Add a vibrant, tangy crunch to salads, bowls, sandwiches, tacos, and more with these super easy, no-cook quick pickled shallots!
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Quick pickled shallots are incredibly easy to make, no canning required. That means no boiling jars or sterilizing lids. And it means a lot less active time in the kitchen.
These are another of my refrigerator pickles recipes. Refrigerator pickles are what they say they are: pickles that you store in the fridge, rather than in the pantry.
If you love making quick pickles, also check out my recipes for no-cook refrigerator pickles, quick pickled carrots, pickled chilies, and pickled onions and jalapeños!
Use quick pickled shallots to add zing and umami to everything from tacos, sandwiches and wraps to salads and avocado toast!
💖 Why You'll Love this Recipe
- quick and easy to make in about 20 minutes
- no special equipment needed, just a jar with a watertight lid, like a pint jar
- versatile - use them on tacos, salads, sandwiches, wraps, grain bowls, etc.
✓ Ingredients and Substitutions
- shallots - You need about a cup of shallots, which is around 3 to 4, depending on their size.
- brine - The brine is the acidic, salty pickling liquid that preserves your shallots. For this brine, we are using a mix of apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. You can use white vinegar or red wine vinegar, if you prefer.
- seasonings - Black peppercorns, garlic, and red pepper flakes add even more flavor to these quick and easy pickled shallots! Feel free to mix and match, adding additional flavorings, to suit your tastes. Or, for a simpler flavor profile, omit the add-ins and just do the shallots in the brine.
🔪 How to Make Quick Pickled Shallots
Peel the shallots and slice them into thin rings. The thinner they are, the faster they'll absorb the flavor.
Add the vinegar, sugar, salt, peppercorns, garlic, and crushed pepper to a clean glass jar. Add the shallots, then pour in the hot water. Close the jar tightly, then shake well to combine all of the ingredients.
Let the jar sit at room temperature for 20 minutes, then transfer it to the refrigerator. You can use your quick pickled shallots now, but they'll taste even better if you can wait an hour. Or better yet, a few hours! But I don't blame you if you want to use them immediately!
💡 Helpful Tips
- Slice your shallots on the thin side, so they'll absorb the most flavor from the brine.
- Make sure that you store these in the refrigerator! They are not shelf stable.
🫙 Storage Directions
Quick pickled shallots will keep for 3 to 4 weeks in the refrigerator. Though I doubt that they will last that long!
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is the easiest way!
For the best results, peel your shallots, then slice them into thin rings. Slicing them thin allows them to soak up the most brine, which is where they get those amazing flavors!
You can reduce or omit the sugar, but I find that it really balances the flavors out! You can use an equivalent amount of your favorite sugar substitute, if you prefer.
📖 Recipe
Quick Pickled Shallots (no-cook!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup sliced shallots about 3-4 medium shallots
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar or white or red wine vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 small garlic clove smashed
- pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- hot water as needed
Instructions
- Peel the shallots and slice them into thin rings. The thinner they are, the faster they'll absorb the flavor.
- Add the vinegar, sugar, salt, peppercorns, garlic, and crushed pepper to a clean glass jar. Add the shallots, then pour in the hot water. Close the jar tightly, then shake well to combine all of the ingredients.
- Let the jar sit at room temperature for 20 minutes, then transfer it to the refrigerator. You can use your quick pickled shallots now, but they'll taste even better if you can wait another hour. Or better yet, a few hours! But I don't blame you if you want to use them immediately!
Got a question? Tried this recipe? Leave a reply!