Celery 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, roasted meats, you name it. The brine gets a warm, golden boost from ground turmeric and ginger, giving these onions a complexity that goes way beyond a basic vinegar pickle. Apple cider vinegar keeps things bright and slightly fruity, while a spoonful of honey rounds out the acidity without making it sweet. The whole process is refreshingly straightforward: heat the brine, pour it over the onions, and let the refrigerator do the rest. There's no celery seed, celery salt, or celery-based seasoning blends hiding in this recipe — just clean, whole ingredients that are easy to verify at a glance. After just 30 minutes in the fridge the onions turn a stunning fuchsia pink and are ready to pile onto whatever you're serving, though they get even better as they mellow overnight.
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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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