How to Caramelize Onions – How to Make Caramelized Onions

Ah, caramelized onions—they’re practically magical, when you think about it: What started out as crisp, crunchy leeks that could bring us to tears (here’s how to chop onions without crying, in case you’re wondering) is rendered over time into a sweet, umami-laden, and almost compote-like batch of irresistibility. They’re an ideal topping for burgers and pizza, add pizzazz to simple pasta dishes, and can be added to almost anything savory, from sauces to breads. Ree Drummond’s also conquered the French onion soup market — essentially a liquid ode to caramelized onions — creating engaging riffs that capitalize on their size, from a French onion and chicken casserole to French onion-stuffed mushrooms.

To be honest, the only downside to caramelized onions is that their volume is reduced to a fraction of what you started with, and it takes willpower to curb the impulse to eat them all at once with a spoon. So without further ado, here’s how to caramelize onions!

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Step 1: Choose your onions.

Feel free to use whatever you have on hand – yellow, white, cute or even red. All types of onions contain sugar, which facilitates caramelization. Generally, cook 5 large onions to about 2 cups of caramelized onions.

Step 2: Prepare your onions.

Halve the onion through the root and peel and discard the onion skin. Lay the onion flat on its cut end, then thinly slice perpendicular to the root end to form crescents. These cook into silky strands, but you can also dice onions. Any preparation will work – just remember that the thickness of the onion will ultimately affect the cooking time.

Step 3: Heat fat in a pan.

You can use butter, olive oil, a combination of both, or even rendered bacon fat. Neutral cooking oils like canola or vegetable oil can also be used, but they don’t add a nuanced flavor to the dish like butter and olive oil. Butter adds its own unique flavor but has a low smoke point (meaning it will begin to break down and burn at higher cooking temperatures), making it ideal for pairing with olive oil.

Regardless of what you use, start the heat on medium to heat the fat, adjusting as needed to prevent burning and properly facilitate the caramelization process.

Step 4: Caramelize the onions.

Once your fat element has been added to the pan and heated, add the onions! Season with salt and cook, stirring to coat the fat, then letting time and medium-low heat work together to achieve the purpose of this story: caramelized onions! Best – or rather traditional-Results, take the sweet time to slowly cook the sliced ​​onion over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Some recipes take 20 minutes to cook and others take over an hour — Ree calls her French Onion Potato Soup a “bowl from heaven,” and she gets the job done in under 15 minutes! Find your own way to the sweet and silky strands of gold, even as the literal cooking time changes with each batch; Your only goal is to get there slowly and give the natural sugars in onions time to properly cook and caramelize.

Step 5: Deglaze pan (optional).

If the onions start to burn or stick to the bottom of the pan, deglaze the pan with a splash of liquid.

Step 6: Save any leftover caramelized onions (also optional).

If leftovers, store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.