Artificial Food Coloring Free Pickled Red Onions
Pickled red onions are one of those fridge staples that make everything taste more exciting — tacos, grain bowls, sandwiches, eggs, you name it. The problem with store-bought versions is that many brands sneak in artificial dyes or preservatives to punch up that vivid color, which means label-reading becomes a whole project. Here, the gorgeous pink hue comes entirely from the red onion itself reacting with the apple cider vinegar brine — no synthetic coloring needed, just pure kitchen chemistry. A touch of honey rounds out the sharpness, while fresh ginger and optional garlic add a subtle warmth that takes the flavor somewhere really special. The process is straightforward: make a quick brine, pour it over tightly packed onion slices, and let the refrigerator do the rest. Within 30 minutes you have tangy, jewel-toned onions ready to brighten up whatever you're cooking this week. Keep a jar on hand and you'll find yourself reaching for it constantly.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 1 medium red onion, very thinly sliced
- ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 small garlic clove, thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pack the sliced red onion tightly into a clean 16 oz glass jar.
- 2
Combine the apple cider vinegar, water, honey, and fine sea salt in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the honey and salt are fully dissolved, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat.
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