Sugar-Free Pickled Onions
This post may contain affiliate links.
They’re my absolute favorite condiment, something I always keep in the fridge– Whole30 Pickled Onions! This pickled red onion recipe is sugar free, Paleo, Gluten Free, Low Carb, and absolutely delicious! Try them and they’ll become a staple in your refrigerator too!
Why I love them!
Maybe it’s the tangy, sweet taste, maybe it’s the crunchy texture, or maybe it’s that beautiful pink color, but these pickled onions are a kitchen staple.
Simple Ingredients
- Red Onions
- Apple cider vinegar
- Sea salt & peppercorns
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
These are a new favorite of ours – so good! Thank you for the recipe!
–Katie
Adding pickled red onions to even the simplest dish just adds something special, and guess what else? There is NO SUGAR added. Yup, sugar free pickled onions do exist, and they are awesome!
“Soaking onions in acid takes the fire out of them without diminishing the brightness they add to a dish.” Samin Nosrat, chef & author of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat
Making Pickled Onions Keto, Whole30, and Paleo
You’ll find that a lot of recipes for pickled onions call for refined sugar, but truly, you don’t need it at all. All you need is a bit of lemon juice, and that’s enough to take the edge off the sharp vinegar taste and keep the recipe Whole30, Paleo, and Keto/Low Carb. A few tips:
- Always remember to check your ingredients labels! That’s just me reminding you, because you don’t hear that enough. But really, because most vinegars are Whole30 compliant, you’re usually okay… but you just never know!
- When choosing an apple cider vinegar, I recommend using one that’s raw and unfiltered, like Bragg’s. You’ll get the bonus of beneficial bacteria (probiotics), which are great for improving your gut health! As an added bonus, the flavor is rocking!
Pickled Onions FAQ:
1. Just gently heat the vinegar and spices in a small sauce pan until it begins to simmer, then carefully pour the mixture into the jar, over the onions.
2. Cover, then set them on the counter, and they’ll be ready to eat in a snap!
The onions keep in the fridge for about two weeks, but we always eat them much faster than that! ⠀
Pickled Onion Flavor Variations
You’re gonna want to try these (they’re all Whole30 and Paleo compliant)!
- Spicy & Sweet Pickled Onions:
Add a few thin slices of habanero or jalapeño and two orange segments. - Zesty Garlic Pickled Onions:
Add 3-4 cloves of garlic - Mediterranean Pickled Onions:
Stir in 1/4 tsp. dried oregano and 1/4 tsp. cumin - Mexican Pickled Onions:
Substitute lime juice instead of lemon juice and a few sprigs of cilantro - Thai Inspired Pickled Onions:
Add a dried Kaffir lime leaf or a pinch of kaffir lime powder and a small piece of peeled ginger
Don’t be afraid to get creative, because this Whole30 pickled red onion recipe holds up great to a variety of flavors and flavor combinations. What flavors would you like to try?
Sugar Free Pickled Red Onions (Whole30, Keto)
Ingredients
- 2 small red onions or 1 large
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar preferably raw unfiltered
- 2 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice approx 1/2 lemon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoons peppercorns
- 1 clove garlic optional
Video
Instructions
- Add all ingredients but the onions to a mason jar and stir well.
- Peel & slice the red onion (I prefer to slice thinly, but feel free to do this to your preference).
- Add in the onions to the mason jar, pressing down into the apple cider mixture until they’re submerged. If you need to, top off with a little extra apple cider vinegar until all the onions are covered.
- Mix well or cover and shake, then set it in the fridge overnight.
Notes
- Spicy & Sweet Pickled Onions: Add a few thin slices of habanero or jalapeño and two orange segments.
- Zesty Garlic Pickled Onions: Add 3-4 cloves of garlic
- Mediterranean Pickled Onions: Stir in 1/4 tsp. dried oregano and 1/4 tsp. cumin
- Mexican Pickled Onions: Substitute lime juice instead of lemon juice and a few sprigs of cilantro
- Thai Inspired Pickled Onions: Add a dried Kaffir lime leaf or a pinch of kaffir lime powder and a small piece of peeled ginger
For the Mediterranean version is it cumin powder or cumin seed?
I mean cumin powder (ground cumin), but I think cumin seeds would be lovely too!
It looks like a good sugar-free option. On the nutrition info that is for how much? The whole 2 cups? I notice when you change the amount the nutrition info doesn’t change.
Hello Laura .. can I use this same recipe for pearl onions too?
Ty and love this recipe
Hi Natalina! I think that would work nicely, but I haven’t tested it myself so I can’t tell you for sure. If you try it, please let us know how it works out! 🙂 -Laura
Saved as a favorite, I love your blog!
These are a new favorite of ours – so good! Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Katie! I’m so glad you enjoy the pickled onions! It’s my pleasure to share the recipe. 🙂 -Laura
Could I use Vidalia onions just as well?
Hi Diana! Absolutely, pickled Vidalia onions are absolutely wonderful, although the flavor is slightly different. Just follow the same method to make them. 🙂 -Laura
Hi! After the onions have soaked overnight, do you drain the vinegar and store them in the same jar? Or do you leave them in the vinegar for the two weeks that they can be stored?
Thanks!
Hi Tyler! You leave them in the vinegar. It’s sort of like how you store store-bought pickles – they stay in the liquid. 🙂 Hope you enjoy them! -Laura
Hi, I just made this today. I was wondering, can I reuse the spice and vinegar juice afterwards to make more batches or do something else with? Thank you.
Hi Tiffany! Absolutely, that’s a wonderful idea! I think it would make a fabulous acid for salad dressing. -Laura
Hi this looks great. How long do they keep for?
Hi Angi! 2 weeks would be max, but we always eat them within a few days, lol! I’d love to know what you think if you make this recipe! -Laura
Love these, but Quick question on the nutrition label you posted, which ingredient do have adding to the fat or saturated fat content?
Hey Traci,
Great question! I use a plugin (WP Recipe Maker) to calculate nutrition information, and when I looked at how it’s calculating each ingredient’s nutrition, it is finding 1g of fat each in both the onion and lemon juice. Both are much lower in fat than that, so in actuality, the amount of fat in these pickled onions is waaaayyyy lower than 1g. My best estimation is about .2g. I’ll follow up with the makers of the plugin to ask them to check into this! Thanks so much for bringing it to my attention!
Laura
I make these all the time now. Thank you!
Hi Abby! So glad you like them! I make a batch or two every week!! -Laura