More on Pickled Onions
Vinegar in Hindi is ‘sirka’ and onion is ‘pyaaz.’ Thus, the Vinegar Onion or Pickled Onions in India is commonly referred to as Sirke Wale Pyaaz. This recipe is a quick way of preparing a batch of restaurant style Vinegar Onion or Pickled Red Onions at home. Pickled Onions, Onion Salad and Mint Chutney usually go hand in hand, and are served together at most of the Indian restaurants. People love this combination and often ask for it too. Like pickles, these vinegar onions are basically served complimentary with the main course dishes. The onions are very sour if you use a lot of vinegar. I have learnt how to make these Pickled Red Onions from my MIL and she always advises not to use too much vinegar. Also, there’s no need to cover the onions completely with the vinegar-water solution. Shake the jar 2 to 3 times a day till it is ready.
Why This Recipe Works
This Pickled Onions recipe is not only delectable, but is beautiful too. Ideally made with small red onions, but shallots or pearl onions can also be used. In the absence of red onions, a small piece of beetroot is added to get the crimson red hue. The onions are steeped in a vinegar solution and kept for 2 to 3 days. They soften while developing a lovely taste of vinegar in them, and lose their pungency too. Eventually, you have sour onions, but also with a light inherent sweet flavor. This Pickled Red Onions recipe doesn’t take much time in its preparation. It is ready to be consumed after 2 to 3 days, post which you can refrigerate to make it last longer. However, the more you let the onions sit in the solution, the tastier they become. Sirke Wale Pyaaz or Vinegar Onion is best enjoyed with Tandoori snacks or rich Indian curries like Paneer Butter Masala, Kadai Paneer, Dal Makhani and more. These also taste yum with Dal Tadka or Dal Fry served with Jeera Rice or Saffron Rice. You can use these Vinegar Onions as a tangy, zingy filling for burgers, sandwiches, tacos and pita breads too.
How to make Pickled Onions
Prep Onions
- Peel 15 to 20 small red onions or shallots or pearl onions. You can also use regular red onions. But do slice them in rounds before soaking them in the vinegar.
- Rinse the peeled onions in water and drain them very well.
- Place all the onions in a glass jar, ceramic jar or any other non-reactive jar. Kindly do not use steel jar or plastic jar as the vinegar may react with these.
Make Vinegar Solution
- In a bowl, add 1 teaspoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar and ¼ cup of clean filtered water. Note that if the small onions are larger in size, then increase the amount of vinegar and water. Or you can use half a portion of these kind of onions to use the vinegar and water proportions mentioned in the recipe.
- Then, add ¾ teaspoon salt or according to taste.
- Mix very well.
Make Vinegar Onion
- Pour the vinegar mixture in the jar containing the onions. Alternatively, you can add vinegar, water and salt directly in the jar.
- Shake the bottle or jar. Cover and seal the jar with its lid. Let the onion sit in the vinegar solution for 2 to 3 days at room temperature.
- Shake the bottle or jar 2 to 3 times a day.
- After 2 to 3 days, once the onions are pickled, keep the jar in the refrigerator covered and sealed with its lid. Serve the Pickled Onions or Vinegar Onion with any North Indian main course dish like matar paneer, aloo paneer, kadai mushroom, chole masala or dal makhani.
What is Pickling
Pickling is not just a phenomenon of the modern world, but one of the most oldest forms of preserving the shelf life of foods or soaking foods in solutions to prevent spoilage. These Pickled Onions are an Indian favorite. From Indian fruit and vegetable pickles to the American pickles made in brine, the Japanese pickles made with miso and the healthy Korean kimchi and more; the science of pickling is truly gobal. Pickles are majorly classified under 2 broad categories:
First, where food items are preserved in strong acidic solutions like that of vinegar, which inhibit the survival of few bacteria. Second, where food items are preserved in brine (solution of water and salt), which aids in the growth of ‘good bacteria.’
Not just a food preservation technique, pickling also alters the aroma, taste, flavor and texture of the ingredients.
Expert Tips
Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. Garlic Pickle (Lahsun ka Achar) Kachumber Salad Recipe (Zesty Indian Salad) Mango Pickle Recipe | Punjabi Aam ka Achar Masala Papad Recipe This Pickled Onions post from the blog archives first published in June 2013 has been republished and updated on 15 April 2022.
title: “Pickled Onions Vinegar Onion " ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-18” author: “John Pearson”
More on Pickled Onions
Vinegar in Hindi is ‘sirka’ and onion is ‘pyaaz.’ Thus, the Vinegar Onion or Pickled Onions in India is commonly referred to as Sirke Wale Pyaaz. This recipe is a quick way of preparing a batch of restaurant style Vinegar Onion or Pickled Red Onions at home. Pickled Onions, Onion Salad and Mint Chutney usually go hand in hand, and are served together at most of the Indian restaurants. People love this combination and often ask for it too. Like pickles, these vinegar onions are basically served complimentary with the main course dishes. The onions are very sour if you use a lot of vinegar. I have learnt how to make these Pickled Red Onions from my MIL and she always advises not to use too much vinegar. Also, there’s no need to cover the onions completely with the vinegar-water solution. Shake the jar 2 to 3 times a day till it is ready.
Why This Recipe Works
This Pickled Onions recipe is not only delectable, but is beautiful too. Ideally made with small red onions, but shallots or pearl onions can also be used. In the absence of red onions, a small piece of beetroot is added to get the crimson red hue. The onions are steeped in a vinegar solution and kept for 2 to 3 days. They soften while developing a lovely taste of vinegar in them, and lose their pungency too. Eventually, you have sour onions, but also with a light inherent sweet flavor. This Pickled Red Onions recipe doesn’t take much time in its preparation. It is ready to be consumed after 2 to 3 days, post which you can refrigerate to make it last longer. However, the more you let the onions sit in the solution, the tastier they become. Sirke Wale Pyaaz or Vinegar Onion is best enjoyed with Tandoori snacks or rich Indian curries like Paneer Butter Masala, Kadai Paneer, Dal Makhani and more. These also taste yum with Dal Tadka or Dal Fry served with Jeera Rice or Saffron Rice. You can use these Vinegar Onions as a tangy, zingy filling for burgers, sandwiches, tacos and pita breads too.
How to make Pickled Onions
Prep Onions
- Peel 15 to 20 small red onions or shallots or pearl onions. You can also use regular red onions. But do slice them in rounds before soaking them in the vinegar.
- Rinse the peeled onions in water and drain them very well.
- Place all the onions in a glass jar, ceramic jar or any other non-reactive jar. Kindly do not use steel jar or plastic jar as the vinegar may react with these.
Make Vinegar Solution
- In a bowl, add 1 teaspoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar and ¼ cup of clean filtered water. Note that if the small onions are larger in size, then increase the amount of vinegar and water. Or you can use half a portion of these kind of onions to use the vinegar and water proportions mentioned in the recipe.
- Then, add ¾ teaspoon salt or according to taste.
- Mix very well.
Make Vinegar Onion
- Pour the vinegar mixture in the jar containing the onions. Alternatively, you can add vinegar, water and salt directly in the jar.
- Shake the bottle or jar. Cover and seal the jar with its lid. Let the onion sit in the vinegar solution for 2 to 3 days at room temperature.
- Shake the bottle or jar 2 to 3 times a day.
- After 2 to 3 days, once the onions are pickled, keep the jar in the refrigerator covered and sealed with its lid. Serve the Pickled Onions or Vinegar Onion with any North Indian main course dish like matar paneer, aloo paneer, kadai mushroom, chole masala or dal makhani.
What is Pickling
Pickling is not just a phenomenon of the modern world, but one of the most oldest forms of preserving the shelf life of foods or soaking foods in solutions to prevent spoilage. These Pickled Onions are an Indian favorite. From Indian fruit and vegetable pickles to the American pickles made in brine, the Japanese pickles made with miso and the healthy Korean kimchi and more; the science of pickling is truly gobal. Pickles are majorly classified under 2 broad categories:
First, where food items are preserved in strong acidic solutions like that of vinegar, which inhibit the survival of few bacteria. Second, where food items are preserved in brine (solution of water and salt), which aids in the growth of ‘good bacteria.’
Not just a food preservation technique, pickling also alters the aroma, taste, flavor and texture of the ingredients.
Expert Tips
Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. Garlic Pickle (Lahsun ka Achar) Kachumber Salad Recipe (Zesty Indian Salad) Mango Pickle Recipe | Punjabi Aam ka Achar Masala Papad Recipe This Pickled Onions post from the blog archives first published in June 2013 has been republished and updated on 15 April 2022.
