Fermented onions have a wonderful mellow pickled onion flavour that is great with a plate full of vareniki or in a cheese sandwich. They are perfect for parties, sliced up in salads or eaten in tacos.
Fermenting onions is a great option for anyone who finds raw onion to be too strong. The mild flavour is easy to digest, and they will last for at least a month in the fridge. They are a great replacement for any recipe calling for raw onions.
Fermented Onions
Fermented onions are a delicious crisp and crunchy pickled onion, with a mild, salty flavour. They are perfect served with cheese or sliced into salads. It’s an easy-to-digest option for anyone who finds raw onions too strong.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 quart jar 1x
- Category: Pickles
- Method: Fermented
- Cuisine: Probiotic
Ingredients
- 12 small cocktail onions or 2 large onions sliced
- 1 1/2 tbsp non-iodized salt
- 2 cups filtered water
- 1 tbsp culture (optional – see notes)
Instructions
- Cut the ends off the onions and peel them.
- Place the onions in a glass jar for fermenting.
- Dissolve the salt into the water to make a brine. Mix in the culture – if you are using one.
- Pour the brine over the onions. The onions will float, so use a weight to keep them submerged below the brine.
- Leave the onions somewhere cool and dark to ferment. Ferment for 1 week.
- After fermenting, store in the fridge and use within 1-2 months.
Notes
- I always recommend being very clean for all your ferments, especially if you are fermenting for more that just a few days or are not using a starter culture.
- I usually use a mason jar
with a glass weight but it does have a risk of contamination from free range molds, yeasts and bacteria. If you are making a large amount, then I recommend using a fido jar (affiliate link.)
- Onions don’t need a starter culture. However, if you want to add some culture, then I recommend using either sauerkraut juice or a commercial vegetable culture
.
with a glass weight but it does have a risk of contamination from free range molds, yeasts and bacteria. If you are making a large amount, then I recommend using a 
.Keywords: party food, cocktail, gluten free, keto, vegan, paleo, mild, easy, fall, winter, holiday
Another great, simple recipe! 🙂 I’ve heard before that pickling onions can be a tricky matter due to the brine salt concentration, but would love to give this a try. For a classic, crisp pickle, are there any onion varieties you’d recommend? I think trying some mixed red and white could be interesting.
Vegetables always get softer as they ferment, so for crisp onions use whole tiny onions. Or if you’re using sliced onions, then only ferment for 2 days. Enjoy!