Quick pickled red onions

Name: Quick pickled red onions
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 red onions, thinly sliced; 200ml white wine vinegar; 200ml water; 2 tbsp caster sugar; 1 tsp sea salt; 1 tsp black peppercorns; 2 bay leaves

Bright pink, tangy onions ready in 30 minutes. They lift tacos, burgers, salads and cheese on toast.

Time35 min
LevelEasy
Costabout £0.14 a head

Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.

8 servings

Ingredients

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2red onionsthinly sliced
200 mlwhite wine vinegar
200 mlwater
2 tbspcaster sugar
1 tspsea salt
1 tspblack peppercorns
2bay leaves

Method

1
Pack the sliced onions into a clean jar.
2
Warm the vinegar, water, sugar and salt in a small pan for 3 minutes until the sugar has dissolved.
3 min
3
Add the peppercorns and bay leaves and pour the hot liquid over the onions.
4
Press the onions down so they are covered, then leave to cool for 30 minutes. They turn bright pink.
30 min
5
Store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.