3 Quick Recipes with Red Onions

If you're looking for side dish ideas for the BBQ season or simply need some inspiration for recipes with red onions, you're in the right place.

Red Onion Salad, Caramelised Red Onions and Pickled Red Onion are 3 quick recipes, each being an ideal side or addition to numerous meat, vegetable or fish dishes.

Quick Red Onion Recipes

Red Onion Salad

You will need:

• 3 red onions, peeled and sliced thinly

• 1 tsp vegetable/sunflower/olive oil

• 2 tsp vinegar/ balsamic vinegar

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/2 tsp paprika

• chopped parsley/rocket

How to:

1. Thinly slice the onions

2. In a bowl combine the sliced onions with the rest of the ingredients.

3. Leave the Red Onion Salad to stand for 10-15 minutes before serving. Use immediately or within 1-2 days

You can use only white/red wine vinegar, only balsamic vinegar or a bit of both, the choice is yours. When using balsamic vinegar I prefer to add an extra bit on top just before serving.

This Red Onion Salad pairs well with Butterbean Hummus, Avocado Toast, Tacos or any Bean Salad.

Caramelised Red Onions

You will need:

• 1 tsp oil

• 3 Red onions peeled and sliced thinly

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/2 tsp paprika

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 4 tsp balsamic vinegar

• 1 teaspoon sugar (can be white or brown)

• 1/3 cup water

How to:

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat

2. Add the onions, salt, black pepper and paprika

3. Cook for 7-10 minutes until the onions are soft

4. Add the balsamic vinegar, sugar and water

5. Simmer for another 5-10 minutes until almost all liquid has evaporated

6. Leave it to cool, then enjoy!

Feel free to add garlic and/or thyme for a bit of extra flavour. Use within 3-4 days.

Caramelised Red Onion and Cheddar is a match made in heaven (for my tastebuds at least). It also does wonders in Burgers, as a topping for Flatbreads or Goats Cheese Tarts or with Barbequed meat and vegetables.

Pickled Red Onion

You will need:

• 1 teaspoon white sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2/3 cup of any vinegar of your choice apart from balsamic vinegar

• 1/3 cup water

• one red onion, thinly sliced

How to:

1. Put the sugar, salt, vinegar and water in a saucepan and simmer on medium heat.

2. Place the sliced onions in a jar.

3. Let it cool for a couple of minutes, then pour over the sliced onions.

4. Leave it to pickle for at least an hour, then enjoy it as you like.

5. After it all cools down, make sure you store it in the fridge and use the pickled red onion within 1-2 weeks (this is a quick pickle so it won't last for too long, even if refrigerated)

I used a small jar because I happened to have one available, but you can use any other glass or ceramic container you have. You can store it in plastic as well, I just wouldn't recommend pickling anything in plastic.

Feel free to add dill, peppercorns, mustard seeds or red pepper flakes to the mixture for more flavour.

You can add Pickled Red Onions to Sandwiches, Tacos, Burgers, Salad or Cheese and Charcuterie Boards,

If you try any of these recipes, please let me know how it went in the comments below.

I hope life is treating you well. Take care