Barley Free Quick Apple Cider Pickled Onions
Tangy, jewel-pink, and ready to brighten up almost anything on your plate, these quick pickled onions are one of those condiments you'll want to keep stocked in your fridge at all times. The brine comes together in minutes on the stovetop — apple cider vinegar, honey, sea salt, fresh ginger, and a pinch of turmeric — giving you a flavor that's sharp, slightly sweet, and warmly spiced all at once. Barley has a sneaky way of showing up in malt vinegars and some commercial pickling blends, but this recipe sidesteps all of that by using pure apple cider vinegar, so there's nothing to second-guess. Once you pour the hot brine over those thinly sliced red onion rings, the transformation is almost instant — they soften, deepen to a gorgeous magenta, and soak up every bit of that fragrant liquid. A quick rest in the fridge is all it takes before they're ready to pile onto tacos, grain bowls, sandwiches, or a cheese board. The ginger and turmeric add a subtle complexity that makes these feel a step above anything you'd find in a store-bought jar.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 1 large red onion, very thinly sliced into rings
- ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
Instructions
- 1
Pack the sliced red onion rings into a clean 16 oz glass jar, pressing them down gently so they fit snugly.
- 2
Combine the apple cider vinegar, water, honey, fine sea salt, grated ginger, and turmeric 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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