These Mexican pickled red onions are tangy, slightly sweet, and infused with aromatic spices and dried chile. Unlike a basic vinegar-and-sugar pickle, this recipe combines allspice, cloves, bay leaf, and chile for a more layered flavor that pairs beautifully with Mexican and Southwestern meals.
And if you are a red onion fans like us, don't miss this recipe for Red Onion Chutney. Your next burger will thank you.
Quick Look: Mexican Pickled Onions
- 🧁 Yield: 2 Cups
- ⭐ Features: Fresh ✓ Tangy ✓Slight Heat ✓ Mexican
- ⌛️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🍪 Cook Time: 30 seconds + 30 minute pickle time
- 🕑 Total Time: 30 minutes
- 👩🍳 Skill Level: Beginner
- 🏆 Why make THIS version? This Mexican-inspired version delivers tangy crunch with aromatic spices, dried chile, and authentic Denver restaurant inspiration.
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I first fell in love with pickled onions on fish tacos at an Denver Mexican restaurant. After receiving the recipe from the chef, I recreated them at home, and they’ve remained one of my favorite ways to add a bright, flavorful finish to a meal.
That first taste inspired my love for serving pickled onions on fish tacos. They’re especially good with my Tequila-Lime Fish Tacos with Cod, where their tangy crunch complements the citrus-marinated fish.”
Serve them over tacos, enchiladas, tostadas, or a bowl of pinto beans. They’re an easy refrigerator condiment that brings a sweet-tart bite, a little chile warmth, and plenty of character to the plate.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Inspired by a Denver restaurant: This recipe has a story behind it. I fell in love with these pickled onions at a Denver restaurant and recreated them using the recipe shared by the chef.
- More than the usual vinegar-and-sugar pickle: Allspice berries, whole cloves, and bay leaf add aromatic depth that sets these onions apart from simpler quick-pickled versions.
- A little Southwestern character: A dried chile brings chile flavor and warmth, complementing the tangy vinegar and sweet onions.
- An easy way to elevate a meal: Spoon these onions over tacos, enchiladas, tostadas, or beans for a bright, tangy finish that makes the whole dish more interesting.
- So easy and with so much impact: You’ll simply not believe that you’ve never made them before.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Mise en place. Always gather ingredients before starting any recipe. It will save you time and organize your mind.
- Sugar: The sweetness will balance the tart and sour flavor of the vinegar.
- White Vinegar: Provides the tangy acidity that defines pickled red onions. Its clean, neutral flavor allows the sweetness and aromatic spices to shine through.
- Red Onion: The foundation of the recipe, providing sharp onion flavor and the characteristic purple color that shifts toward pink during pickling.
- Allspice Berries: These small whole spices contribute a warm, aromatic flavor with notes reminiscent of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. They add depth to the pickling liquid.
- Whole Cloves: Strongly aromatic and slightly sweet, cloves bring a distinctive warm spice note. Their flavor complements the allspice and adds complexity to the onions.
- Bay Leaf: Adds a subtle herbal quality to the pickling liquid, rounding out the warmer flavors of the whole spices.
- Dried Chile Pepper: Brings a Southwestern touch to the recipe, adding chile flavor and, depending on the pepper, a little warmth to the tangy, spiced onions. If you’re curious about different types of chile peppers, my guide explains more about the chiles commonly used in Southwestern cooking.
Bring these all together and you’ve got a wonderful flavor combination.
How To Make Mexican Pickled Onions
Could it get any easier?
- Step 1: Slice the red onions. Peel one large red onion and slice it into thin rings, approximately ⅛ inch thick. You can leave the slices as full rings or cut them into half-moons for smaller pieces that are easier to pile onto tacos and sandwiches. A sharp knife works well, but a mandoline makes it easy to achieve uniformly thin slices.
- Step 2: Prepare The Dried Chile: The dried chile will flavor the pickling liquid along with the whole spices. Break off the top of the chile pepper pod and empty out the seeds.
- Step 3: Heat the Pickling Liquid: In a small, non-reactive saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, bay leaf, allspice berries, whole cloves, and dried chile pepper. Heat the mixture until it comes to a boil. Heating the liquid helps dissolve the sugar and allows the dried chile and aromatic spices to begin infusing the vinegar.
- Step 4: Add the Red Onions: Add the sliced red onions to the saucepan and reduce the heat. Simmer for 30 seconds, stirring to make sure the onions are coated with the seasoned pickling liquid. This is a very brief simmer, not a long cooking process.
- Step 5: Cool and Let the Flavors Develop Remove the saucepan from the heat. Allow the onions to sit in the pickling liquid and cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. During this time, the onions begin absorbing the sweet, tangy, aromatic flavors of the brine.
- Step 6: Serve or Refrigerate: Transfer the onions and pickling liquid to a clean, covered container. Serve after the resting period, or refrigerate for later. Keep the onions submerged in their pickling liquid and store them in the refrigerator.
Chef Lea Ann’s Tips For Success
These are easy refrigerator pickled onions, but a few details will help you get the best results.
- Slice The Onions Thin: Aim for slices about ⅛ inch thick. Thin slices allow the pickling liquid to penetrate the onions quickly while still providing a pleasant bite. Uniform slices also make the finished onions easier to use as a topping.
- Use A Non-Reactive Saucepan: Choose stainless steel or another non-reactive saucepan when heating the vinegar mixture. Avoid unlined aluminum or copper, which can react with acidic ingredients and affect the flavor of the pickling liquid.
- Don’t Overcook the Onions: The recipe calls for simmering the onions for only 30 seconds. The goal is to briefly expose them to the hot, seasoned vinegar mixture, not cook them until soft. You’ll like that little bit of crunch.
- Keep The Whole Spices Contained: If you don’t want cloves, allspice berries, and bay leaf floating among the onions, place them in a small piece of cheesecloth and tie it securely with kitchen twine. Add the spice bundle to the saucepan with the vinegar mixture. You can leave the bundle in the refrigerated container so the spices continue flavoring the onions.
- Choose Your Dried Chile Carefully: The type of dried chile you use will influence the flavor and heat level. New Mexico chile peppers provide an earthy chile flavor, while Guajillo chiles are another good option for relatively mild warmth. Remember that dried chile varieties vary in heat, so choose one that suits your preference.
Mexican Pickled Red Onions FAQ’s
I have been trained and by habit have always used white vinegar for any pickling project. Its clean, sharp acidity provides a neutral background for the whole spices and dried chile. Apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar can also be used, as indicated in the original recipe. Apple cider vinegar brings a fruitier flavor, while red wine vinegar adds a more pronounced wine-like tang.
Whichever you choose, use standard food-grade vinegar labeled 5% acidity.
Not all pickled red onion recipes require boiling the vinegar. Some quick-pickle recipes use hot water or a no-boil method. For this particular recipe, however, heating the vinegar with the whole spices and dried chile is part of the original preparation. It dissolves the sugar and helps begin extracting flavor from the dried seasonings before the onions are added.
They can have a little heat, depending on the dried chile you choose. The vinegar and sugar provide the dominant tangy-sweet flavor, while the dried chile contributes a little earthy warmth. If you prefer milder onions, choose a mild dried chile such as Guajillo. Look for dried Pasilla Peppers for more heat.
Red onions are the best choice for this particular recipe. They provide the sharp onion flavor and beautiful color that make pickled red onions so appealing. Other onions can be pickled, but the flavor and appearance won’t be quite the same.
No. This recipe is intended for refrigerator pickling, not shelf-stable canning.
It has not been developed or tested as a water-bath canning recipe. Keep the finished onions refrigerated rather than storing them in the pantry.
For shelf-stable pickled onions, use a tested canning recipe from a reliable food-preservation source.
Storage
- Once the onions have cooled, transfer them and their pickling liquid to a clean glass jar or another food-safe, airtight container. A Mason jar works especially well. Make sure the onions remain submerged in the liquid, cover the container, and refrigerate promptly.
- Refrigerator: These are quick refrigerator pickles, not a shelf-stable preserved food. For a conservative approach, plan to use them within one to two weeks, pending verification of a longer storage period for this specific recipe.
- Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing pickled red onions. Freezing and thawing can soften their texture, making them less appealing as a crisp topping.
- Discard the onions if you notice mold, an unusual odor, or other signs of spoilage.
How To Use Them
Once you get in the habit of keeping a jar of these Mexican pickled onions in the refrigerator, you’ll find all sorts of delicious ways to use them. Their sweet, tangy flavor and crisp texture make them a natural topping for tacos, burritos, burgers, and more.
Here are some of my favorite ways to serve them.
- Tacos and Tostadas: Pickled red onions are especially good with seafood. Try them on my Tequila-Lime Fish Tacos with Cod or Adobo Grilled Shrimp Tostadas. They’re also a great way to add bright flavor to Pork Carnitas Tacos.
- Burritos and Enchiladas: A spoonful of these onions adds a welcome tangy crunch to hearty beef and bean enchilada burritos. They’re particularly good with rich, cheesy Mexican dishes.
- Beans and Mexican Soups: Try a few pickled onions over a bowl of Cowboy Beans or use them as a bright garnish for my New Mexico Pork Posole. The vinegar helps balance the richness of slow-cooked pork.
- Burgers and Sandwiches: Swap raw onions for pickled onions on your next burger. They’re delicious with grilled beef, especially burgers topped with spicy sauces or melted cheese, like my Jalapeno Steak Sauce Burger.
- More Taco Night Inspiration: Looking for even more ways to use your homemade pickled onions? Browse my collection of Mexican and Southwestern taco recipes for plenty of delicious ideas.
Explore More Pickling Recipes
And don’t miss my recipe for Refrigerator Pickled Jalapenos. Another very special recipe from a famous Denver restaurant, The Fort.
If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.
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Mexican Pickled Red Onions
Ingredients
- ¾ Cup white vinegar or apple cider or red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 allspice berries
- 5 whole cloves
- 1 small dried New Mexico Chile pepper Guajillo works good here
- 1 large red onion peeled, and thinly sliced into rings
Instructions
- Slice the red onions. Peel one large red onion and slice it into thin rings, approximately ⅛ inch thick. You can leave the slices as full rings or cut them into half-moons for smaller pieces that are easier to pile onto tacos and sandwiches. A sharp knife works well, but a mandoline makes it easy to achieve uniformly thin slices.
- Prepare The Dried Chile: The dried chile will flavor the pickling liquid along with the whole spices. Break off the top of the chile pepper pod and empty out the seeds.
- Heat the Pickling Liquid: In a small, non-reactive saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, bay leaf, allspice berries, whole cloves, and dried chile pepper. Heat the mixture until it comes to a boil. Heating the liquid helps dissolve the sugar and allows the dried chile and aromatic spices to begin infusing the vinegar.
- Add the Red Onions: Add the sliced red onions to the saucepan and reduce the heat. Simmer for 30 seconds, stirring to make sure the onions are coated with the seasoned pickling liquid. This is a very brief simmer, not a long cooking process.
- Cool and Let the Flavors Develop Remove the saucepan from the heat. Allow the onions to sit in the pickling liquid and cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. During this time, the onions begin absorbing the sweet, tangy, aromatic flavors of the brine.
- Serve or Refrigerate: Transfer the onions and pickling liquid to a clean, covered container. Serve after the resting period, or refrigerate for later. Keep the onions submerged in their pickling liquid and store them in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
Why Trust My Recipes? I am a Culinary School Graduate and a lifelong student of home cooking. I hope to inspire you try to cook as often as you can. I’ve been cooking for 50 years, and my recipes are tried and true tested and tested and then tested again before published. To read more take a look at my About Page.
This is definitely a recipe to bookmark! I love pickled anything but shy away from industrial products. This is a first rate creation, thank you and merry holidays!
Thanks so much Joumana
Lea Ann, I’m back to wish you a very merry Christmas filled with wonderful food, family and friends. Happy holidays to you and your family.
Be good ’cause Santa Claus comes tonight.
Sam
Thanks so much Sam!
We’re big fish taco fans in this house. I’ll have to make these the next time I’m serving them. Merry Christmas to you and all the best!
Kristi
Thanks Kristi, Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Gorgeous color and even more alluring recipe, I can’t wait to try these with my next Mexican dish which may come as soon as tomorrow!
Merry Christmas Chris, hope you like them.
I’m making fish tacos for Christmas and these are perfect to go with them! I was thinking cabbage but I like this idea much better. Merry Christmas! xoxo
Reeni, the fish tacos I’ve had have the cabbage plus these onions.
These will definitely perk up any sandwich. Homemade pickles are really the best. Love the color too! Lea Ann, a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family!
Thanks for stopping by Biren. Merry Christmas to you.
Since you said there was no excuses, I’ll whip up a batch soon. Have a Merry Christmas Lea Ann.
They may not taste all that great on eggs, but probably you’d like it on some of that pastrami! 🙂 Merry Christmas Bev and Larry.
These would be so good with fish tacos – or anything!
I think they’re probably best on Fish Tacos. Thanks for stopping by Karen
Now I want pork tacos! Thanks a lot! 🙂
It’s my job Kathryn! 😉
These sound soooo good – full of all kinds of things I love! (please excuse the iPad brevity – there is much more to say) Merry Christmas!
You have an IPad????????? Don’t make me call you that B word! 🙂 Enjoy the visit with the kids, Merry Christmas and hugs.
Yes, I do! A very unexpected gift from D. Love, love, love it!
B 🙂 and hugs
I love pickled onions. You got great color on yours. Thanks for the recipes. I do something similar, but you’ve added some additional spices that I think would make them even better.
I was surprised at the color too. I wonder if that dried red pepper had anything to do with it?
Yum, these wonderful onions would perk up so many different dishes. I’m imagining them piled on a rare roast beef sandwich or fish tacos.
Lovin the Roast Beef idea Cathy!
I made pickled red onions a few months ago and they were amazing. They go so well on everything – sandwiches, burgers, tacos…the list is endless. These look great!
I’m just now trying these on different foods too Joanne! Love them. As always thanks for stopping by.
Wow, I’ve never had these yummy red onions and I’ve eaten my share of Mexican food. If you think they’re the best thing since sliced bread, then you’ve convinced me that there’s no way I’m going to go on living without them.
Happy holidays Lea Ann to you and your family.
Sam
I’ve not seen these onions served in any of the Tex-mex restaurants, but we do see them at Mexican restaurants here. Hope you like them Sam. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
What a fun recipe. Mmmmm, fish tacos with these beautiful onions would be a nice change for the New Year. Whole foods, here I come!
Karen, as always thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. I’m already envisioning a lot of Mexican food for after the holidays.
I love the sound of these and even more…the ease. And so pretty too!
Have you ever thought of asking a chef for their recipe; I go to a couple of restaurants that will provide me with theirs; they appreciate the marketing they get if a blogger includes their recipe and where it came from. Those that resist and think we’ll never ever frequent their place again don’t quite get it!
Knowing how doesn’t mean I don’t still enjoy going out!
I ask all the time, it just seems I’m asking the wrong person. I think it’s the wait staff that doesn’t quite get it.
Oooh, we used to get the most lovely pickled onions at a local restaurant with their cheese plate. Must try this recipe… I love the color!
I love pickled onions with Raclette. Unfortunately I lost my Raclette grill in some move.
Wishing you a wonderful Christmas!
Kirsten
I think we need to go out and buy raclette grills and eat some cheese and onions. 🙂
Must. Replace. 😉
I have been looking for a pickled onion recipe!! thanks!
You’re welcome Pam. 🙂
love pickled onions: and what a great color! the version I made was without heating anything: still got delicious results.
thanks: now I want Mexican food 😉
So good to hear from you Olga. I decided to try the heat method because of that dried chile. Needed it to steep the flavor abit. Thanks for stopping by and the comment.