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Home » Recipes » Side Dish Recipes

Quick Panera Pickled Red Onions Copycat Recipe

Modified: Aug 25, 2023 · Published: Jun 22, 2023 by Erica Schramek · This post may contain affiliate links. · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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These copycat Panera Pickled Red Onions are so simple and easy to make. They add a tangy satisfying crunch to a variety of dishes.

Pickled red onions are one of my favorite condiments. They taste amazing on salads, burgers, casseroles, tacos, pizza, and more!

Pickled onions on a fork.

They are also a key ingredient in one of my favorite Panera dishes green goddess cobb salad.

Jump to:
  • Why You Will Love This Recipe
  • Recipe Ingredients
  • Substitutions and Variations
  • Step by Step Directions
  • Serving Suggestions
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Expert Tips
  • More Panera Copycat Recipes
  • 📖 Recipe
  • Save This Recipe to Your Email
  • 💬 Comments

Why You Will Love This Recipe

  • This quick pickled onions recipe is made with basic ingredients that are probably already in your pantry. There are also several easy ingredient swaps you can make in case you are missing one of the ingredients.
  • There also really simple to make. If you can boil water you can pickle onions.
  • Like other quick pickles, there is no canning involved. These pickled red onions are stored in the refrigerator.
  • Pickled onions are a great way to add bright bursts of flavor to a variety of dishes.

Recipe Ingredients

Writing a copycat recipe is pretty fun and feels like I am a detective trying to solve a case.

My first step is always to go to the Panera Bread website and take a look at the list of ingredients for that item. With the first piece of the puzzle solved, the next step is to decide on the quantities and process.

Here is the exact list of ingredients from panerabread.com: Red Onions, Sugar, Water, White Wine Vinegar, Distilled Vinegar, Calcium Chloride, and Sea Salt

Luckily the ingredients list is pretty short without too many unusual or hard-to-find ingredients.

Pickled onion ingredients on a dark wood surface.

Red Onions: Pickling red onions mellows their flavor and makes them sweeter. You will need one large red onion or two small red onions.

Tip: One way to minimize tears when slicing onions is to use a very sharp knife. A sharp knife will minimize cell damage when slicing onions and release less allinase which is the compound that irritates your eyes and makes them water.

Calcium Chloride: This ingredient is optional but will help keep the onions crisp. There are two popular canning brands that sell food-grade calcium chloride; Ball Pickle Crips Granules and Mrs. Wages Xtra Crunch.

White Wine Vinegar and Distilled White Vinegar: Using white wine vinegar adds a little extra flavor. Distilled white vinegar is cheaper and helps increase the volume of vinegar.

Water: Adding water to pickling recipes helps to increase the volume of the pickling liquid so that all of the ingredients are fully submerged without creating an overwhelmingly strong vinegar flavor. A good rule of thumb when pickling is to have at least a one-to-one ratio of vinegar to water.

Sugar: I prefer granulate white sugar because it has a purer flavor. If you prefer a less refined sugar you can substitute an equal amount of honey or maple syrup.

Salt: When pickling I use pickling or canning salt because it has a fine texture and no additives.

I don't use table salt because of the added flavor from the iodine as well as the added anti-clumping agents. If you do decide to use table salt I recommend using 1 teaspoon since it has a similar texture to pickling salt.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Substitutions and Variations

Onions: If you don't have red onions you could also use yellow or white onions. Using different onions will change the flavor.

Vinegar: If you don't have white wine vinegar you could also use rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or red wine vinegar.

Sweetener: Try using honey or maple syrup instead of white sugar.

Salt: When pickling I use pickling or canning salt because it has a fine texture and no additives. If you don't have pickling salt you can substitute kosher salt. The best and easiest way to accurately measure the salt is to use a kitchen scale.

This is my favorite kitchen scale because the display pulls out making it easy to see when using a large bowl.

You will want to use 6 grams of salt which is approximately equal to 1 teaspoon of pickling salt, 1 teaspoon of Morton Kosher Salt, or because it has larger granules 2 teaspoons of Diamond Kosher Salt.

There are several ways you can customize this pickled red onion recipe.

  • Spicy: To make spicy pickled onions add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes or whole peppercorns to the jar.
  • Flavor: To add some additional flavor try adding some fresh herbs, dry bay leaf, or garlic to the jar.
  • Spices: Change up the flavor even more by adding a variety of spices. Some of my favorites include nutmeg and allspice.

Step by Step Directions

Slice red onions on a cutting board.

Step 1: Slice off the top of the onion and cut it in half through the root end. Peel the onion and then slice it into thin slices. For really thin even slices you can use a mandoline.

Raw red onions in a glass jar.

Step 2: Stuff the sliced raw onions into a glass jar and sprinkle with the calcium chloride.

Tip: When using a mandoline, I like to wear this kevlar glove to protect my hand while slicing ingredients.

Vinegar and sugar in a sauce pan.

Step 3: Add both types of vinegar, water, sugar, and salt to a small saucepan.

Vinegar in a sauce pan.

Step 4: Heat the vinegar mixture over medium-high heat until it begins to simmer and the sugar and salt have dissolved.

Raw red onions in a glass jar.

Step 5: Pour the pickling mixture into the jar with the onion slices and cover with a lid. I prefer to use these reusable plastic lids that fit perfectly on a wide-mouth pint jar.

Top down view of pickled onions in a glass jar.

Step 6: Allow the onions to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate.

Tip: For the best flavor, refrigerate the quick pickled red onions for at least 4 hours but preferably 24 hours before serving.

Pickled red onions in a glass jar.

Serving Suggestions

These are my favorite dishes to serve with these Panera pickled red onions:

  • Close up of a pork taco.
    Leftover Pulled Pork Tacos
  • Pulled pork stuffed potato skins topped with coleslaw on a wire rack.
    BBQ Pulled Pork Potato Skins
  • black bowl filled with pork, black bean, and pumpkin stew
    Pumpkin Pork Stew with Black Beans
  • Kale apple salad in a wooden bowl.
    Kale and Apple Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing
  • Pesto, chicken, and quinoa in a white bowl.
    Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl
  • Greek pizza cut into triangles on a dark baking sheet.
    Greek Chicken Flatbread Pizza

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to boil the vinegar when pickling?

Nope, bringing it just to a simmer is fine. It only needs to be hot enough to dissolve the sugar and salt.

Do pickled red onions need to be refrigerated?

Yes because we are not processing them in a hot water canning bath they must be refrigerated to keep them from spoiling.

Can you freeze pickled onions?

Unfortunately no, freezing the onions makes them mushy.

Can you reuse the pickling brine?

I don't reuse the brine to pickle more onions. Usually, there isn't enough to fully cover a new batch of onions and I don't want to mess up the ratios between the water, vinegar, sugar, and salt by randomly adding additional ingredients.

The best use for the leftover brine is to make your own salad dressing using the brine in place of the vinegar in the recipe.

How long do pickled onions last?

When stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator these pickled red onions will keep for up to 2 weeks.

Expert Tips

  • Look for fresh, firm red onions that are crisp and have a vibrant color. This will ensure the best results in terms of taste and texture.
  • If you prefer thicker slices of onions, remember they will take longer to pickle.
  • It is not necessary to fully boil the brine. Bring it just to a simmer long enough to dissolve the sugar and salt.
  • For the best flavor, refrigerate the pickled onions for at least a few hours or overnight before consuming. This will allow the flavors to develop and the onions to fully pickle.

More Panera Copycat Recipes

  • close up of a blueberry muffin on a white plate
    Copycat Jumbo Panera Blueberry Muffin
  • Orange Cranberry muffin on a wooden cutting board.
    Cranberry Orange Sourdough Muffins
  • Top down view of a mango smoothie in a glass jar.
    Panera Mango Smoothie - Copycat Recipe

Thanks for Reading!

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below! You can also snap a picture and post it on Facebook or Instagram be sure to tag me @RaspberriesandKohlrabi.

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📖 Recipe

Pickled onions on a fork.

Panera Pickled Red Onions

Author: Erica Schramek
These copycat Panera Pickled Red Onions are so simple and easy to make. The add a tangy satisfying crunch to a variety of dishes.
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Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 5 minutes mins
Additional Time 4 hours hrs
Total Time 4 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Course Side Dish Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Calories 8 kcal
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Equipment

  • small saucepan
  • mandolin or sharp knife
  • storage container

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 large red onion or 2 small red onions
  • ⅛ teaspoon calcium chloride Ball Pickle Crips Granules or Mrs. Wages Xtra Crunch
  • ½ cup distilled white vinegar
  • ¼ cup white wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pickling salt 1 teaspoon of Morton Kosher salt, or 2 teaspoons of Diamond Kosher salt

Instructions
 

  • Slice off the top of the 1 large red onion and cut it in half through the root end. Peel the onion and then slice it into thin slices. For really thin even slices you can use a mandoline.
  • Stuff the sliced raw onions into a glass jar and sprinkle with the ⅛ teaspoon calcium chloride. I prefer using a wide-mouth quart-sized mason jar.
  • Add ½ cup distilled white vinegar, ¼ cup white wine vinegar, ¼ cup water, 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar, and 1 teaspoon pickling salt to a small saucepan. Heat the vinegar mixture over medium-high heat until it begins to simmer and the sugar and salt have dissolved.
  • Pour the pickling mixture into the jar with the onion slices and cover with a lid. Allow the onions to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate.
  • For the best flavor, refrigerate the quick pickled red onions for at least 4 hours but preferably 24 hours before serving.

Notes

Storage
When stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator these pickled red onions will keep for up to 2 weeks.
Tips
  • Look for fresh, firm red onions that are crisp and have a vibrant color. This will ensure the best results in terms of taste and texture.
  • If you prefer thicker slices of onions, remember they will take longer to pickle.
  • It is not necessary to fully boil the brine. Bring it just to a simmer long enough to dissolve the sugar and salt.
  • For the best flavor, refrigerate the pickled onions for at least a few hours or overnight before consuming. This will allow the flavors to develop and the onions to fully pickle.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 8kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 0.1gFat: 0.01gSaturated Fat: 0.004gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.002gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.001gSodium: 195mgPotassium: 16mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 0.2IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 3mgIron: 0.05mg
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @raspberriesandkohlrabi or tag #raspberriesandkohlrabi!

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Hi! I'm Erica

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I am a self-taught cook and the writer, recipe developer, food stylist, and photographer behind this blog.

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