In this easy pickled eggs recipe, fresh herbs, spices, and sliced onion are snuggled up with hard boiled eggs in a vinegar-based brine while they take a snooze in the refrigerator.
Prep two 1-liter mason jars each with 6 peeled hard-boiled eggs, 3-4 sprigs of fresh dill, 1 whole peeled garlic clove, and 1-2 bay leaves depending on size, then prep your brine.
In a medium-small saucepan add all ingredients to make your brine and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and allow it to simmer for about 10 minutes.
Carefully pour the brine evenly among each container. Note: you may want to spoon some of the onions and spices in individually to divide more evenly.
Allow them to cool with the lids on until they're at room temperature, then store in the fridge for 5-7 days for best flavor.
Notes
You can enjoy these pickled eggs after 24 hours of chill time, however, we suggest letting them rest for 5-7 days to really absorb all the flavor from the brine.
Hard boil and peel your eggs before beginning. Place the eggs on the bottom of a large saucepot and fill with cold water (you want about 1 inch of water covering the eggs). Heat on high until it reaches a roiling boil. Once boiling, turn off the heat on the burner and cover the saucepot with a lid. Allow the eggs to sit in the hot water for around 10-12 minutes, depending on how you like the yolk. Rinse with cold water, or let them sit in an ice bath for about 15 minutes before peeling.
We used distilled white vinegar. You can substitute with apple cider vinegar if desired, this will add a little more sweetness to the brine.
We have tested this recipe with both red onion and white onion, both work well. The red onion may tint the color of your brine after sitting for a few days in the refrigerator, but it will not affect the quality or taste.
The sugar called for helps counteract the sharpness of the vinegar.
If stored properly in an air-tight jar kept in the refrigerator, these pickled eggs will last for up to 3 months. These are refrigerator-pickled eggs, not canned pickled eggs, so they are not shelf-stable nor will they last for an extended period of time. This recipe must be refrigerated.