Give Your Pickled Red Onions A Kick With This Spicy Pepper

Pickled red onions are a super versatile condiment that goes with all kinds of things. When you need to add a crunchy, tangy touch to anything from tacos to roast beef sandwiches, burgers, quesadillas, pizza — you name it — pickled red onions are the way to go. They are super easy to make and highly customizable once you have a basic recipe you love. You can swap the spices to give them different international flavors — think caraway and allspice for a Scandinavian smørrebrød complement, or add oregano and za'atar for an accompaniment to your gyros or shawarma. And if you want to kick things up a notch, add a punch of spice with slices of fresh jalapeño. 

The great thing about pickled onions is that it doesn't take long to have them ready. In just a few minutes, they will be on the table and will only get more flavorful as time goes by. To pickle red onions, you can use almost any vinegar, depending on your preference — white vinegar, sherry vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and red wine vinegar are popular options, each adding a different flavor profile and acidity level. 

Aside from the obvious flavor enhancement, adding fresh jalapeños to your pickled red onions will provide a nice color contrast for added visual appeal. Once the chiles have had time to marinate, they will slightly soften and be ready to eat, offering a tender-crisp spicy bite to complement the onions. The heat and flavor from the jalapeños will also intensify as they seep into the vinegary brine. 

In Mexico, onions and chiles go together in various condiment recipes. For instance, the ultimate condiment that combines onions and jalapeños is called escabeche, a pickle that also includes sliced carrots, garlic, and various herbs and spices submerged in an olive oil and vinegar brine. Another quick onion pickle is traditional in the Yucatan region, made by marinating thinly-sliced red onions with lime or orange juice — or a combination of both — with slices of fresh habaneros.

To make this relish, the red onions are usually soaked in cold water for a few minutes, then rinsed to remove some of their piquancy and enhance their sweetness and crunchy texture. This fiery condiment is the classic topping for tacos de cochinita, a succulent pork roast seasoned with achiote and spices. If you like the intense heat and fruity flavor of habaneros, try adding a few slices to your pickled red onions. You can also mix and match other chiles with the jalapeños for more colorful results and complex flavors. 

When you've eaten all your pickled red onions and chiles, don't throw away the brine! It will have a pretty pink color and a lot of flavor, and you can use it as a base for a spicy marinade or salad dressing, for instance. You can also add a splash to upgrade your dirty martini or non-alcoholic martini substitute, drizzle over pizza, egg dishes, or ceviche, or simply use it to make more of those pickled red onions you finished so quickly.