Pickled Red Onions

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There is something about home fermented foods that take a kitchen from a sterile environment and give it that homey, cottage feel. Whether it’s a batch of kombucha or a jar of sourdough starter or some spicy kimchi, home fermented foods give me a feeling of warmth and I definitely don’t hate having a tangy addition to my meals!

One of the easiest fermented foods to make at home (and quickest for those who have time crunches) is pickled red onions. You can put this recipe together in just five minutes with very few and rather inexpensive ingredients. They make a great addition to tacos, sandwiches, on top of stir frys, in salads, on a nice veggie burger… The possibilities are endlessly delicious. Pickled onions lose a lot of their bite, leaving you with a tangy, crunchy, salty treat.

There isn’t any special equipment to purchase for this fermentation, just a plain old mason jar (if you do not have an entire collection of mason jars snagged from old barns, garage sales, and thrift stores what are you even doing??), and a little space in the fridge. If you haven’t tried fermenting any foods at home yet, this is a great place to start and will give you almost instant satisfaction. If you’re an old hat at fermenting, this is a great quick recipe to add to your repertoire. If you make these, please post a photo on Instagram and tag @the.cottage.farm.witch so I can see and share!

Pickled Red Onions

Makes one quart mason jar

Ingredients:

One red onion

1 cup of hot but not boiling water

¾ cup of red wine vinegar

1 ½ tsp salt

1 tbls sugar

Instructions:

Make sure your mason jar is thoroughly cleaned so no bacteria forms. Having sanitized equipment is incredibly important when fermenting foods.

Thinly slice your red onion and stuff the slices into the jar. 

Mix the water, vinegar, sugar and salt together until the salt and sugar dissolve completely. Then pour over the top of the onions until it reaches the top of the jar, leaving about an inch of headspace.

Put the lid on the jar and leave to rest on your counter for three hours. After that, move your jar to the fridge and wait one week to eat. Or at least three days. Or one. It’s a test in patience as much as a recipe. They will taste much better after a week, giving them time to pickle and ferment.