Artificial Food Coloring Free Quick Pickled Red Onions with Turmeric & Ginger
These tangy, jewel-toned pickled onions are the kind of condiment that quietly transforms everything they touch — tacos, grain bowls, sandwiches, avocado toast, you name it. The brine gets its gorgeous golden warmth from real ground turmeric and ginger, which means every bit of color and flavor comes straight from your spice rack rather than a dye bottle. That's a bigger deal than it sounds, since many store-bought pickled products sneak in artificial colorings to boost their visual appeal. Here, the vivid pink hue develops naturally as the red onion reacts with the apple cider vinegar brine — no additives needed, just chemistry doing its thing. A touch of honey rounds out the sharpness, and an optional pinch of red pepper flakes adds a gentle kick if you're into it. The whole process is remarkably hands-off, and within 30 minutes you've got a bright, punchy topping that keeps mellowing beautifully in the fridge over the next day. Once you have a jar of these on hand, you'll find yourself reaching for them constantly.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 1 large red onion, very thinly sliced into half-moons
- ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pack the sliced red onion into a clean 16 oz glass jar, pressing gently so the slices fit snugly.
- 2
Combine the apple cider vinegar, water, honey, salt, turmeric, ginger, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using) in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the honey and salt are fully dissolved, about 2–3 minutes. Do not boil.
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