Mela – Made

I LOVE that this recipe doesn’t require boiling the brine. It makes the perfect pickled red onions every time. We add them to bowls, sandwiches, and sometimes I even just eat them straight from the jar (more often than I’d like to admit!). They add that amazing punch of flavor to anything — but be warned, you might start adding them to every plate you make!

I use a mandoline slicer to get perfectly even slices. I like to use the #1 and #2 setting and combine the sliced onions for a mix of crunchiness!

These mason jars are ideal for storing pickled onions. I love that they don’t take up much space, they’re glass, and super durable. I also bought some plastic lids since I don’t use them for canning — that way I can reuse the lids over and over again.

Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes Serves: one – 16oz mason jar.

Ingredients

• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt (this is my favorite salt — yes, I’m a bit of a salt snob!)
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon cilantro

Instructions

1. Thinly slice the red onion, or use a mandolin to cut it into “C”-shaped slices.
2. Add the onions to a mason jar.
3. Fill about one-third of the jar with vinegar, then top it off with water.
4. Add the sugar, peppercorns, the bay leaf and cilantro, seal the jar, and give it a good shake!

Notes

Feel free to add your favorite spices. The onions will be ready to eat after about 30 minutes in the fridge and will keep for up to one week. If you want them to last longer you would have to boil the brine.

Pro tip: Label it with the date you made it. Trust me, you’ll thank yourself later when you’re digging in the fridge wondering “How long have these been in here?”

The easiest way is to stick a piece of masking tape on the jar and write the date with a Sharpie. It’s cheap, quick, and what professional kitchens do too.

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