Discover ways to caramelize onions in only a few minutes, with little or no effort! They’re the right addition to dips, burgers, tacos and extra!
Caramelized onions are simple to make with simply two elements, and these onions are an incredible addition to so many recipes!

It looks like such a easy factor, proper? Nicely, I’m typically requested easy methods to caramelize onions and it’s a kind of issues I simply do, with out fascinated about.
Type of like how my grandma baked – a little of this, a pinch of that. I noticed when attempting to elucidate to my sister that I ought to share easy methods to caramelize onions in slightly extra element.
These onions are tremendous easy to make and the ultimate outcomes are barely candy onions which have retained their juices. I discover one of the best recipes that you simply use time and time once more are sometimes the only, and this one specifically makes an look on a weekly foundation in our home!
The perfect half? You simply want two primary elements to make these melt-in-your-mouth onions!


Why You’ll Love These Onions
- Really easy
- Pantry elements
- Excellent topping for therefore many recipes
- Preserve effectively in fridge or freezer
Components for Caramelized Onions
- Onions – The perfect onions for caramelizing are your favourite form! White, yellow, or crimson onions all work fantastically on this recipe. Shallots additionally caramelize effectively. Be taught easy methods to lower an onion right here!
- Oil – Vegetable oil, olive oil or butter


Easy methods to Caramelize Onions
- Slice Onions – I usually use two uncooked onions as a result of one is rarely sufficient. It could look like so much when they’re uncooked, however as soon as they caramelize, they scale back considerably in dimension.Â
- Sauté – Place them in your pan over medium warmth. I continuously use my forged iron skillet, however any will do. Permit the butter to soften or the oil to warmth, then add the onoins and toss utilizing my secret weapon – tongs. Permit to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Caramelize – Stirring sometimes, caramelize for one more 10 minutes and as much as half an hour longer. Relying on how caramelized you’d like them to be, you may cook dinner them on low for as much as one hour in complete.




Variations
Brown Sugar – Add in a tablespoon of brown sugar.
Balsamic Vinegar – Deglazing with balsamic helps launch any of these yummy browned bits from the underside of the pan..
Cayenne – Add a 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne to spice it up.
Oil – As an alternative of butter, caramelize your onions in any sort of oil.
Serving Recommendations
There’s not often per week after I don’t have a giant batch of onions cooking to make one thing fabulous! These onions aren’t only for French Onion Soup or Onion Dip, they honestly add an incredible taste to enliven any meal!
Scaling up, down or substituting? You’ll love this printable Measurement Conversion Chart!


Often Requested Questions
Onions are candy by nature earlier than cooking, and caramelizing is the method of drawing these sugars within the onions out slowly as they cook dinner.
What’s the distinction between caramelized onions and sauteed onions?
Browning is a a lot faster cooking course of, and whereas it really works to melt the onions, it doesn’t convey out the identical candy caramelized taste. Caramelizing takes wherever from 20 minutes to an hour, relying on how low and sluggish you cook dinner your onions.
Why are my onions not caramelizing?
Don’t pack too many within the pan! This creates an excessive amount of steam and gained’t enable them to interrupt down and brown, which brings the caramelized sugars to the floor.
What’s the easiest way to slice onions for caramelizing?
I wish to slice my onions into 1/4-inch skinny slices. They don’t have to be excellent however try to hold them comparatively uniform, so that they cook dinner evenly.
Why are my onions burning as an alternative of caramelizing?
Burning of the onions typically happens when the warmth is just too excessive. Cooking them low and sluggish permits sufficient time for the onions to launch their pure sugars, leading to that stunning coloration and scrumptious taste.Â
Can I take advantage of bacon fats as an alternative of butter?
Completely! Utilizing leftover bacon grease will add one other layer of taste.




Dietary Concerns
Caramelized onions are naturally gluten, dairy, and nut-free. You may make them vegan by substituting the butter with plant-based cooking oils like olive, avocado, sunflower, canola, sesame, or flaxseed oil.Â
Extra Cooking Guides
Slice onions and put them in a pan over medium warmth.
Drizzle with vegetable oil, then toss to coat. Cowl the onions with a lid and cook dinner for 10 minutes.
Stir the onions, change the lid and allow them to proceed to caramelize for one more 10 minutes.
Stir and proceed cooking for one more 5 minutes, when golden brown and comfortable.
Ideas
- Oil – Don’t use greater than 2 tablespoons of oil or butter, or the sautéed onions can turn out to be too greasy. Remember to put a lid on the sauté pan – this hastens the cooking and helps the onions retain their moisture.
- Make them Vegan – To make the onions vegan, use a plant-based oil or butter.
- Relying on how caramelized you’d like them to be, you may cook dinner your onions on low warmth for as much as one hour in complete.
To Retailer
- Refrigerate – As soon as the onions are cooked, allow them to cool to room temperature and place them in an hermetic container within the fridge and they’ll hold as much as 7 days. You possibly can then use them as is in recipes, or you may reheat them gently on the stovetop to serve.
- Freeze – Retailer in an hermetic container or freezer bag for as much as 3 months. Double wrap to keep away from onion odor seeping into different frozen items. If you would like only a single serving of the onions, freeze them in ice dice trays and simply come out a dice as wanted.
Energy: 31kcal | Fats: 4g | Saturated Fats: 1g
Estimated vitamin data is supplied as a courtesy and isn’t assured.