These lime pickled onions are made with just four ingredients. They bring a bold punch of lime flavor to salads and main dishes, especially wonderful with Mexican food. If you use red onions, they also provide a blast of beautiful color! This is a no-cook vegan recipe with an option to pre-soak the onions in hot water for an even brighter color.
I prefer the flavor of these onions marinated in lime compared to a vinegar base. The flavor is fresh and bright, wonderful with Mexican dishes and salads. That's how I would encourage you to think of this one: a "fresh marinated" pickled onion recipe. It's quick to make and made to enjoy soon, within two days or so, since we're using fresh lime juice.
There are other recipes on the internet for pickled onions that will last longer, which tend to include cooking methods. Because this one doesn't take long to make, it works out well to put in the small effort and use within a short time.
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Ingredients
Just four simple ingredients are needed for this recipe.
Onion: If you're going for color, use red onion (maybe you prefer to call it purple?).
Lime: We're using a whole large lime, zest and juice. To me, the zest makes this recipe, so try not to skip that step so you don't miss out!
Salt: It's best to use an iodine-free salt here, like sea salt or pink salt.
Maple syrup: We're just using a bit to balance flavors. Agave or date syrup could be used instead.
See recipe card for quantities.
Equipment
The following equipment will help you make this recipe.
Zester: For zesting the lime before cutting it to juice.
Cutting board and knife: Used to slice the lime in half and thinly slice the onion, so make sure it's a nice sharp one.
Juicer: Just a manual one (as pictured) will do fine.
16-ounce jar with lid: To store the pickled onion. We'll be shaking the jar, so make sure it's leak-proof.
Tip: If the lime isn't at room temperature, microwave it for 15 seconds. This will help it release more juice. Rolling it on the counter before slicing can help, too.
Instructions
I generally make this recipe the quickest way, which is to use raw onion slices (pictured throughout this post and the lower bowl in the next photo).
Color option: If you'd like your pickled onions to have more of a bright, neon-pink color, soak the onion slices in steaming-hot water for about 20 minutes before jarring.
Cut your onion in half top to bottom, remove any green core, and thinly slice each half into half moons (or rainbows).
Place the onion pieces in a 16-ounce jar, separating the half moons and fitting as many slices as possible below the rim.
Tip: If the lime isn't at room temperature, microwave it for 15 seconds. This will help it release more juice. Rolling it on the counter before slicing can help, too.
Make sure you do add the zest - the flavor is so worth it!
Add all the ingredients to the jar. Place the lid on and shake the jar to distribute.
Remove the lid and place a small glass on top of the onions to hold them down for about 20 minutes, then replace the lid once they are able to stay down.
For best flavor, refrigerate for at least a couple hours before using. The longer they sit, the more flavor.
That said, these are not long-term pickles. Be sure to use them within a couple days as fresh lime juice doesn't stay fresh for long.
Serving
These lime-flavored pickled onions are wonderful as the final topping to your dish, making any dish a masterpiece!
I love it on salads and composite bowls, sometimes called Buddha bowls (I call them rainbowls). The color is magnificent, whichever prep method you choose.
Mexican dishes, like burritos, nachos, enchiladas, tacos, Thai and
Vietnamese dishes are all elevated by the addition of these onions - not just the color but the bright lime-flavor punch, as well. They're special made with white or sweet yellow onions, as well - great in flavor, just not as colorful.
Storage
Keep these lime pickled onions stored in the refrigerated sealed jar for up to a couple days. You can check to see if they still seem fresh into a third day, but I wouldn't use them past that as the fresh lime juice won't likely keep.
FAQ
Yes, these are "fresh" pickled onions and need to be kept in the fridge, only lasting for a couple days. Thankfully, they can be made quickly, with no cooking required, and used the same day.
Related
Looking for other topping recipes? Try these:
Pairing
These are some of my favorite dishes to serve with lime pickled onions:
The Recipe
Lime Pickled Onions
Equipment
- cutting board and knife for slicing lime and thinly slicing onion
- zester for zesting lime
- juicer hand/manual juicer is fine
- 16-ounce jar with lid to store in fridge
Ingredients
- 1 medium red onion or white or sweet yellow onion
- 1 large lime about 1 teaspoon zest and 4 tablespoons juice
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon sea salt or pink salt
- ½ cup filtered water
Instructions
- Onions: Cut the onion in top to bottom and remove any green core.Slice each half into thin half moon shapes (about ⅛th inch). Separate the onions and place as many pieces possible under the rim of the jar.
- Lime: See notes below for tip.Zest the lime into the jar, then cut the lime in half and juice it. Add the juice to the jar.
- Maple syrup and salt: Add them to the jar.Water: Pour the water over the other ingredients in the jar, careful not to overflow.
- Store: Secure the lid on the jar and shake well to distribute the ingredients.Remove the lid and place a small glass on top of the onions so that they stay under the liquid. This is only necessary for about 20 minutes. Keep them in the fridge during that time, then remove the glass and secure the lid. Store in the fridge for a couple hours to let the flavors build. Best used within two days.
Notes
general food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands and ingredients well before using
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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