Best 7 Best Caramelized Onions Recipes

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From a classic French onion soup to a hearty steak sandwich, caramelized onions add a unique depth of flavor and sweetness to any dish. The slow cooking process brings out their natural sugars, creating a delicious and versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of culinary creations. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a home cook looking to elevate your cooking skills, this guide will provide you with expert tips and tricks for achieving perfectly caramelized onions every time. Discover the secrets to achieving that perfect balance of sweetness, richness, and crunch, and unlock a world of culinary possibilities with this essential ingredient.

Here are our top 7 tried and tested recipes!

BEST CARAMELIZED ONIONS



Best Caramelized Onions image

Onions that cook down very slowly and are transformed into an extraordinarily sweet, richly colored side dish or accompaniment.

Provided by Jodi B.

Categories     Onions

Time 1h20m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 4

3 lbs onions, sliced 1/8 inch thick
8 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Melt the butter in a large skillet, add the onions.
  • Cover and cook over low heat 30 minutes.
  • Remove cover, raise the heat, stirring to keep the onions from sticking.
  • As soon as the onions begin to brown- in about 10 minutes- lower the heat.
  • Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
  • Repeat step 2.
  • Repeat step 3.
  • Add the vinegar, salt and pepper.
  • Turn the heat to high and stir with a wooden spoon until the vinegar is evaporated~ about 5 minutes.
  • This dish can be made in advance.
  • To reheat: cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
  • Large, mild-flavored onions work best.
  • Caramelized onions can be frozen in an airtight container up to three months.

R-RATED ONIONS



R-Rated Onions image

It takes the better part of an hour to coax an onion's sugars from blonde to nutty brown. Make a big batch of caramelized onions once and save them to pull out when you want all that complex flavor without having spent all that time.

Provided by Vivian Howard

Categories     The Way We're Cooking Now     Condiment     Onion     Vegetable     Soy Free     Peanut Free     Dairy Free     Tree Nut Free     Wheat/Gluten-Free     Vegetarian     Vegan

Yield Makes 2 cups

Number Of Ingredients 3

4-5 large or 6-8 medium yellow or white onions
1 Tbsp olive or vegetable oil
1 tsp kosher salt

Steps:

  • Peel your onions and cut them in half through their stem ends-longways, if you will. Slice them thinly with the grain, following the line from root to stem rather than cutting the onion across its belly. This is actually important because slicing it the other way makes the path to silky onions a longer one.
  • Once your onions are sliced, heat your skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil, then the onions and the salt. Let the onions sizzle for a couple minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon or a heatproof spatula and watch as they wilt for about 3 more minutes. At this point, reduce the heat to medium low. Put a lid on and step away for a few minutes. Give the onions a stir every now and then. You don't have to stand over it like risotto, but don't go for a walk around the block either. Caramelized bits will accumulate at the bottom and sides of the pan, and that's good. Just scrape them up and stir them in. A little color building as you go is okay, but don't rush to brown them. The point is to cook the onions gently, coaxing them through stages of raw, wilted, sweaty, soft, light brown, and finally deeply caramelized
  • About 45 minutes in, remove the lid for the last time. They should be a light caramel color. Now, with the lid off, you will need to watch more closely and stir more frequently. At some point you may find that despite your best efforts some of the caramelized bits, verging on burnt, cling to the pan and threaten over all onion ruin. Do not fret! Just add a ½ cup or so of water and use its energy to help scrape up the stubborn but tasty film. Let the water cook out of course. When you're smiling over a soft, creamy, fragrant pile of mahogany onions, you're done.
  • Note: R-Rated Onions will keep in the fridge for a week and in the freezer for 3 months.

FAMILY-FAVORITE CARAMELIZED ONIONS



Family-Favorite Caramelized Onions image

This recipe was passed down to me by my mother-in-law. After a few tweaks these onions are better than ever and, to my husband's chagrin, there are rarely any leftovers. They can easily be made ahead and reheated. -Sharon Gibson, Hendersonville, North Carolina

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Side Dishes

Time 55m

Yield 8 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 5

3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 jars (15 ounces each) whole onions, drained

Steps:

  • In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter; stir in brown sugar, lemon juice and pepper. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved, 1-2 minutes. Add onions. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook until deep golden brown, 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 135 calories, Fat 4g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 11mg cholesterol, Sodium 769mg sodium, Carbohydrate 23g carbohydrate (18g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 1g protein.

SLOW COOKER CARAMELIZED ONIONS



Slow Cooker Caramelized Onions image

Let your slow cooker do all the work of making beautifully caramelized onions. Freeze what you don't use right away so you'll have caramelized onions ready in a snap for soups, burgers, omelets, pizzas, and more.

Provided by foodelicious

Categories     Side Dish     Sauces and Condiments Recipes

Time 10h10m

Yield 16

Number Of Ingredients 3

¼ cup melted butter, divided
8 onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt

Steps:

  • Rub bottom and sides of slow cooker with 1/2 of the butter. Toss onions and salt with remaining butter in a bowl.
  • Cook onions on Low until browned and sweet, about 10 hours.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 70.8 calories, Carbohydrate 10.6 g, Cholesterol 7.6 mg, Fat 3 g, Fiber 1.9 g, Protein 1.3 g, SaturatedFat 1.9 g, Sodium 170.3 mg, Sugar 4.8 g

SIMPLE CARAMELIZED ONIONS



Simple Caramelized Onions image

Make and share this Simple Caramelized Onions recipe from Food.com.

Provided by MLBRUNKER

Categories     Onions

Time 20m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 2

1/2 cup butter (or other fat)
3 onions, sliced

Steps:

  • Put the onions in the bowl with the fat or butter. Cover the bowl and microwave for 10 minutes on high.
  • Take off the cover, and stir the onions--there should be good bit of liquid in the bowl. Microwave (uncovered) for approximately 10 more minutes, but keep an eye on it. It should get brown around the edges, so stir it periodically.
  • Eventually it'll be a brown mass of onions. If you like them crispy, microwave them a bit longer but, again, keep an eye on them--it's a real short moment between crispy and burnt.
  • You can do this in a conventional oven too, but it takes longer; say around 20 minutes at 350°F with the cover on and another 20 min with the cover off, stirring periodically. Once again, keep an eye on it.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 238.1, Fat 23.1, SaturatedFat 14.6, Cholesterol 61, Sodium 165.9, Carbohydrate 8.4, Fiber 1.2, Sugar 3.5, Protein 1

CARAMELIZED ONIONS



Caramelized Onions image

These slightly sweet onions are a flavorful topping for pizzas and pastas or as a sandwich condiment. To achieve a melt-in-your-mouth quality, the onions need to be cooked very slowly.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Healthy Recipes     Gluten-Free Recipes

Yield Makes 2 cups

Number Of Ingredients 4

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 medium to large red onions, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 teaspoon sugar
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Steps:

  • Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, and sprinkle with sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and golden brown, about 1 hour, reducing heat to medium-low about halfway through. If onions begin to stick to skillet, add 1 to 2 tablespoons water. Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper. Let cool before using.

CARAMELISED ONIONS



Caramelised onions image

Master how to make sweet, sticky caramelised onions. Perfect for adding to pasta, quiches or topping burgers and sausages

Provided by Lulu Grimes

Categories     Side dish

Time 50m

Number Of Ingredients 5

2 tbsp olive oil
3 large onions (red or white), sliced
pinch of salt
2 tbsp soft brown sugar
1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Steps:

  • Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan over a low heat.
  • Add the onions with a generous pinch of salt and cook slowly for 30-40 mins. Stir occasionally to prevent them from sticking or burning until they become soft and golden. If the onions start to catch, add a splash of water to the pan and mix well.
  • Add the sugar and vinegar to give them a sweet, slightly sharp chutney flavour. Keep cooking on a low heat for another 5 mins, stirring occasionally until the mix is sticky, the sugar has dissolved and the vinegar has reduced. The onions are now ready to serve, or use in a recipe.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 108 calories, Fat 4 grams fat, SaturatedFat 1 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 16 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 14 grams sugar, Fiber 3 grams fiber, Protein 1 grams protein, Sodium 0.2 milligram of sodium

Tips:

  • Choose the Right Onions: Yellow onions are the most common choice for caramelized onions, but you can also use white or red onions. Yellow onions have a higher sugar content, which helps them caramelize better.
  • Slice the Onions Thinly: The thinner you slice the onions, the faster they will caramelize. Aim for slices that are about 1/8-inch thick.
  • Use a Heavy-Bottomed Pan: A heavy-bottomed pan will help distribute the heat evenly and prevent the onions from burning.
  • Cook the Onions Slowly and Patiently: Caramelizing onions takes time. Cook them over low heat for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour, stirring occasionally.
  • Add a Little Acid: A splash of vinegar, lemon juice, or white wine can help to balance the sweetness of the onions.
  • Use Aromatics: Aromatics like garlic, shallots, and thyme can add extra flavor to your caramelized onions.
  • Don't Crowd the Pan: If you overcrowd the pan, the onions will steam instead of caramelize.
  • Watch the Temperature: Caramelized onions should be cooked at a low temperature to prevent them from burning. The ideal temperature is around 250°F.

Conclusion:

Caramelized onions are a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes, from burgers and sandwiches to pizzas and pasta. They add a sweet, savory, and slightly smoky flavor to any dish. With a little patience and attention to detail, you can easily make caramelized onions at home. So next time you're looking for a way to add some extra flavor to your meal, give caramelized onions a try!

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