Affordable, quick and tasty ways to make pickled onions for barbecue, herring and salad

In Tsarist Russia, pickled onions were served as an appetizer “to whet the appetite.” Now it is used as a side dish, snack, ingredient for salads and sandwiches. This simple and tasty dish is suitable for both everyday and holiday table.

Selecting and preparing onions for pickling

This vegetable is usually pickled in small jars of no more than 500 ml, so they take either small onions and cut them into rings, or cut a large onion into halves or quarters, leaving the bottom uncut, so the onion will not fall apart and marinate evenly. Vegetables are taken clean, without mechanical damage or rotten areas.

How to make pickled onions - a classic recipe

This recipe doesn't require many ingredients:

• onions – 1 pc.;
• table vinegar 9% – 10 ml;
• water – 10 ml;
• salt – 1.5 tbsp. l.

Preparation:

Vegetables are peeled, washed and cut into thin rings or half rings, place in a 500 ml glass jar and mix with salt, water and vinegar. Then the jar is closed with a lid and shaken several times to better mix the ingredients. After 15 minutes, the finished appetizer is served to the table.

Other recipe variations

There are recipes with different types of vinegar, herbs and spices that are added to taste.

With grape vinegar

The delicate taste and piquant aroma of grape vinegar goes well with young onions.

Ingredients:

• small or medium onions – 1.5 kg;
• grape vinegar – 200 g;
• salt and sugar - 50 g each;
• 1 liter of water.

Preparation:

Vegetables are peeled and washed. Small onions are pickled whole, medium ones are cut into thin rings, dipped in boiling water and boiled for 3-5 minutes. Vegetables dried on a napkin are placed in clean, dry jars and poured with a boiled marinade of water, vinegar, sugar and salt.

The jars are covered with lids and sterilized for 10 minutes from the moment of boiling; to do this, they are placed in a pan of hot water on a napkin. After sterilization, the jars are rolled up with lids, placed upside down on a blanket, covered with a blanket and cooled at room temperature. Store in a cool place.

With apple cider vinegar

This dish is prepared very quickly; after 30 minutes it can be served.

Ingredients:

• red or white onions – 3 pcs.;
• apple cider vinegar – 2 tbsp. l.;
• sugar – 1 tbsp. l.;
• salt – 0.3 tsp.

Preparation:

1. Peeled and washed vegetables are cut into thin half rings or rings, gently mashed with a fork or hands, vinegar, salt and sugar are added and mixed.
2. When the onion releases its juice, stir it again - after 15 minutes, the pickled onion is ready.
3. You can add finely chopped herbs to the finished dish to taste.

With sugar and vinegar

You can’t do without salt in the recipe, but just a little is added to bring out the flavor of the onion.

Ingredients:

• medium onion – 3 pcs.;
• vinegar 9% – 7 tbsp. l.;
• sugar – 3 tbsp. l.;
• salt – 0.5 tbsp. l.;
• ground black pepper - to taste;
• water – 250 ml.

Preparation:

In a deep container, mix water, salt, sugar, pepper and vinegar until the salt and sugar dissolve. Place peeled, washed and thinly sliced ​​onion into the marinade and mix again. Cover the container with a lid or film and place in the refrigerator. After 30 minutes the appetizer is ready.

With dill

Spicy herbs will make the dish more appetizing.

Ingredients:

• medium onion – 1 pc.;
• vinegar 9% – 3 tbsp. l.;
• sugar – 1 tbsp. l.;
• salt – 0.25 tbsp. l.;
• dill – 1 bunch;
• water – 100 ml.

Preparation:

The vegetables are peeled, washed and cut into thin rings, the dill is washed, dried with a napkin and chopped. Place onions and greens in a marinade of water, sugar, salt and vinegar, mix, cover and place in a cool place. After half an hour, the onion and dill are ready.

With beets

The result is a bright and appetizing dish, especially if you sprinkle it with fresh herbs before serving.

Ingredients:

• medium onion - 500 g;
• beets - 2 pcs.;
• salt - 2 tbsp. l.;
• sugar - 3 tbsp. l.;
• vinegar 9% - 4 tbsp. l.;
• water - 2 glasses.

Preparation:

1. The boiled beets are cleaned, grated on a fine grater and filled with warm water for 30 minutes.
2. The pink-colored water is drained, salt, sugar and vinegar are added and stirred until the salt and sugar dissolve.
3. Peeled, washed and chopped onions are added to the beetroot marinade. Cover the container and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
4. Before serving, remove the rings from the marinade and sprinkle with chopped herbs.

The appetizer will be stored in the marinade in the refrigerator for 7-10 days.

Read also:

High-yielding onion variety “Shetana” for long-term storage.

Harvesting and storing onions: when it's time to dig them out of the garden.

How to properly water onions in open ground and in a greenhouse.

With butter

Oil with spices dissolved in it will make the onion more tender.

Ingredients:

• medium onion – 4 pcs.;
• vegetable oil - three quarters of a glass;
• vinegar - 0.25 tbsp.;
• sugar – 1 tbsp. l.;
• salt – 0.5 tsp;
• ground black pepper - to taste.

Preparation:

Peeled and washed onions are cut into thin rings and doused first with boiling water, then with cold water and placed in a clean, dry 500 ml jar. Oil, vinegar, salt, sugar and pepper are mixed until the salt and sugar dissolve. Pour the marinade over the onions, mix thoroughly and leave in the cold for an hour. The snack can be stored in the refrigerator until the next day.

In lemon juice

With lemon juice and white pepper, the dish will be especially aromatic and not too spicy, because white pepper is not as hot as black pepper.

Ingredients:

• large onion – 1 pc.;
• lemon – 1 pc.;
• vegetable oil – 1 tbsp. l.;
• sugar – 1 tsp;
• salt – 0.5 tsp;
• ground white pepper - to taste;
• water – 50 ml.

Preparation:

Vegetables are peeled, washed, cut into thin half rings and seasoned with pepper. Warm water is mixed with salt, sugar, butter, lemon juice and a pinch of lemon zest. The resulting marinade is mixed with onions and peppers, covered and left to marinate in a cool place. After half an hour, the onions can be served.

With hot marinade

In that recipe It is better not to use red onions, they will lose their color.

Ingredients:

• onions - 3 pcs.;
• vinegar 9% - 3 tbsp. l.;
• sugar - 1.5 tbsp. l.;
• salt - 0.5 tbsp. l.;
• water - 1 tbsp.;

Preparation:

Vegetables are peeled, washed, cut into thin rings and placed in a clean, dry 500 ml jar. Add salt, sugar and vinegar to boiling water, pour the hot marinade over the onions and cover with a lid. Cool the onions at room temperature, then store them in the refrigerator. After cooling, you can serve.

With cold marinade

Rice vinegar tastes milder than regular vinegar and is not as sour.

Ingredients:

• large onion - 1 pc.;
• fine salt – 1 tsp;
• sugar – 1 tsp. without slide;
• dill or other herbs to taste.– 1 bunch;
• rice vinegar - 1 tbsp. l.

Preparation:

Peeled, washed vegetables are cut into small half rings, mixed with salt, sugar and vinegar and left to marinate for 10 minutes.

Attention! Rice vinegar can be replaced with one teaspoon of 9% vinegar, which is diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio.

Place the prepared onion on a plate and sprinkle with finely chopped herbs.

In mustard

This recipe uses whole onions.

Ingredients for a 500 ml jar:

• small onions – 1 kg;
• salt – 1 tbsp. l.;
• sugar – 5 tbsp. l.;
• bay leaf – 3-4 pcs.;
• mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp;
• black allspice – 2-3 peas;
• vinegar – 150 g;
• water – 500 ml.

Preparation:

Carefully remove the top husks from the bulbs, wash them and place them in clean, dry 250-500 ml jars. Mustard seeds are first placed at the bottom of the jars.

Important! If you add powdered mustard, the marinade will be cloudy.

Add salt, sugar, bay leaf to boiling water, boil for 1-2 minutes and add onion. Cover the jars with lids, cool at room temperature and put them in the refrigerator to marinate for a week. This onion can be stored for 7-10 days.

For long-term storage, jars of onions are sterilized for 5-7 minutes; to do this, they are placed in a pan of hot water on a napkin. After sterilization, the jars are rolled up with lids, placed upside down on a blanket, covered with a blanket and cooled at room temperature. Store in a cool place.

How and where to use pickled onions

Pickled onions are good in combination with fried and baked meat, shish kebab, and liver as a side dish. The salted herring is cut into pieces, pickled onions are placed on top and a little seasoned with vegetable oil.

Onions are added to hearty salads with meat, eggs, cheese, seafood and vegetable salads and vinaigrettes. Sandwiches with smoked meat or fish and pickled onions will decorate even a holiday table.

Terms and conditions of storage

Storage times and conditions depend on the method in which the vegetables were pickled. If the onions are completely submerged in the marinade, they can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for 7 to 10 days. Winter preparations are stored for several months. Instant onions with spices and oil or vinegar are prepared for one serving and served immediately.

Useful tips from experienced housewives

Each dish has its own subtleties of preparation, and so does pickled onions, despite the simplicity of the recipe.

1. To diversify the taste of pickled onions, you can add spices to the marinade to taste: coriander, allspice, cloves and others.
2. You can diversify the taste of the dish by using different types of vinegar: wine, rice, balsamic, apple.
3. To remove the bitterness, but leave the onion crispy, quickly pour boiling water over it, and then immediately with ice water.
4. In the marinade, you can use a combination of white grape and balsamic vinegars.

Conclusion

Knowing how to cook and properly pickle onions for a delicious side dish, you will significantly expand and diversify your menu. The base of the marinade is water or oil, salt, sugar and vinegar or lemon juice. Various seasonings and herbs are added to taste. Homemade preparations for the winter are sterilized, covered with lids and stored in the refrigerator.