Pickled Red Onions {Cebollas Curtidas}

Looking to add a bright zing to just about anything? These Pickled Red Onions or Cebollas Curtidas add phenomenal color and crunch, not to mention sweet vinegary bite to tacos, sandwiches, tostadas and more!

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no simpler way to dress up a meal

This Mexican secret of adding acid to onions—making them soft, supple, and tame is one of the best ways to add a special finishing touch to your favorite Mexican food recipe.

All over Mexico you will find different variations on this idea depending on the most abundant local onion and other ingredients they have to add that acidic touch.

The onions can vary from yellow to white to red and the sourness can be anything from bitter orange juice, lime juice, or the gentle, sweet fruit vinegars many people make in their homes.

Sometimes spices like black peppercorns, bay leaves, or allspice berries are added.

My recipe adds a touch of sweetness to make a quick pickled red onion recipe that is 100 percent addictive!

what you need to make pickled red onions

This refrigerator pickle is dead simple and only requires a few ingredients.

You will need onions (obviously).

For this recipe I used red onions because their color turns a bright fuchsia pink that is so beautiful and makes anything it graces look instantly more appetizing.

If you have white or yellow onions and want to use those instead, they will still taste great, just not have the same color.

The other ingredients are water, granulated sugar, kosher salt, and distilled white vinegar.

You will also need a small saucepan to make the pickling liquid in, a medium, heatproof bowl and a Mason jar for storing them in the refrigerator.

how to make a quick pickle

When I say it is super quick and easy, I mean it!

I use a ratio of sugar to vinegar to water that my grandmother taught me when we would make pickled beets in the summer.

It works on just about any vegetable and in my opinion is the perfect mix of sweet and sour.

1. Start by mixing the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Place over medium heat and stir until the sugar and salt dissolve.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil then turn the heat off.
3. Meanwhile, slice the onions. I like to slice them very thin on a mandolin.
4. Place the thinly sliced onions in a medium, heatproof bowl.
5. Pour the pickling liquid over the onions, push down to submerge in the liquid.
6. Let cool to room temperature.
7. Transfer to a Mason jar, making sure the onions are covered by the pickling liquid.
8. Seal and refrigerate for up to a month.

variations

Now that you’ve got the idea, let’s play around!

• Swap the distilled white vinegar for rice vinegar, red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar.
• Use maple syrup, brown sugar, or Piloncillo (raw, crushed sugar cane) instead of the granulated sugar.
• Add spices like red pepper flakes, toasted cumin seeds, whole allspice berries, or black peppercorns.
• Instead of quick pickled red onions, use thinly slice carrots, radishes, bell peppers, or beets instead.

what to eat with this pickled red onion recipe

I honestly can’t think of a Mexican dish that wouldn’t benefit from a tangle of pickled onions on top. Here are a few ways I’ve used them in the past:

• Cochinita Pibil Tacos
• Grilled Hot Dog and Sausages
• Crock Pot Mexican Pulled Pork Sandwiches
• You could even chop them up and add them to salad dressings.

take your tacos from good to amazing!

With this one simple trick! When you make these pickled red onions, let me know how they’ve transformed your life—or at least your tacos. Share a photo and tag me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so that I can see!

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