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Caramelized Onions

Gardening Guide: The Outstanding Onion Gardening Guide: All You Need to Know About Growing, Harvesting, Cooking, and Eating Delicious Onions

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Caramelized Onions

By Norann Oleson

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Caramelized Onions

Caramelized Onions

There’s something so satisfying about the smell, taste, and texture of caramelized onions. They’re the focal point in French onion soup, and they can add a whole new dimension to your cooking. Use them to top a pizza, make a rich onion dip, or wherever your culinary imagination takes you.

Caramel comes from cooking sugar. Onions are naturally sweet; as you slowly cook them, they’ll release their own sugars, which will begin the caramelization process. You may see recipes that call for adding sugar to the onions; if you’re using sweet onions, you don’t really need any extra sugar.

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Caramelized Onions

Caramelized Onions

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There’s something so satisfying about the smell, taste, and texture of caramelized onions. They’re the focal point in French onion soup, and they can add a whole new dimension to your cooking.

  • Author: Norann Oleson
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 2 cups 1x
  • Category: Sides & Sauces

Ingredients

Scale
  • 5 large onions (the sweeter, the better)
  • 5 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 5 tablespoons Butter
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (optional, depending on the type of onions you’re using)
  • Splash of balsamic vinegar or wine (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cut a half inch off the stem end of the onions.
  2. Cut the onions in half from stem end to root end.
  3. Remove outer skins.
  4. Lay the onion halves, cut side down, and slice into the onion from the stem end toward the root end. Don’t cut into the root end; you’re using it to help hold the slices together until you’re done.
  5. Once you’ve made all your slicing cuts, cut a V into the root end of the onion to release the slices. Put the slices into a bowl and continue the process with the rest of the onions.
  6. Heat a wide, thick-bottomed pan (or a broad cast iron skillet) on medium-high heat and add olive oil and butter,
  7. When the butter is melted and the oil starts to shimmer, add your onions and stir to coat.
  8. Spread the onions out so they all get equal contact with the bottom of the pan.
  9. Turn the heat down to medium or medium-low; this is a slow cooking process. You don’t want the onions to burn.
  10. After about 10 minutes, add a little salt to the onions. This is where you can also add about a teaspoon of sugar, if you really want to. If you’re using sweet onions, don’t bother. Add a tiny bit of water to the pan to keep the onions from sticking. Stir every few minutes.
  11. Turn the heat to low and continue to cook the onions for another half hour, stirring them every few minutes. When the onions start sticking to the pan, leave them there for a few minutes so they can brown, then stir them again. Don’t let them burn!
  12. Add a little olive oil if the onions are sticking too much.
  13. Scrape the browned bits of onion on the bottom of the pan as you go. Continue this process as the onions turn a richer, deeper brown.
  14. When the onions look about done, you can add a splash of balsamic vinegar, wine, or even just a little water to deglaze the pan and scrape up the last bits of tasty caramelized onions.
  15. Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week.

Have you tried this recipe? Caramelized onions can add rich flavor to your cooking. Please tell us how these onions turned out for you.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • Curator’s Corner
  • Introduction
  • Feature Articles

  • Types of Onion Plants
  • Choosing to Grow Onions from Seeds, Transplants, or Sets
  • Growing Onions in Open Land, in Raised Beds, or in Containers
  • Starting with the Right Soil for Your Onion Plants
  • Companion Planting with Your Onion Crop: What to Plant Nearby—and What to Keep at a Distance
  • The Right Sunlight for Your Onion Plants
  • Should You Fertilize Your Onion Plants?
  • How—and When—to Water Your Onion Plants
  • How to Spot, Treat, and Prevent Onion Diseases
  • Bulb Rot in Onion Plants: How to Identify, Treat, and Prevent Different Types of Bulb Rot
  • What to Do About Pests that Can Harm Your Onion Plants
  • The Right Way to Weed Your Onion Patch
  • Why Do Onions Make You Cry?
  • Onion Harvesting, Curing, and Storage Tips
  • Essential Tools and Equipment for Growing and Enjoying Onions
  • Plant Profiles

  • Dutch Yellow Shallots
  • French Red Shallots
  • Patterson Onions
  • Walla Walla Onions
  • Southport Red Globe Onions
  • White Sweet Spanish Onions
  • Utah Yellow Sweet Spanish Onions
  • Candy Onions
  • Red Burgundy Onions
  • Yellow Granex Onions
  • Early White Grano Onions
  • Recipes

  • Caramelized Onions
  • Easy Onion Dinner Rolls
  • Onions in a Pickle
  • French Onion Soup
  • Scalloped Onions
  • Onion-Topped Focaccia Bread
  • No-Guilt Onion Bloom
  • Additional Articles

  • Nutrition Facts about Onions
  • Home Remedies & Health Benefits of Onions
  • Resources about Onions
  • Onion Glossary
  • Related Articles

  • The Best Vegetables to Plant Together for an Unbelievable Harvest
  • 10 Deer-Resistant Vegetables and Herbs
  • Are You Storing Onions the Wrong Way? Learn How to Store Every Variety
  • Best Tips for Handling Onions
  • 5 Tips for Growing a Healthy Harvest of Onions This Year

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