Mexican Pickled Onions

Mexican onions in brine are a firm point in Mexican cuisine, adding the perfect spicy bite and citrus fruits to Tacos, Enciladas and all your favorite recipes for the Mexican dinner. They are super popular in Mexican restaurants near me and are often offered as a side or a snack combined with Farina tortillas. Yum!

This quick recipe is so easy to make, it will become your seasoning and seasoning. It is so beautiful that I often eat them directly from the jar. No judgment here!

That’s why I love this recipe:

• Fast and easy: This recipe uses simple ingredients and does not require boiling onions as the other recipes do. Prep takes only 5 minutes; So let them sit down and take care of 30 minutes before digging!
• Add them to everything: They are perfect on Asada meat, tacos at the Pastor, stratified on abundant cakes and even spraying on fresh salads or bowls for a touch of color and flavor.

What are Mexican onions in brine?

Mexican onions in brine, or Cipolle enclosedThey are a spicy Mexican condiment based on red onions with thin slices that are traditionally treated with lime juice, vinegar or a combination of the two and seasoned with salt and black pepper. These bright -colored onions are the perfect dressing to help balance the wealth found in dishes such as Carnitas, Cochinita Pibil, Barbacoa or other abundant and heavy meals.

Note ingredients

This is an overview of the ingredients that I used and why. For the complete recipe, please scroll down to the bottom of the post.

• Red onions: These onions have a distinct bright and spicy flavor, so I do not recommend replacing a different type of onion in its place. If your eyes are sensitive when they cut the onions, cool it for about 10-15 minutes before cutting to help. I like them thinly cut for the best consistency and the maximum absorption of the flavor.
• Lime juice: It acts as a hardening agent and adds that bright and spicy flavor. I highly recommend using fresh lime for the cooler and tastiest result.

• Kosher salt: A little salt improves the flavor of the onions in brine and helps to cure them. You can adjust this to your liking.
• Black pepper: Adds a thin touch of spices.

How to make Mexican onions in brine

Mix The red sliced ​​onion, lime juice, salt and pepper together in a glass jar or a glass storage container. Cover with a lid.

Treatment The red onions in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, making sure to mix or shake the container halfway through all the onions are covered in liquid and uniformly. Serve immediately and season the salt if necessary.

Suggestions for recipes

• Use fresh lime juice: The newly squeezed lime juice makes the difference in flavor. Avoid, if possible, lime juice in the bottle.
• Choose the right container: The glass jars or containers are the best because they do not react with the acidity of the lime juice.
• Check the color: The onions are ready when they have transformed a bright fuchsia color.

Replacements and variations

• Additional components: You can add other vegetables such as jalapeños sliced, a habanero pepper or chilli flakes to add a little spice. Pepe grains instead of black pepper are also a popular additional component. Including bay leaves, coriander seeds or Mexican oregano can also give you layers of extra flavor.
• Citrus juice: For a slightly sweeter touch, you can add the juice of 1 orange or lemon.

Different ways to cure

You can soklo red onions in different ways and everyone will give you a different aromatic profile:

• Lime juice: The only use of lime juice will give you a crunchy, bright and citrus flavor that combines really good with Mexican dishes.
• Vinegar: The only use of white vinegar or apple vinegar will give you a more spicy and pungent flavor. If you only use vinegar, note that you will need 1 cup of water for each ½ cup of vinegar. Cook the purifying liquid over low heat and pour it into the container together with the rest of the ingredients and let it rest for 30 minutes.
• Lime and vinegar juice: Mix the two will give you the best from both flavors. I recommend adding vinegar using 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or another light alcohol vinegar instead of 2 tablespoons of lime juice.

Ways to use Sottacete red onions

Red onions in brine are an excellent condiment on so many different recipes. They are fantastic to add a little incisive flavor and acidity, especially with rich dishes. Here are some of my favorite recipes to add them to:

Frequent questions

Glass jars: I recommend using glass jars or control containers. In addition, they are super versatile and can be used in various ways to cook and archive. Plastic containers do not react well to the acidity in the Sottaceti juices, so it is better to use glass.

Warehouse

To keep, refrigerate the red onions in brine in a glass container for a maximum of 2 weeks for optimal freshness.

I do not recommend freezing as this can alter their consistency and their flavor.

More Mexican condiments

If you tried this Mexican recipe in brine or any other recipe on Isabel Eats, don’t forget to evaluate it and let me know how it went in the comments below! I like to feel your experience in realizing.

This post was originally published in April 2019 and was updated in January 2025 with new photos, more useful suggestions and a better general recipe.

Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.