4: Pour and cool - Carefully pour the hot pickling liquid over the sliced onions (Image 4). Let cool to room temperature for about 15 minutes. Once cooled, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. For best flavor, let them pickle for 2-4 hours.
Quick & Easy Pickled Red Onions - No Sugar
Equipment
- Glass Mason Jar
Ingredients
- 1 red onion big, thinly sliced
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoon grenadine unsweetened
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns optional
- ½ teaspoon salt optional
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine the red wine vinegar, water, grenadine, and salt. Add the peppercorns, if using. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat,
- Slice your red onions into thin circles or half-moons, about ⅛ inch thick. Place them in a clean glass jar or container with a tight-fitting lid.
- Carefully pour the hot pickling liquid over the sliced onions. Let cool to room temperature for about 15 minutes.Once cooled, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. For best flavor, let them pickle for 2-4 hours.
Notes
- Step by Step - I have included the step by step photos in the blog post. Please don't forget to check those out.
- Onion - I use red onions in this pickled onion recipe. I love the crunch and the color! You can also use white or yellow onions.
- Red wine vinegar - I love the flavor profile of red wine vinegar for pickling onions. It has a robust, slightly fruity acidity that complements the sharpness of onions without being too harsh.
- Grenadine - provides sweetness without refined sugar. Just make sure to use real pomegranate grenadine rather than the high-fructose corn syrup versions. It enhances the pink-red hues of red onions, and the pickled onions turn a gorgeous deep pink or magenta color.
Nutrition
💡Vaishali's Tips!
- Choose the Right Onions: Red onions work best for this recipe due to their mild flavor and beautiful color, complementing the pickled onions with red wine vinegar and grenadine.
- Slice Consistently: Use a mandoline or sharp knife to ensure even slicing for uniform pickling and texture.
- Adjust the Grenadine: Start with 2 tablespoons and taste after pickling. You can add more if you prefer a slightly sweeter flavor in your no sugar pickled onions.
- Do this if short on time: Instead of a glass jar, pickle the onions in a stainless steel mixing bowl. This will help the onions cool quicker.
🫙Storage and shelf life
These quick pickled onions will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks when stored in a clean, airtight container. The flavor actually improves after the first day as the onions continue to absorb the pickling liquid, but the crunchiness of the onions might go down.
🧅Perfect For Serving with:
- As a side salad - with almost all curries like Punjabi Kadhi with Pakode, Rajma Masala, Mutter Paneer, and many more.
- Salads and grain bowls - so good in my watermelon and feta salad, Lentil and roasted vegetable salad, and as a topping on a grilled chicken quinoa bowl.
- Tacos and burgers - add these pickled onions to these vegan rainbow tacos and to the masala chicken burgers for an extra something.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you make this recipe be sure to leave a comment and let me know how you liked it! Share it on Instagram with the hashtag #thekitchendocs or share on Facebook, too.
XOXO – Vaishali
Sam
We loved the sweetness that the grenadine added without added sugar. The color is gorgeous, and we have been adding these to all our tacos ever since you shared these on your Instagram stories. Good to have a printable recipe now.