Yes, You Can (And Should) Pickle Your Own Green Onions

Love pickles? You're not alone. And here's a fascinating bit of foodie history: The concept of preserving vegetables in a vinegar-based brine is more than 4,400 years old. Neat, right? Although many people might think of cucumbers when the conversation turns to pickles, you can pickle just about any vegetable, and there are some you may not even realize you can pickle. And it's a great way to add serious flavor to your favorite veg.

Let's talk about green onions. Yes, the white and green sections of green onions have different uses, but both can be sliced and added to a quick pickle for many delicious uses. It's easy, too. While you might think that you don't have time for this and wonder if onions are worth the hassle, they absolutely are — particularly because it's so easy. Preserving them in a refrigerator pickle will take just around half an hour, and it's easily something you can do alongside prepping dinner.

The only potential downside is that food preserved in a refrigerator pickle isn't shelf-stable, so as the name suggests, you'll need to keep your onions in a jar in the fridge. They'll last for at least a few weeks, which makes this a great way to use up leftover onions before they go bad, or you may want to buy them specifically to pickle for a versatile condiment, ingredient, and — dare we say — snack.

One of the best things about quick pickling green onions is that they're ready to eat in just a few hours. They'll only get better if you let them sit for a day or two, but you can eat them almost right away — and you will want to.

If you have a favorite quick pickle recipe for a vinegar-based brine, it's safe to say that it will work for green onions. Most standard brines are a mix of water, white vinegar, sugar, and salt, which is cooked, cooled, and then used to fill a jar along with all those crunchy green onions. (White vinegar is the standard, but you can also opt for rice vinegar as well.) Depending on what you might want to do with them, you can cut them in half so they fit into the jar, or leave them in large pieces. You could also cut them into fine slivers or chunks, which are great mixed with finely-diced green or hot peppers.

Other ingredients work well to add an even bigger kick of flavor, too. Use dill, a clove of garlic, a slice of ginger, chili flakes, coriander, peppercorns, mustard seeds, or even a few slices of jalapenos for some serious spice. For another flavorful twist, add a dash of gochugaru and fish sauce.

We've all popped our heads in the fridge at about 3 a.m. to see what's going on in there, and if you're the type that ends up looking for just a little snack in the middle of the night — or at any time of the day, really — pickled green onions are pretty great, especially if you leave them whole. The pickle tames the already-mellow flavor of these onions, and there's something oh-so-satisfying about the crunch.

But don't worry: There are a ton of other uses for these delightfully prepared green onions. They're great when used as a condiment on hot dogs, sausages, or any kind of burger, and they're pretty tasty when used on tacos, too. There's certainly no shortage of sandwiches that can benefit from the addition of pickled green onions, either, and the same goes for salads. Wherever you might use onions, use pickled green onions instead! Egg salad is great with a pickle upgrade and an onion upgrade, so why not combine the two? 

These onions are also a great addition to rice and grain bowls, stir fries, and pulled pork sandwiches, or they can also be added to a charcuterie plate. They're delicious on their own, and they may become a staple in your fridge.