Sweet Pickled Onions

5 from 3 votes

Sweet Pickled Onions are made with fresh onions, sugar, white vinegar, and a blend of bold spices. These delicious quick pickles add a tangy burst of sweetness to any meal!

Prep Time10

Cook Time5

Total Time15

Course: Appetizers, Pickles

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 73kcal

Author: Debi Morgan | Quiche My Grits

Equipment

Ingredients

6 medium onions, thinly sliced (can mix onions, but use at least 3 red onions for color)
2 ½ cups distilled white vinegar (can use apple cider vinegar)
1 ½ cups water
1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
¼ teaspoon dried oregano (can use Mexican oregano but it's stronger and more spicy)
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes (omit if you don't like spice)

Instructions

Cut onions into thin slices with a sharp knife or mandoline in the shape of a circle. Cut through the circles in the middle to create long strips, or leave them in a circle shape if desired.
Stuff slices into clean mason jars until they reach ¼ inch from the top. Press them down with your fingers until they are tightly nestled inside the jars. Continue to pack slices in until they reach ¼ inch from the top of the jar.
Create vinegar mixture by combining vinegar, water, sugar and spices in a small saucepan. Simmer and stir over medium-high heat until brine comes to a boil and sugar melts.
Transfer brine to a measuring cup that has a spout or use a funnel to pour hot liquid into each jar. Fill until brine covers the onions. Fasten the lids with bands and rinse any residue off of the jars.
Let jars rest at room temperature for 2 hours to cool down. Once they are cooled, transfer jars to the refrigerator until ready to serve.
If you want to eat the pickles right away, you can do so after they've been brined for at least 30 minutes. However, the longer they sit in brine, the better they taste and the brighter their color will be.

Notes

This recipe makes 3 pint jars of pickled onions that taste like bread and butter pickles with a kick.
You'll need about 2 onions per jar when sliced very thin (⅛ inch) You can use all red onions or a mixture of red and white to make a lighter shade of pink.
Mexican oregano has more of a bite than Italian oregano. You can substitute regular dried oregano and leave out the red pepper flakes if you don't want any heat.
See guidelines at the National Center for Home Food Preservation before beginning any pickling process.
Salt helps to safely ferment pickles. It's best not to alter the amount of salt in this recipe.
Iodized salt contains anti-caking agents that can make pickle brine cloudy. For best results, use only kosher salt, canning or pickling salt.
Only use vinegar that has 5% acidity.
Refrigerator pickled onions must be stored in the fridge since they have NOT undergone the water bath canning process. They’re not shelf stable and shouldn’t be left unrefrigerated or botulism can occur.
View the Google Web Story for Sweet Pickled Onions!

Nutrition