Hot Honey Pickled Red Onions (Printable View)

Sweet and tangy red onions pickled with spicy hot honey for the perfect topping.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 large red onion, thinly sliced

→ Brine

02 - 1 cup apple cider vinegar
03 - 1/2 cup water
04 - 2 tablespoons hot honey (or honey plus 1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot sauce)
05 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
06 - 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

→ Spices & Aromatics

07 - 1 garlic clove, sliced
08 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional for additional heat
09 - 5 whole black peppercorns

# How-To Steps:

01 - Pack the thinly sliced red onions into a clean, heatproof 2-cup jar. Add the sliced garlic clove, red pepper flakes if using, and whole black peppercorns on top.
02 - Combine apple cider vinegar, water, hot honey, granulated sugar, and kosher salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar and salt completely dissolve.
03 - Carefully pour the hot brine over the onions in the jar, ensuring all onions are fully submerged. Press down gently with a spoon if needed to release air pockets and submerge any floating pieces.
04 - Allow the jar to cool to room temperature, then cover with a lid and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. For optimal flavor development, marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
05 - Store the pickled onions refrigerated for up to 2 weeks, ensuring the onions remain submerged in the brine.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They elevate literally everything from burgers to avocado toast with zero effort
  • The hot honey adds this incredible warmth that regular pickled onions just dont have
  • They keep for weeks in the fridge, so you always have something impressive ready to go
02 -
  • Dont skip the step of pressing the onions down with a spoon, or youll end up with some pieces floating above the brine where they wont pickle properly
  • These actually get better after a few days in the fridge, so if you can plan ahead, make them a week before you need them
03 -
  • If your onions taste too sharp after pickling, add another tablespoon of honey to balance the acidity
  • Use clean tongs or a fork to remove onions from the jar, never your fingers, to keep them fresh longer

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