How to Make Homemade Pickled Red Onions (Cebolla Curtida)

Name: How to Make Homemade Pickled Red Onions (Cebolla Curtida)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Ingredients: ¼ c unsalted butter; 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs; 4 chicken drumsticks; 4 medium yellow onions, cut into thick slices; 1 c chicken or vegetable stock; 4 garlic cloves microplaned or finely minced; 1 tsp of poultry seasoning; ½ tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp dried oregano; 2 bay leaves; ½ tsp salt; ½ tsp pepper; 1 tbsp worcestershire; 2 tsp yellow mustard; ¼ c sour cream

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These Pickled Red Onions are insanely easy to make and adds such a wonderful texture, color and bite to a wide variety of dishes! Think tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, guac, ceviche, soups, sandwiches, salads, pizza, toast—the world is your g damn oyster 😉

This recipe is for a quick pickled onion, the best for when you’re short on time on a Taco Tuesday that is about to get poppin’! All you really need are 30 minutes to prep and pickle these onions, so I’d recommend that you make these before making whatever meal it is you’re preparing to eat it with. Super quick 5-minute prep, then by the time that they’re finished pickling in the fridge, your entire meal will be ready to chow down on!

Cut your red onion length-wise. I love my strands relatively thin, but if you like a thicker strand, do youuu! Anything goes and this recipe is SUPER versatile. For instance, feel free to include any add-ins you think would go great! Want heat? Add slivers of jalapeno, serrano or habanero. Want to pickle some other veggies while you’re at it? Add things like cauliflower, carrots, cabbage. Spices and herbs also go great! Think multi-colored peppercorns, mustard seeds, bay leaves. The possibilities are endless…

Now go out there, make yourself an insane batch of pickled onions and live your best frickin’ life.

Preparing pickled red onions by quartering the red onion

How to Make These Pickled Red Onions:

Remove the outer skin from your onion, cut off the ends and cut your onion in half longs ways (vertically). From these halves, cut long vertical strands (about a quarter centimeter in width).
In a storage container (glass containers work great here) combine and thoroughly mix the vinegar, water and salt.
Add in your onion strands (and any add-ins), close the container and give it a good shake to ensure all onion strands are coated in the vinegar mixture.
Store the glass container in the fridge for as little as 30 minutes (where they will be the most crisp) and for as long as 2 weeks.

Layout of ingredients for these pickled red onions

Pickled Red Onions – Tips & Tricks

Need these pickled onions sooner rather than later? Whatever meal you’re looking to have these with, make these first! Then immediately after, pop them into the fridge and proceed in preparing whatever it is you’re preparing that day. By the time you’re done making the meal, these bad boys will be ready to roll 🙂
Get creative and play around with different spices and veggies you pickle these with! They’re delicious on their own but they also pair beautifully with several other things such as chilies peppercorns, bay leaves, carrots, etc.
These also last in the fridge for a good while! They’re best consumed the week you made them, but they last in the fridge up to 2-3 weeks.
Enjoy these pickled onions on tacos, burritos, bowls, flautas, burgers, pizza, salad—whatever your heart desires!

Other recipes to prep you for Taco Tuesday—

Chile de Árbol Salsa Taquera

Salsa Verde

Escabeche (Spicy Pickled Jalapeños and Carrots)

Chunky Spicy Guacamole

Chicken Birria (Birria de Pollo)

Chicken Quesabirria Tacos

If you make these Pickled Red Onions (Cebolla Curtida), tag me on Instagram! Seeing you whip up my recipes makes me the happiest little bee!