Red onion pickle

Why this dinner works

Most weeknight one-pot dinners ask you to choose between two evils: a five-ingredient bowl that tastes like the inside of a saucepan, or a recipe so layered it eats your entire evening. Red onion pickle sits comfortably in the middle. It draws on Norway traditions where building flavor in stages — aromatics, then spice, then the slow swell of liquid into starch — is just how dinner gets made on a regular Tuesday.

The whole thing comes together in about 33 minutes in a single soup pot, which means dinner from idea to table is shorter than most podcast episodes. We've leaned on the everyday 6 ingredients listed below, but in the notes after the recipe you'll find the small swaps and shortcuts that make this dish forgiving when your fridge is half-empty.

Method

1. Step 1. Peel the onions, cut them in half from top to bottom and finely slice into half-moon pieces. Put in a colander placed over a bowl and sprinkle with salt, lightly turning over the onion pieces with your hands so the surfaces are all covered. Set aside for an hour or so to brine.
2. Step 2. Meanwhile put the vinegar, 50ml/2fl oz water and the sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring to help the sugar dissolve, and cook for a couple of minutes. Set aside.
3. Step 3. Pack the onions into the sterilised jars, sprinkling in a little pepper as you go. Cover with the warm vinegar and finish by tucking a couple of bay leaves down the side of the jars. Seal. The onions are best kept in the fridge and used within to 4 weeks.

Cook's notes

One pan, fewer dishes. Use the widest, heaviest soup pot you own with a tight-fitting lid. The wider base means faster browning at the start; the lid traps the gentle steam that finishes the dish without scorching the bottom.

Salt as you go. Season the aromatics, season the protein, season the liquid before it reduces. By the time you taste at the end, the only adjustment is usually acid — a squeeze of lemon, a splash of vinegar, a final crack of pepper.

Make it ahead. Like most one-pot dinners with norway roots, the leftovers are arguably better the next day. Cool quickly, refrigerate within two hours, and reheat gently with a splash of water or stock to loosen things back up.

Pairings & serving

This one feels best in a 4-bowl spread with a sharp green salad and something cold to drink. If you want to stretch it for unexpected company, double the liquid and a single starchy ingredient — rice, pasta, potatoes, depending on the recipe — and the whole pan grows without much extra work.

Watch it cooked

If you're a visual learner, there's a free walkthrough of this dish on YouTube.

Original recipe inspiration: source.