What’s better than crunchy red onions that are marinated in lime juice and give an amazing flavor punch to lots of meals? Salsa Criolla can be added to steak, fish, chicken, and potatoes. Just yesterday, I added them to some Greek style pulled pork that I served over rice. I’ve even put them on roasted turkey sandwiches for an added crunchy zing. Get creative!
I also think these marinated onions are a great excuse to eat more tacos. But do we really need an excuse?
Traditionally in Peru, this is made with ají amarillo peppers. You could substitute jalapeño peppers or red, orange, or yellow bell peppers if you want. Or, just be a freakin rebel like me and leave the peppers out. This recipe is a milder version. And it’s damn delicious. Think of it as beginner’s salsa criolla.
Since I haven’t found fresh aji peppers in my area, I can’t speak on the flavor I’m missing. But I just know that the way I make them tastes so good, they don’t stand a chance of lasting in our fridge. We gobble them up.
What is salsa criolla exactly?
Salsa Criolla is a marinated onion relish that is found in Latin American cuisine. There are many variations that can include a number of ingredients such as onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, parsley, cilantro, vinegar, and oil. But the salsa doesn’t have to contain all those ingredients. Some recipes suggest soaking the onions in water, which tones down the onion flavor, producing a sweeter onion.
It is usually served with meat, but it’s also great with potatoes. Going to a picnic with various lunch meats? Bring these! That steak you’re grilling outside? It needs these tangy, crunchy onions.
There are no rules.
In Peru, it is served cold or at room temperature as a condiment.
How do you make it?
It’s so easy!
Cut a red onion in half and thinly slice.
You really want to get the onions as thin as possible. I like to cut them so thin, that they’re transparent.
See how you can sort of see through them?
Please pretend you don’t see my dry, cracked, 104 year old hands. When I realized how bad they looked, I ran to get lotion because I’m so dang vain. But the photos I took with the smooth, perfectly moisturized, 24 year old looking hands didn’t properly show the translucence of the onions. So I present my lizard hands for you to judge.
Do you see how far I’m willing to go for cooking instructions? I give and I give! I put my scaly, decrepit paws out there and I know the world is a better place for it.
My vanity has taken me off track here. Wait, let me check out my hair.
Let’s keep making this recipe and not look at our hair.
So you’ve chopped your onions and now you’re going to squeeze your fresh lime juice. You need 1/2 cup here. Don’t argue with me.
No, you can’t use store bought lime juice. The snob has spoken. I’m sorry I’m so bossy, but someone has to protect the sanctity of flavor.
Using a fork, this is how I squeeze the juice out of the limes. I should really make a video of this. You cut the lime in half, then stab it with a fork (not too violently, you’re calm, you’re cool, you’re chillax). Then squeeze the lime juice into your container and wiggle the fork around. Stab the fork in different areas of the lime and squeeze in different directions. Keep wiggling that fork back and forth. You can get quite a bit of juice out of it by doing it this way.
If you have a juicer…good for you, but don’t make us non juicer owners jealous by bragging. We’ll just be over here crying about our misfortune while using my 15th century way of fork wiggling. Did they have forks back then? Sticks? I must google this.
Add your other ingredients and put into a storage container and toss it together like you would mix salad dressing into a salad.
Ready to marinate your onion salad in the refrigerator!
Here is what it will look like right before you put it in the fridge to marinate.
After about 3 hours, take it out and mix it again. It doesn’t have to be at exactly 3 hours. Just at some point 1/2 way through your marinating process.
Then, it will look like this:
The juice has gotten more pink and so have the onions. You could, if you’re feeling too impatient, serve and eat them at this point. No one is going to yell, scream, or think you’re crazy. Unless you start yelling and screaming. Then we might question what’s going on with you?
I like to give them a good 6-8 hours of marinating time or even overnight, essentially pickling them. They will start to lose some of their crunchiness if left overnight, but this is my favorite way to eat them.
See how they’re super duper pink now? How long you marinate them is up to you. This is just how I do it, and I will pass this way of doing it down to my cats and I hope they pass it down to their kittens.
What if I want a sweeter tasting onion or don’t like the bite of onion flavor?
- If you don’t want a strong onion flavor, you can soak the onions in cold water for 10 minutes, drain, and pat dry before marinating. I haven’t tried this but am told it will produce a sweeter flavor.
- Another option for sweeter onions is to salt the onions after slicing and massage the salt into the onions and set aside for 10 minutes. This helps the onions to sweat out that strong onion bite. Then rinse them in cold water and pat them dry.
Tips & Tricks
- Cut your onions thin. A very sharp knife is best for this.
- Pick out juicy limes for this recipe so it’s easier to get the full 1/2 cup of juice.
- Toss and turn your onions half way through the marinating time. This will all your onions a chance to be covered with the lime juice.
- If you’d like to keep these pickled onions in the fridge for a few days, you can drain out the marinade (after they’ve completed marinating) and keep in the fridge for 3-5 days. The reason you would drain the marinade is to stop the pickling process. If you’d like to keep them marinating in the lime juice for the 3-5 days you can, but they will just get softer and softer.
How do I pick out the best, juiciest limes?
Firmness:
Give them a good squeeze! Gently press your thumb and index fingertips into the lime and you should feel a little give. If it gives too much and leaves an indent in the lime, it’s too soft and past its prime. If it’s really hard, it likely has a thick rind and will be drier inside and you won’t get much juice out of it.
Color:
Limes that are all green are best and will have the best flavor. If they are a little yellow they can still be used, as long as they have a little give and are full of juice. Avoid the brown spotty ones if you can.
Weight:
Limes that are heavier likely have more juice in them than limes that are lighter.
What are some recipes that go well with marinated onions?
Lomo Saltado – Peruvian Beef Stir Fry
Cilantro Lime Rice Infused with Garlic
Easy Turkey Tacos
Costa Rican Inspired Breakfast
In addition, you can add them to grilled meats, salads, and anything you want to kick up with some flavor!
Another Peruvian recipe you might like is my Peruvian Green Sauce. Enjoy!
I love it when readers make my recipes and share their thoughts. Please rate the recipe below and let me know what you think!
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Salsa Criolla
- Total Time: 10 min
Description
This Peruvian condiment is a mixture of crunchy red onions that are marinated in lime juice, vinegar, and olive oil.
Ingredients
- 1 large red onion, cut in half and sliced very thin
- 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
- ½ teaspoon vinegar (any white vinegar will do)
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- Sea salt (to taste but I used probably 1/4 teaspoon)
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together in small bowl or storage container. Refrigerate and let marinate for several hours or overnight. Stir once half way through marinating time to make sure all onions get soaked in the lime juice.
Notes
- Cut your onions thin. A very sharp knife is best for this.
- Pick out juicy limes for this recipe so it’s easier to get the full 1/2 cup of juice.
- Toss and turn your onions half way through the marinating time. This will all your onions a chance to be covered with the lime juice.
- If you’d like to keep these pickled onions in the fridge for a few days, you can drain out the marinade (after they’ve completed marinating) and keep in the fridge for 3-5 days. The reason you would drain the marinade is to stop the pickling process. If you’d like to keep them marinating in the lime juice for the 3-5 days you can, but they will just get softer and softer.
- If you don’t want a strong onion flavor, you can soak the onions in cold water for 10 minutes, drain, and pat dry before marinating. I haven’t tried this but am told it will produce a sweeter flavor.
- Another option for sweeter onions is to salt the onions after slicing and massage the salt into the onions and set aside for 10 minutes. This helps the onions to sweat out that strong onion bite. Then rinse them in cold water and pat them dry.
- Prep Time: 10 min.
- Category: Side dish
- Cuisine: Peruvian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 22
Instant Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken
True Peruvian style
I just finished a Peruvian meal then started hunting for recipes. You covered it all, deliciously and you took me back in time to my grandma’s pickled onions – yum! Ohh, p.s. my hands are doing the same thing – darn it! Xoxo ?
I love this salsa, but I always make waaay more! I recently came up with a way to make it faster. (I always salt mine, as well.) But soaking the onion briefly in boiling water breaks them down and open to soak up all the yummy citrus. If you don’t have a long period of time to let it marinate, it still gives you the flavor in about 5 minutes. It’s still better chilled down after, but still reduces your total time to possibly an hour!
Thank you – great tip!
Are you on Instagram?
Hi Kelley, yes I’m @thekitchensnob
Hope to see you on there!
I just made this and put it in the fridge for marinating overnight. Followed your recipe exactly. Just checking to make sure that 1/2 cup of lime juice is correct. After I made it I was just looking around at other recipes and they all called for a lot less lime juice. Will be using the salsa criolla on your Spicy Power Turkey sandwich with Avocado Spread for lunch tomorrow. Sounds so good. Anyway, just wondering about the amount of lime juice. I also see another commenter mentioned sugar; I actually thought about adding a little to mellow out the lime juice but decided to stick to the recipe instead. Thanks and love your site.
Hi Adrienne! Great to hear from you. Yes, I do use 1/2 cup. I like mine to really be able to soak. You could use less, I’m sure. I haven’t tried it with sugar. Let me know what you think and if you think you’d want to try sugar next time. I’d love to hear!
I love the onion salsa always did I’m from jersey live in Sc now I’m making my own it’s great Thank you. Zina Biggs sc
how long will this last in the fridge ? without the canning process?
Hi, Jenna! I think I would throw it out after about 5 days.
I made this and added a teaspoon of sugar. Really great flavor
Sugar – really? Interesting! Glad you liked it!
I had this several times while visiting Lima. I loved it then, and using your recipe, my Peruvian / American daughter will literally sit down with a bowl of this and eat it like ice cream. Occasionally some of it makes it to meat, as intended, as a condiment. At any rate, love the recipe.
So lucky that i have a peruvian Restaurant right next to my House…. This is very very good….. Do you know how to make the green sauce ???
Hi Alex. You are lucky! I would be happy to have a Peruvian restaurant in a 100-mile radius from me. Yes, I have a recipe for the green sauce here. I make it all the time!
This is such an excellent and versatile condiment, it goes well with so many foods. Recently, I’ve put it in a roast beef sandwich, a tuna sandwich, on top of rice and beans and on top of tostones. The possibilities are truly endless.
Great ideas! I love it with sandwiches and on top of rice.
I am very excited to try this recipe! I ate at a Peruvian restaurant that served these onions on top of fried calamari and it was amazing! I have been craving these onions ever since and I am not an onion fan at all (until now!). Your recipe looks amazing. Thank you!
Great! Let me know how they turn out and if they taste like you remember. There are a few different ways to make them. I wish we had a Peruvian restaurant in our area. I would kill for some Lomo Saltado right now! I have a recipe for Lomo Saltado and the Peruvian Green Sauce (attaching links here).
Made this a few weeks ago to serve with carnitas tacos. This was one of only a few toppings – also served with avocado, sour cream, salsa verde and extra cilantro. It really made the meal! Thanks!
Yay! So happy to hear that you liked the recipe. I love the way the onions transform the flavor of the meat. I’ll have to try it with carnitas!
There is a restaurant in a small town, near where I live and
they serve a turkey reuben with something similar to this on
it and it is so delicious! I am going to make this for my
sandwiches from now on!
This looks soo good!!! My husband would love this!
Let me know if you make it and how it turns out. I’ve been meaning to make it again because it can be used in so many dishes.
I am going to try this one this week! It looks amazing!
The photos of it make me hungry!!!
Thanks! I hope you like it!