Elevate your side dishes with this delightful pickled grilled red onions recipe. The combination of smoky, charred red onions and tangy apple cider vinegar creates a unique flavor that pairs perfectly with a variety of main courses. Whether you're adding them to burgers, salads, or sandwiches, these pickled onions are sure to impress.
While most of the ingredients for this recipe are common pantry staples, you might need to pick up some apple cider vinegar if you don't already have it at home. This type of vinegar is essential for achieving the right balance of tanginess in the pickling process. Additionally, make sure you have fresh red onions on hand, as their natural sweetness complements the pickling brine perfectly.

Ingredients For Pickled Grilled Red Onions Recipe
Red onions: Fresh and sweet, these are the main ingredient and provide a wonderful base for the pickling process.
Apple cider vinegar: Adds a tangy flavor to the pickling brine, essential for the right taste.
Water: Helps to dilute the vinegar and balance the flavors.
Sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness to the pickling brine, balancing the acidity.
Salt: Enhances the overall flavor and helps in the pickling process.
Technique Tip for This Recipe
To achieve the perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors in your pickled grilled red onions, make sure to slice the onions evenly. This ensures they cook uniformly on the grill and absorb the vinegar mixture consistently. Additionally, allow the vinegar mixture to cool slightly before pouring it over the grilled onions to prevent overcooking them in the jar.
Suggested Side Dishes
Alternative Ingredients
red onions - Substitute with yellow onions: Yellow onions have a milder flavor and will still provide a good texture when grilled and pickled.
red onions - Substitute with shallots: Shallots offer a slightly sweeter and more delicate flavor, which can add a unique twist to the recipe.
apple cider vinegar - Substitute with white wine vinegar: White wine vinegar has a similar acidity level and will provide a comparable tanginess.
apple cider vinegar - Substitute with rice vinegar: Rice vinegar is slightly less acidic but will still give a pleasant, mild tang to the pickling liquid.
water - Substitute with vegetable broth: Vegetable broth can add an extra layer of flavor to the pickling liquid.
sugar - Substitute with honey: Honey will add a natural sweetness and a slight floral note to the pickling liquid.
sugar - Substitute with maple syrup: Maple syrup provides a unique, rich sweetness that can complement the pickled onions.
salt - Substitute with sea salt: Sea salt has a slightly different mineral content that can enhance the overall flavor profile.
salt - Substitute with kosher salt: Kosher salt has a coarser texture and a purer taste, which can be beneficial in pickling.
Other Alternative Recipes
How to Store or Freeze This Dish
Ensure the pickled grilled red onions are completely cooled before storing. This helps maintain their crisp texture and prevents condensation inside the storage container.
Use a clean, airtight glass jar or a mason jar for storing the onions. This prevents any unwanted odors from seeping in and keeps the onions fresh.
Pour the vinegar mixture over the onions until they are fully submerged. This ensures that the onions are properly pickled and infused with the tangy flavors.
Seal the jar tightly and store it in the refrigerator. The cool temperature slows down the fermentation process, keeping the onions crisp and flavorful.
For optimal flavor, let the onions sit in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before consuming. This allows the flavors to meld together beautifully.
If you plan to freeze the pickled onions, transfer them to a freezer-safe container. Leave some space at the top to allow for expansion as the liquid freezes.
Label the container with the date of preparation. This helps you keep track of their freshness and ensures you use them within the recommended time frame.
When ready to use, thaw the onions in the refrigerator overnight. This gradual thawing process helps retain their texture and flavor.
Avoid refreezing the onions once they have been thawed. This can compromise their texture and taste.
Enjoy your pickled grilled red onions as a zesty addition to salads, sandwiches, or even as a tangy topping for grilled meats and vegetables.
How to Reheat Leftovers
Stovetop Method:
- Heat a skillet over medium heat.
- Add a small amount of olive oil or butter to the skillet.
- Place the pickled grilled red onions in the skillet and stir occasionally.
- Cook for about 3-5 minutes until they are warmed through.
Microwave Method:
- Place the pickled grilled red onions in a microwave-safe dish.
- Cover the dish with a microwave-safe lid or plastic wrap.
- Microwave on medium power for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Check the temperature and heat for additional 30-second intervals if needed.
Oven Method:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Spread the pickled grilled red onions on a baking sheet.
- Cover with aluminum foil to prevent drying out.
- Bake for about 10-15 minutes until they are heated through.
Steaming Method:
- Fill a pot with a small amount of water and bring it to a simmer.
- Place a steamer basket over the simmering water.
- Add the pickled grilled red onions to the steamer basket.
- Cover and steam for about 5-7 minutes until they are warmed through.
Sous Vide Method:
- Preheat your sous vide water bath to 140°F (60°C).
- Place the pickled grilled red onions in a vacuum-sealed bag or a ziplock bag using the water displacement method.
- Submerge the bag in the water bath and heat for about 30 minutes.
- Remove from the bag and serve immediately.
Best Tools for This Recipe
Grill: Used to cook the onion rings until they are slightly charred, adding a smoky flavor.
Tongs: Essential for flipping the onion rings on the grill without burning your hands.
Knife: Needed to slice the red onions into rings.
Cutting board: Provides a stable surface for slicing the onions.
Saucepan: Used to heat and combine the apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, and salt.
Measuring cups: Necessary for accurately measuring the apple cider vinegar and water.
Measuring spoons: Used to measure the sugar and salt precisely.
Jar: Serves as the container for the grilled onions and the vinegar mixture.
Stove: Required to bring the vinegar mixture to a boil.
Spoon: Useful for stirring the vinegar mixture while it heats.
How to Save Time on This Recipe
Pre-slice onions: Slice the red onions in advance and store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
Use a grill pan: If you don't have a grill, a grill pan can achieve similar results indoors.
Batch grilling: Grill multiple onion rings at once to save time.
Quick marinade: Heat the vinegar mixture while grilling to streamline the process.
Immediate cooling: Place the jar of grilled onions in an ice bath to cool it faster before refrigerating.
Pickled Grilled Red Onions Recipe
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 large Red Onions sliced into rings
- 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 cup Water
- 2 tablespoon Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Salt
Instructions
- 1. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
- 2. Slice the red onions into rings.
- 3. Grill the onion rings for about 5 minutes on each side, until they are slightly charred.
- 4. In a saucepan, combine apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.
- 5. Place the grilled onions in a jar and pour the vinegar mixture over them. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
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