Caramelized Onions

By Ali Slagle

Updated June 23, 2024

  • Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 2
Total Time
40 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(419)
Comments
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Soft, caramelized onions can add sweetness and richness to any dish that calls for sautéed onions, but they are especially good in soups, curries, sandwiches, pastas and dips — which is to say, everywhere. (Keep a container on hand, refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for a couple months.) Typically a time-intensive process, this recipe speeds things up by starting the onions covered to help release their liquid and repeatedly pouring in water and scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate the delicious browned bits. Be sure to stand by and stir the onions often to prevent burning, although you’ll want to anyway to soak up their smell.

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Ingredients

Yield:1 packed cup

  • 2 pounds yellow or red onions

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • Salt

  • Water or chicken stock, as needed

  • 1 tablespoon white wine or vinegar (optional, for tangy flavor)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

85 grams carbs; 61 milligrams cholesterol; 579 calories; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 24 grams fat; 15 grams fiber; 2232 milligrams sodium; 10 grams protein; 39 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Trim the tips of the onions, then halve them through the root and peel them. Thinly slice the halved onions from tip to tip.

  2. Step 2

    Melt the butter in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high. Once foaming, add the onions, season with salt and stir to combine. Cover and let steam, stirring once or twice, until softened and just beginning to brown, 3 to 6 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Reduce heat to medium and remove the cover. Stir frequently until the onions are deep brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Every time you see browned bits on the skillet, add a couple tablespoons of water and scrape up the bits. Add the wine, if using, and stir until evaporated, then season to taste with salt.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
419 user ratings
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Comments

Chris

My recipe is better. It's more like onion confit, though: 1: heat olive oil in pan over medium heat. 2: add a lot of sliced onions with salt. 3: cook until soft, stirring now and then. 4: turn off heat. let sit. 5: at some point, when it occurs to you, turn on the heat again and get the onions sizzling a bit. turn off the heat. 6: repeat over the course of the day, whenever you in the kitchen. eventually you have onions so sweet, and a little chewy, that even children eat them out of the pan.

Dan

For caramelized onions that don't need to watched over, use a slow cooker. Takes longer, but you are free to wander away.

nub

15 to 20 minutes is much quicker than I have ever achieved. More like 30 to 40 minutes at very low heat.

Lulu

So much easier to get caramelized onions using this method. I used to stir for at least 20 minutes without getting the results I wanted. Using water to deglaze the pan and not burn the onions is a good trick.

Maui Bill

I tend to overdo things, I got a half dozen large sweet Maui onions halved them, halved them again, sliced thin used a 12qt enameled cast iron pot with olive oil and just salt and pepper. Rendered for over 3 hours on medium low, stirred every 15 minutes. The result is onion candy. Put it on anything, or just eat it alone.

CR

Question: Would deglazing the brown bits stuck to the plan with a liquid other than water (stock? wine??) add depth of flavor? Or just be insane and ruin the whole thing? Thanks!

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