Yucatán pickled red onions
Sour-orange pickled red onions with habanero (cebollas moradas encurtidas)
No table in Mérida is complete without a bowl of these bright pink onions. They go on almost everything in the Yucatán, from panuchos and salbutes to bean tacos, eggs and grilled vegetables, and their sharp crunch is what cuts through rich, earthy food. The traditional pickle uses naranja agria, the sour Seville-type orange that grows all over the peninsula, with a little habanero and dried oregano. Chef's tip: pour boiling water over the sliced onions for 10 seconds first; it softens their raw bite and makes them turn pink much faster.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (2)
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put 2 red onions in a sieve over the sink and pour a kettle of boiling water over them. Shake well and leave to drain for 2 minutes.
3 minStep 2: Put the onions in a clean jar or bowl with ½ habanero chilli, ½ tsp dried Mexican oregano, 3 allspice berries and 1 tsp salt. Pour over ¾ cup sour (Seville) orange juice and toss so every slice is wet.
Step 3: Leave for at least 30 minutes, tossing once, until the onions turn bright pink and soften slightly but keep a crunch. Common mistake: using white or yellow onions; they never turn pink and taste harsher.
Step 4: Keep in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 20 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 5 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does yucatán pickled red onions take?
- About 10 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of red onions?
- White onion or shallots, same amount (soak raw onion in cold water for 10 minutes to soften it).
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