This quick pickled shallots recipe is the perfect versatile condiment. Bursting with flavor, a little bit goes a long way. Use them as a condiment for charcuterie boards, crostini, sandwiches, and more!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe:
Quick and Easy: Unlike traditional pickling, quick pickling is just like it sounds - quick! There's no canning to deal with or waiting to eat them. They're ready to eat as soon as they've cooled down. This is also a small-batch recipe which makes it really quick and easy!
Flavorful: Pickled shallots are like pickled onions but with a real flavor punch. The tangy flavor of the vinegar soaks into the shallots and tames the pungency and raw flavor. The result is a sweet and tangy condiment that brings life to any dish you add them to!
Versatile: Pickled shallots are a versatile condiment that can add an acidic element to a variety of dishes! From cheese boards to roasted bone marrow to avocado toast and salads, they're great on just about anything!
Ingredient Notes:
- Shallots: Shallots have a unique, mild flavor that sets them apart from other onions. But if you're not able to find them, you can use red onions for this recipe.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar adds a sweet and tangy flavor to pickled shallots. But, you can use lots of different types of vinegar or whatever you have on hand. White vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, etc. will all work.
- Mustard Seeds and Peppercorns: These add a little extra flavor and texture element to the pickled shallots. But, you can omit them if you'd like.
Step by Step Instructions:
How to Dice Shallots:
Shallots can be diced or sliced before you pickle them. I prefer to dice them so they easily be spread into each bite.
Step 1: Start by cutting off the top and bottom of the shallot.
Step 2: Cut a shallow slit lengthwise down the shallot and remove the outer skin.
Step 3: Cut the shallot in half lengthwise.
Step 4: Remove the core from the shallot.
Step 5: Cut the shallot into thin strips, lengthwise.
Step 6: Cut the strips into small square pieces. You can leave them this size or continue chopping them to get a finer dice.
Step 7: Chop the diced shallots until the desired size is achieved.
Step 8: I like to have about ⅛" pieces to pickle.
How To Make Pickled Shallots:
This simple recipe only takes a few easy steps. Read below for how to make it!
Step 1: To a small saucepan, add apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and sugar.
Step 2: Bring to a boil and simmer until the salt and sugar dissolve into the vinegar.
Step 3: Add the shallots, mustard seeds, and black peppercorns to a glass jar.
Step 4: Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the shallots.
Step 5: Loosely cover the jar with a lid and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Step 6: Cover the jar tightly with the lid and refrigerate. Pickled shallots will keep in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
Pro Tip: Pouring the hot pickling liquid over the raw shallots lightly cooks them while also keeping them crunchy. So, there's no need to simmer the shallots in the vinegar.
How To Store Pickled Shallots:
Pickled shallots can be stored right in the glass jar you make them in or in another airtight container. They keep for up to 2-3 weeks in the fridge.
When they're fresh, they're pungent and bright. As they sit in the fridge, they become sweeter and develop a different flavor. Both versions are equally delicious!
Recipe Variations:
The possibilities are infinite when it comes to adding ingredients to pickled shallots to alter the flavor profile.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Add a touch of spice by adding your favorite red pepper flakes.
- Fresh Herbs: Add any fresh herbs you like to pickled shallots. Fresh thyme and rosemary are excellent additions.
- Fennel Seeds: Fennel seeds add an earthy crunch to pickled shallots for an extra flavor boost!
- Garlic Cloves: Add an extra boost of flavor with a few garlic cloves. Pickled garlic cloves can be eaten with the shallots!
- Bay Leaves: Add a classic earthy flavor to your pickling brine by adding bay leaves.
What to Serve with Pickled Shallots:
Pickled shallots are great on just about any savory dish you can imagine! They're a great addition to cheese boards.
Or you can use them as a topping for avocado toast, fish tacos, sandwiches, bone marrow on crostini, or even on your favorite salads.
A little bit goes a long way and they add a ton of flavor to anything you put them on. You're going to want to have this easy condiment on hand at all times!
Recipe FAQ's:
Shallots are in the same family as onions and pickled shallots can be used similarly to pickled onions.
Sugar helps balance out the acidity of the vinegar to give pickles their signature sweet and tangy taste.
Distilled white vinegar is the most popular choice for pickling because of its neutral flavor profile. But, other kinds of vinegar like apple cider vinegar can also be used.
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Recipe:
Easy Quick Pickled Shallots
Equipment
- 8 oz glass jar
Ingredients
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup shallots, ⅛" diced
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
Instructions
- To a small saucepan, add apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and sugar.
- Bring to a boil and simmer until the salt and sugar dissolve into the vinegar.
- Add the shallots, mustard seeds, and black peppercorns to a glass jar.
- Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the shallots.
- Loosely cover the jar with a lid and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Cover the jar tightly with the lid and refrigerate.
- Pickled shallots will keep in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
Notes
- Shallots have a unique, mild flavor that sets them apart from other onions. But if you're not able to find them, you can use red onions for this recipe.
- Apple cider vinegar adds a sweet and tangy flavor to pickled shallots. But, you can use lots of different types of vinegar or whatever you have on hand. White vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, etc. will all work.
- Mustard seeds and peppercorns add a little extra flavor and texture element to the pickled shallots. But, you can omit them if you'd like.
- Pouring the hot pickling liquid over the raw shallots lightly cooks them while also keeping them crunchy. So, there's no need to simmer the shallots in the vinegar.
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