Learn how to caramelize onions the best way for a delicious, sweet topping for burgers or as an ingredient for dips, soups, or bread with this step-by-step guide.
These sweet onions are delicious with meat or baked potatoes, but they are also the basis for a classic French onion soup, caramelized onion dip, and onion bread.
I also find them tasty on a homemade hamburger or a pizza with tomato sauce and pesto.
Many recipes for caramelized onion contain sugar, but it is not really necessary. If you cook the onions very slowly, the sugars are released from the onion, which slowly caramelizes.
The number of onions may seem a bit much, but don't let that stop you. They shrink a lot, and what is left can be kept in the fridge or frozen!
Ingredients
Onion - I always use regular onions for this recipe. You can also make this recipe very well with red onions or shallots.
Butter - I always use unsalted butter in my recipes because I prefer to add salt later. If you use salted butter, leave out the salt. You could also replace the butter with olive oil or sunflower oil.
Instructions
Clean the onions and cut them into thin (half) rings. Melt the butter in a thick-bottomed pan, add the onion rings and sprinkle with salt.
Turn the heat down low and fry the onions until they have a nice, deep brown color. Since this can take up to an hour, it's essential to keep stirring the onions so they don't burn.
The longer you let the onions caramelize, the more intense the flavor becomes. However, it is important to scrape well across the bottom of the pan to prevent any caked-on bits from burning.
If the loosening is a little difficult, you can add some balsamic vinegar, water, or wine to make the loosening a little easier.
Equipment
Dutch oven - because the onions need to be on for so long, it is essential to use a pan with a thick bottom. A thin bottom will cause the onions to get too hot and thus burn. I personally always use an enamel Dutch oven when I make caramelized onions.
A cutting board with a sharp knife to cut the onions into rings.
Storage
Caramelized onion can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week. In the freezer, they will stay good for about three months.
Let the onions cool well first, then divide them into portions in advance. This makes it easier to defrost the right amount.
How to caramelize onions
Learn how to caramelize onions the best way for a delicious, sweet topping for burgers or as an ingredient for dips, soups, or bread with this step-by-step guide.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 4 large onions
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Peel the onions and cut them into slices. You want the onion slices to be about the same size, so they cook at the same rate.
- Melt some butter in a heavy-bottomed pan and add the onions and salt.
- When the onions become soft, turn down the heat and let them cook for about 40-60 minutes while occasionally stirring. Make sure not to let them burn. You can add some water when they start to stick to the bottom of the pan.
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