Spicy Pickled Onions


  A. Weaver, M.A., RPA || Pepeluali 14, 2026

Sabula de vinha, also known as pickled onions to locals, is a great way to add chrunch and tang to any dish. These pickles are often found amongst the pūpūs (appetizers) at parties and often becomes a complimentary drinking snack. It can be sweet and hot, and like dill pickles, can be found in local grocery stores across the state of Hawaiʻi. My hot pickled onions are both sweet, spicy, and packed with a lot of flavor. 



Spicy Pickled Onions

Ingredients 

  • 3-4 Yellow Onions

  • 1 Cup Distilled White Vinegar

  • 1/2 Cup Water

  • 3/4 Cup White Sugar

  • 1 Tbsp Kosher Salt

  • 1.5 Tbsp Crushed Chili Pepper Flakes

  • Optional 1 to 2 Thai Chili Peppers

Directions

  1. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, salt, sugar, and crushed chili pepper flakes and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the mixture comes to a boil, remove the saucepan and let cool for 10-minutes.

  2. Cut the onion in half lengthwise, from the root to the top of the onion and remove the papery outer skin. Cut and remove the rooted ends of the onion.

  3. Cut the halves of the onion length-wise into 1/2-inch wedges and layer and pack them into a quart-size jar. Add the optional Thai Chili Peppers to the jar.

  4. Once the mixture has cooled for 10-minutes, pour over the onions and cover the jar. 

  5. Let the jar cool to room temperature before transferring to the refrigerator.  

Chill before serving. This will keep for one month in the refrigerator.


If you are not a fan of spicy, please omit the crushed chili pepper flakes and optional Thai Chili Peppers.



Hūlō
A. Weaver, M.A., RPA
Photos by A. Weaver, M.A., RPA

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