How Do You Make Caramelized Onions
Ever wonder, how do you make caramelized onions? Well, you’re in luck, because this step-by-step guide will have you enjoying the deep sweet caramelized notes in under 45 minutes.
I’m a sucker for caramelized onions. If they’re on a menu, you better bet it’s what I’m ordering. What makes caramelized onions special is that it can be topped on just about anything and it takes it directly to a blissful place of “mmmm!“
Top it on a burger, on a pizza, in a patty melt, on a steak, mix it in with roasted veggies, top a crostini with some goat cheese and caramelized onion…no matter how you decide to use it, this step by step guide on how to make caramelized onions will have you saying yasss to the endless possibilities.
This post is about how do you make caramelized onions.
How Do You Make Caramelized Onions
What do I need to make caramelized onions?
To make this recipe, you will need:
- Onions: Any color will do here: yellow, white, or red. I use yellow onion in this recipe.
- Olive Oil and Butter: This is the fat that allows the onion to slowly cook and soften as it caramelizes.
- Salt: To taste.
How do make easy caramelized onions?
To start, peel and slice all of the onion. Chop the ends of the onion off, cut them in half, and lay them flat on a cutting board. Slice the onions as evenly as possible, about 1/4 inch thick.
Note: It’s up to you how thin or thick you would like to cut the onion. Thinner slices will caramelize quicker but will result in a stringier caramelized onion final product. Thicker slices will take longer to caramelize.
Next, add the butter and oil in a big, flat-bottom skillet on medium heat. Then, add the onion slices and salt. Cook until soft on medium heat, stirring occasionally. This should take about 7-10 minutes.
Note: It may look like a lot of onion in the pan, but it will cook down tremendously. This much onion results in about a cup or so of the final product.
Once softened, lower the temperature to a low-medium. This is where the process slows down to allow the natural sugars of the onion to come out and thus, caramelize.
Stir every 5 minutes or so. Allow the onion to slightly stick to the bottom of the pan to create that golden caramel color. Scrape it off as you stir periodically.
Note: If you find that the onion sticks too much to the pan, you can add just a teaspoon of water and continue with the process. As you can see in the photos below, the onion starts to brown more and more as the process continues.
The longer you let it cook, the darker and sweeter the onion will get. Once you’ve achieved a dark golden brown, it’s done.
Now comes the fun part, topping off burgers, pizzas, or crostini with this stuff…yum!
How do I store caramelized onions?
Store the caramelized onions in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
You may also freeze them in portions and let them thaw out in the refrigerator when you are ready to use them. Using ice cube trays may help in portioning them out, or simply wrap them in aluminum foil and freeze it. Don’t forget to label it with the contents and date so it can be consumed within 3 months, if stored properly.
If you like this recipe, you may also enjoy these other delicious toppings:
- Best Honey Balsamic Glaze Recipe
- Homemade Teriyaki Sauce Recipe
- Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing
- Creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce
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This post was about how do you make caramelized onions.
How Do You Make Caramelized Onions
Ingredients
- 5 small yellow onions
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Peel and slice the onion. Cut them in half, and lay them flat on a cutting board. Slice the onions as evenly as possible, about 1/4 inch thick.Note: It's up to you how thin or thick you would like to cut the onion. Thinner slices will caramelize quicker but will result in a stringier caramelized onion final product. Thicker slices will take longer to caramelize.
- Next, add the butter and oil in a big, flat-bottom skillet on medium heat. Add the onion slices and salt. Cook until soft on medium heat, stirring occasionally. This should take about 7-10minutes.Note: It may look like a lot of onion in the pan, but it will cook down tremendously.
- Once softened, lower the temperature to a low-medium. This is where the process slows down to allow the natural sugars of the onion to come out and thus, caramelize.
- Stir every 5 minutes or so. Allow the onion to slightly stick to the bottom of the pan to create that golden caramel color. Scrape it off as you stir periodically. Note: If you find that the onion sticks too much to the pan, you can add just a teaspoon of water and continue with the process. As you can see in the photos above in the post, the onion starts to achieve that golden brown as the process continues.
- The longer you let it cook, the darker and sweeter the onion will get. Once you've achieved a dark golden brown, it's done.