This is a super simple recipe for Mexican Pickled onions using red onions and lime juice. This is a perfect condiment for traditional Mexican dishes like cochinita pibil tacos, or with BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, brisket tostadas, fish tacos, and more!
Why you will love this recipe
So quick and easy: Prep time is less than 10 minutes!
Healthy: Red onions are high in vitamin C and fiber.
Delicious: These onions are a perfect complement to high fat meats like pork butt and brisket.
How to Make Mexican Pickled Onions
Pickled onions are one condiment that pairs so well with BBQ. I love the zesty, crunchy gems that are bursting with flavor with so many different dishes. For years I made traditional pickled onions, but once I discovered Mexican pickled onions, I’ve never gone back. I cannot eat my pulled pork without making a fresh batch of these red pickled onions.
My method for making quick pickled onions is so simple and quick. Just slice some onions and soak them in a quick pickling brine for 4 hours. It couldn’t be easier; I bet you have all the ingredients in your kitchen already!
Ingredients
2 Red Onions, thinly sliced
2 Fresh limes, squeezed (or bottled, but freshly squeezed lime juice is better)
1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
2 cups Water
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Tablespoon Black Peppercorns (optional)
1 Mason jar (or other air tight container)
Steps
Prep the onions – Thinly slice the red onions using a sharp chef’s knife or a mandoline
Mix the pickling liquid – In a large bowl mix the vinegar, water, lime juice, salt, and sugar. Mix with a whisk until the sugar and salt dissolve. If you have some extra time you can use boiling water to help the sugar and salt dissolve, but you just let it cool before adding the onions otherwise the onions will turn out very mushy.
Soak the onions – Transfer the onions and vinegar mixture to an airtight glass jar. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or so.
Enjoy!
Pro Tips
Use a Mandolin – Use a mandolin to quickly chop perfect thin onion slices
Use fresh lime juice – Fresh is always better. The bottled lime juice will work in a pinch, but freshly squeezed should be your go-to.
Prefer a milder flavor? – Add some more water. Try a 3:1 water: vinegar ratio
Variations – Try using different types of pickling brine and different types of onions for a different flavor profile. If you prefer a more tangy pickled onion leave out the lime juice. I also recommend using white onions and white wine vinegar for a sharper more traditional pickled flavor. You can also change the citrus juice to orange if you like a sweet taste or add some chiles (or jalapeno peppers) if you like spicy pickled onions.
Kitchen Tools and Equipment Needed
Chef Knife – You can use any knife you like to slice onions thinly. I prefer to use a 10″ chef knife. I keep my knives very sharp so that they can easily slice through the tough outer skin.
Mandolin – A mandolin is a great kitchen gadget that is perfect for this recipe. You can easily produce consistently thin sliced onions in a fraction of the time that it will take you to hand-chop them with a knife. If you like paper-thin pickled onions make sure you have a mandolin handy.
Airtight container – You need some type of container to store your onions. You can pickle onions in any container that will hold liquid, but if you plan to store them for a few days you should place them in a glass or plastic airtight container with a lid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pickled onions will last for several weeks once refrigerated. However the best pickled onions you should eat them within 3 days. After three days the tangy flavor may become overwhelming. Keep the onions stored in an air tight glass container or plastic container.
Sure can. If you decide to use white or yellow onions you wont get that nice pink color, but the pickled onions will still be delicious.
Yes, you can use distilled white vinegar for a variation on this Mexican pickled red onions recipe. However, the distilled white vinegar has a much sharper flavor than red wine vinegar so I recommend using less white vinegar than red wine vinegar.
Yes, once pickled these Mexican onions should be stored in the refrigerator.
These pickled onions are so versatile and go with so many different dishes. Traditionally Mexican pickled onions as a condiment on chicken tacos or other Mexican dishes. I like to eat these with traditional barbecue like smoked brisket or on a pulled pork sandwich. My wife loves these onions on top of avocado toast for breakfast. Or if you are like my kids you can just eat them by the forkful.