Quick Pickled Shallots

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Quick Pickled Shallots are just what you need if you are looking for something that will jazz up many different dishes. If you are new to quick pickling or have never tried it before, I’ll show you everything you need to know to make this versatile and easy condiment!

Quick Pickled Shallots

Pickled veggies are a great way to add an acidic bite to dishes that are otherwise on the rich and creamy side. These shallots are a departure from the usual pickled onions, and I love doing something a little bit different when I can.

Shallots are milder than onions, which means that they will take on the flavors in the brine quite nicely. I worked on a farm that grew a lot of shallots, and our local Farmers Market vendors always have plenty on hand so I work with them quite often. Sometimes, I will use them in place of onion in a dish.

I love using shallots wherever I can, and I use them all the time. If you take a look around the blog, you’ll find them used in other recipes such as roasted asparagus soup and green bean casserole. In fact, I just love working with fresh ingredients and making things myself instead of buying them already made. That is what this site is all about, and if you want to do more scratch cooking with fresh ingredients, I’d love to help you! To learn more about the blog, please visit the about page.

I love pickled items like this for the kick they add to dishes. Looking for more pickle ideas? Check out my lemon cucumber pickles and pickled strawberries.

Why You Should Make Easy Pickled Shallots

Can you pickle shallots? Yes you can! If you can pickle onions, then why not shallots? Their gentle and milder flavor takes well to all sorts of seasonings, and they are so easy to make that you can always have a jar in your refrigerator ready to add a punch to all sorts of dishes.

Here are a few reasons to love this recipe:

1. Few ingredients!
2. Easy to prepare!
3. Adds pizzazz and a touch of acidity.
4. No cooking (except for simmering the brine for a few minutes) the refrigerator does all the work!

Pickled Shallot Ingredients

All this takes are just a few easy to find ingredients!

• Shallots- Look for shallots that are firm and don’t have any soft spots or signs of browning.
• Whole Black Peppercorns
• Sugar
• Dried Bay Leaf
• Vinegar- For more info on the vinegar, head down to the recipe card.

Equipment Needed For Pickling Shallots

To make these easy pickled shallots, you will need:

• 8 ounce jar with a tight fitting lid (or larger if you are making a bigger batch).
• Small saucepan for cooking the pickling brine.
• Knife for cutting the shallots.

No need for any fancy equipment for this recipe. I do recommend a good quality sharp knife, though. Cutting anything with a dull knife will increase your chances of cutting yourself while working. 

How To Pickle Shallots

This is so easy, because your brine and some time in the refrigerator do the work to make this pickled shallot recipe!

1. Slice the shallots.
2. Add them to a glass jar.
3. Add the brine to the jar.
4. Wait at least 24 hours, and you have quick pickled shallots!

With this basic recipe, you will have a wonderful condiment that has many uses. The steps listed here are just a basic overview. Be sure to head down to the recipe card for complete instructions.

How To Slice a Shallot

While there is not any special technique used, I am going to talk about how to cut a shallot. Most of the time when shallots are used in cooking, they are finely diced rather than being sliced. For this recipe, they are going to be sliced.

Shallots are smaller than an onion, and have a bulbous shape somewhat similar to garlic, but more elongated and tear drop shaped. 

Once you peel them, you may notice that shallots have cloves just like garlic, and each clove has layers just like an onion.

I don’t find that cutting shallots is any harder than cutting an onion. 

Here are the basic steps for cutting a shallot:

1. Peel away the papery skin from the outside of the shallot, and then from each clove.
2. From this point, you can slice the shallot clove. If the clove is too round to safely slice, cut it in half lengthwise and then thinly slice each half of the clove.

For the purposes of quick pickling, the slices don’t need to be paper thin. You don’t want them too thick either. Around a quarter of an inch or a little less is just fine for this recipe.

How Long Do Pickled Shallots Last?

Pickled shallots will last in the refrigerator for two up to two weeks. Anything after that and they begin to lose flavor and texture.

Pickled Shallot Uses

I love using these to add a little punch to dishes. Here are some suggestions:

• Add to a salad
• Sandwich or burger topping
• Add to a Charcuterie Board or Appetizer Platter
• Add to a creamy soup for an acidic bite
• Topping for a frittata or tacos

As you can see, they can be used in a number of different ways. Pickled shallots may be used in the same way you might use pickled red onions. 

If you are reading this, I want to thank you for stopping by. I hope you love these Quick Pickled Shallots! If you tried this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out! You can leave a rating or comment below. 

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