How to Make Caramelized Onions
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5
How to Make Caramelized Onions
Description
How to Make Caramelized Onions offers two approaches to achieve deeply browned, sweet onions. The stovetop method requires cooking onions slowly in butter and olive oil over medium-low heat while stirring frequently to develop an even caramelization over about 45 minutes. A small amount of brown sugar can be added for white onions to encourage browning. Alternatively, the slow cooker method uses a larger quantity of sliced onions combined with butter and salt, cooked covered on low for 8-10 hours, yielding tender, richly flavored onions with minimal attention needed.
The result is onions transformed from sharp and raw to sweet, soft, and brown with a complex flavor, perfect as a topping for sandwiches, burgers, or incorporation into sauces and recipes that benefit from a mellow onion sweetness. Using a non-stick pan in the stovetop method helps prevent burning and sticking, while the slow cooker method requires less hands-on time but longer cooking.
Choose sweeter onions like red, Walla Walla, or Vidalia to potentially omit brown sugar, as their natural sugars aid caramelization. This flexible recipe allows you to control sweetness and cooking time based on your onion type and preferred method.
Ingredients
- 6 large onion approx. 2 pounds, any kind, I prefer white onion
- 3 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ tablespoon brown sugar optional, see note
- salt to taste
Or Slow Cooker Caramelized Onions
- 3 pounds onion sliced
- ½ cup butter unsalted
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Stovetop
- In a large non-stick pan, cook onions, butter, olive oil and brown sugar over medium low heat.
- Stir frequently until golden and caramelized. (About 45 minutes).
Slow Cooker
- Combine sliced onions, butter and salt (no brown sugar required).
- Stir, cover and cook on low 8-10 hours.
Notes
- Use brown sugar when cooking white onions to enhance caramelization and sweetness.
- Sweet onion varieties like red or Vidalia may not need added sugar because of their natural sugars.
- Stovetop cooking takes about 45 minutes with frequent stirring; slow cooker requires 8-10 hours but less active attention.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 261 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 261 | 13% |
| Carbohydrates | 25g | 8% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 17g | 26% |
| Saturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 41mg | 14% |
| Sodium | 158mg | 7% |
| Potassium | 368mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 12g | 24% |
| Vitamin A | 485IU | 10% |
| Vitamin C | 18.7mg | 21% |
| Calcium | 63mg | 6% |
| Iron | 0.5mg | 3% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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