Quick Pickles & Quick Pickled Onions
Quick Pickled Onions are a deliciously crunchy, tangy, and lightly sweet way to add bold flavor to all your favorite meals. They’re one of the easiest quick pickles you can make.
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Onions are not your only pickling option, though.
All you need are your favorite fresh veggies and a few simple pantry ingredients. You’ll be whipping up quick pickles that your family and friends won’t be able to get enough of.
Refrigerator pickles are budget-friendly, incredibly easy to make, and ready in minutes. Whether you’re topping tacos, sandwiches, or salads, these quick pickled red onions bring a bright pop of flavor to every bite.
What Vegetables Can Be Quick Pickled?
You may have also heard quick pickles referred to as refrigerator pickles. Did you know you can pickle almost any vegetables you and your family like?
For this post, I made four jars of pickles: quick-pickled red onions, cabbage, cucumbers and carrots.
Beets, jalapenos, bell peppers, cabbage, celery, onions of all varieties, shallots, radishes, blanched green beans or asparagus, cauliflower and broccoli are all excellent candidates for quick pickling (fridge pickling) as well.
Quick pickles are a great solution to keeping all the produce in the crisper drawers from going bad. When you realize you may not get through all the veggies in your fridge, toss them into a jar with pickling brine and save money while making a bright, crunchy treat for snacking.
Ingredient Info and Tips
- Veggies of your choice: White, Yellow or Red Onions, Green or Red Cabbage, Beets, Cucumbers, Carrots, Radishes, Garlic Cloves, Jalapenos (or any hot pepper), Bell Peppers, Celery, Shallots, blanched Green Beans or Asparagus, Cauliflower and Broccoli are all great choices.
- Vinegar: White Vinegar is the cheapest and easiest to use. You can definitely experiment with other varieties and flavors of vinegar, but I use plain white distilled vinegar.
- Raw Unfiltered Honey
- Coarse Sea Salt: I use Great Value Coarse Sea Salt. If you substitute Morton Kosher Salt you should be able to use an equal measure. If you use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt you will need 1.5x the recipe amount. And if you only have table salt, (not recommended) use only 1/2 the amount called for in the recipe.
- Herbs and/or Spices: I use Great Value Brand Pickling Spice and Black Peppercorns in all varieties of these pickles. If I have them on hand, I often toss in a garlic clove or two. And I usually add dried dill weed to Cucumber Quick Pickles. In addition, others enjoy stems of fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, basil, mint, parsley or cilantro packed into the jars. Your creative possibilities are endless!
A Note About Seasonings
You can omit herbs and spices from your pickles if you choose, but they add so much flavor and brightness, you’ll really be missing out.
Common herbs and spices to add to pickles are Mustard Seed, Coriander Seed, Peppercorns, Bay Leaves, Red Chili Flakes, Dill Seed or Dill Weed, Allspice, Bay Leaves, Garlic and Cinnamon. If you have all those individually on your shelves, create a blend that suits your personal tastes.
I always just choose Great Value Pickling Spice for two reasons:
- It contains all of the spices I mentioned except Peppercorns and Garlic. (I add those on my own.)
- It’s cheap! A real bargain if you don’t already keep lots of different herbs and spices in your pantry.
How Do I Make My Pickles Crunchy?
Love a crunchy pickle? Me, too. Surprisingly, the simple solution is leaves!
Bay leaves, black tea leaves, grape leaves, oak leaves, horseradish leaves or raspberry leaves can all be added to the bottom of pickle jars. Each contains tannins that can help keep your pickles crisp.
Be sure to wash any leaves thoroughly before using them. And keep their flavor profiles in mind. Each may add its own distinctive flavor to your pickles.
Quick Pickles vs Traditional Pickles
Traditional pickles use some form of processing, like canning, to preserve them and extend their shelf life.
Quick Pickles (refrigerator pickles), like the quick-pickled onions or other veggies in this post, rely on refrigeration, salt and vinegar to keep them from spoiling.
Even though quick-pickled cucumbers have a shorter shelf life than their processed cousins, they will keep in the fridge for at least two weeks — maybe longer. I’m rarely able to keep them that long, though. They are gobbled up quickly in lunches and sandwiches, as well as for snacking.
Shouldn’t I Boil Quick Pickle Brine?
You may see recipes that call for heating or boiling the brine for refrigerator pickles. I just don’t care for it.
The idea behind heating the brine is that the sugar and salt dissolve more quickly and that the vegetables will absorb the brine more quickly.
Here’s what I know. Hot brine on fresh vegetables makes soft, mushy pickles. It’s just not my preferred method.
I whisk the honey and salt into my brine mixture in a matter of seconds. I’ve never had any issues getting them to dissolve. So if crunch is as important to you as it is to me, I think you’ll love this easy, quick pickling method.
What to Serve With Quick-Pickled Onions
These are so crazy good, you will want them with everything. They are the perfect crunchy brightness to add to sandwiches like Gyros made with my homemade Gyro Meat or buns filled with my easy two-ingredient Pulled Pork.
Use pickled red onions or jalapenos in Chicken Street Tacos, Easy Ground Beef Tacos or Mexican Street Tacos.
Add your favorite quick pickles to Easy Salad Recipes and burgers.
Serve them alongside any dish that can benefit from bright pops of acidity, like:
- Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets
- Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Beef
- Italian Chicken Cutlets
- Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Tuna Casserole with Cream of Mushroom Soup.
However you decide to serve them, your crunchy, delicious quick pickles will be a hit around the dinner table.
How to Make Quick Pickles
- Wash and slice your chosen vegetables. (I make quick work of the slicing with my OXO mandoline and my favorite rotary grater/slicer. affiliate links )
- Add herbs, spices, garlic cloves and/or tannin-rich leaves (for crunch) to the bottom of your chosen jars. I used 4 pint jars for this recipe.
- Tightly pack the sliced vegetables into your prepared jars.
- Whisk together the pickle brine by mixing water, vinegar, honey and salt until the salt is dissolved.
- Pour the brine over the vegetables in the jars. This recipe should make enough brine for 4 pints.
- Screw the lids on the jars and refrigerate. Your pickles will be ready to eat in as little as 30 minutes. The flavors will continue to develop and strengthen over the next 24 hours.
This easy recipe is really a base formula for creating quick pickles your family will love.
The amounts of vegetables will vary depending on which veggies you choose and how you slice them. The seasonings will depend on the flavor profile you are creating.
I’m including four of my favorites to get you started.
The Flavor Variations I Make Most Often
- Red Onions – One medium onion sliced into 1/8-inch slivers will usually fill a one-pint jar. The size of your onion and how tightly you pack the jar will determine how much you need.
- I add 1 Tablespoon of pickling spice and 1 teaspoon of peppercorns to the bottom of the jar before packing in the onions.
- Red Cabbage – I slice the cabbage thinly and use only about 1/4 of a small head for a pint jar. A small whole cabbage would probably make 4 pints.
- I add 1 Tablespoon of pickling spice, 1 teaspoon of peppercorns and 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds. The caraway seeds add a distinct sauerkraut flavor, so they are definitely optional, but I LOVE them with cabbage.
- Carrots – I slice carrots into super-thin rounds. A pint jar holds 3 to 4 large carrots cut in that way. I add 1 Tablespoon of pickling spice and 1 teaspoon of peppercorns to the bottom of the jar before packing in the carrot slices.
- Cucumbers – It’s recommended to remove the blossom end of cucumbers before slicing to help them stay crunchy. I used Persian cucumbers (mini cucumbers) like the ones in my Shirazi Salad recipe. In the past, I have cut them into rounds about 1/4 inch thick, and today I sliced them with the mandolin into the thin ribbons you see in the pictures. Those are closer to 1/8″ thick. I love the ribbons for sandwiches. Choose the shape that makes the most sense for your family. I add 1 Tablespoon of pickling spice, 1 teaspoon of peppercorns, 1 clove of garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of dried dill weed to the bottom of the pint jar before packing in the cucumber slices.
FAQs About Quick Pickles
Quick pickles (or refrigerator pickles) are vegetables preserved in a vinegar brine and stored in the refrigerator rather than being canned. They’re fast, easy, and ready in as little as 30 minutes.
Quick pickles last about 3 weeks in the refrigerator. For the best crunch and flavor, enjoy them within the first two weeks.
Quick-pickled onions are ready in about 30 minutes, but their flavor improves after a few hours or overnight.
No. A cold brine keeps vegetables crisp and crunchy. Just whisk until the salt and sweetener dissolve.
Soft pickles usually come from overripe vegetables, slicing too thin, or using hot brine. For crunch, use fresh produce and a cold brine.
Almost any firm vegetable works well, including onions, cucumbers, carrots, cabbage, radishes, peppers, and jalapeños.
It’s best to make fresh brine each time for full flavor and food safety.
White distilled vinegar is most common, but apple cider vinegar or other varieties can be used for different flavor profiles.
No. Quick pickles are refrigerated and not shelf-stable like canned pickles, which are processed for long-term storage.
Quick-pickled onions are great on tacos, sandwiches, burgers, salads, bowls, or straight from the jar for a tangy snack.
Quick Pickled Onions (Quick Pickles)
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 pints or 32 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These quick-pickled onions (and other quick pickles) are crisp, tangy, and lightly sweet with the perfect balance of flavor. Made with simple pantry ingredients and ready in minutes, they’re an easy, budget-friendly way to add a bright, crunchy topping to tacos, sandwiches, salads, and more.
Ingredients
- SEE NOTES SECTION for exact measurements for each variety
- Vegetables, thinly sliced, to tightly pack into four pint jars
- 2 cups distilled white vinegar
- 2 cups room temperature water
- 2 to 4 Tablespoons raw unfiltered honey
- 2 Tablespoons Great Value Coarse Sea Salt
- Spices and Herbs of your Choice
Instructions
- Wash and sliceyour chosen vegetables. (I make quick work of the slicing with a mandolin or my favorite rotary grater/slicer.
- Add herbs, spices, garlic cloves and/or tannin-rich leaves (for crunch) to the bottom of your chosen jars. I used 4 pint jars for this recipe.
- Tightly pack the sliced vegetables into your prepared jars.
- Whisk together the pickle brine by mixing water, vinegar, honey and salt until the salt is dissolved.
- Pour the brine over the vegetables in the jars. This recipe should make enough brine for 4 pints.
- Screw the lids on the jars and refrigerate. Your pickles will be ready to eat in as little as 30 minutes. The flavors will continue to develop and strengthen over the next 24 hrs.
Notes
Flavor Variation Measurements
Red Onions – One medium onion sliced into 1/8-inch slivers will usually be perfect to fill a one-pint jar. The size of your onion and how tightly you pack the jar will determine how much onion you need to use. I add 1 Tablespoon of pickling spice and 1 teaspoon of peppercorns to the bottom of the jar before packing in the onions.
Red Cabbage – I slice the cabbage thinly and use only about 1/4 of a small head for a pint jar. A small whole cabbage would probably make 4 pints. I add 1 Tablespoon of pickling spice, 1 teaspoon of peppercorns and 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds. The caraway seeds add a distinct sauerkraut flavor, so they are definitely optional, but I LOVE them with cabbage.
Carrots – I slice carrots into super-thin rounds about 1/8″ thick. A pint jar holds 3 to 4 large carrots cut in that way. I add 1 Tablespoon of pickling spice and 1 teaspoon of peppercorns to the bottom of the jar before packing in the carrot slices. A stem of fresh thyme is excellent with carrots, if you have some on hand.
Cucumbers – It’s recommended to remove the blossom end of cucumbers before slicing to help them stay crunchy. I use Persian cucumbers (mini cucumbers) like the ones in my Shirazi Salad recipe. In the past, I have cut them into rounds about 1/4 inch thick, and today I sliced them with the mandolin into the thin ribbons you see in the pictures. Those are closer to 1/8″ thick. I love the ribbons for sandwiches. Choose the shape that makes the most sense for your family. I add 1 Tablespoon of pickling spice, 1 teaspoon of peppercorns, 1 clove of garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of dried dill weed to the bottom of the pint jar before packing in the cucumber slices.
Nutrition info is for 4 pints of pickled red onions.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 0 min
- Category: Side Dish, Condiments
- Method: Cold Prep
- Cuisine: American
Once you see how easy quick pickles are to make, you’ll wonder why you ever bought them at the store.
These quick-pickled onions, and any other veggies you decide to try, are a simple, budget-friendly way to add big, bold flavor to everyday meals.
Keep a jar in your fridge, and you’ll always have something crisp, tangy, and delicious ready to brighten up dinner or your next snack attack.
