These caramelized onions are the slow-cooked, golden goodness you have had at restaurants but didn’t know you could make at home. Skip all the unnecessary steps you’ll read elsewhere and trust this super simple basic recipe, it’s perfect.
Caramelized Onions
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45-60 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 4 large yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (or unsalted butter, or a mix of both)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Optional: ½ cup red wine (or more)
DIRECTIONS
- Prep: Slice the onions in half from root to tip, then slice into thin half-moons.
- Start cooking: Heat the olive oil (or butter) in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add onions: Add the sliced onions and salt. Stir to coat them in the oil. Let them cook slowly, stirring every few minutes.
- Caramelize gently: Continue to cook for 35–45 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the onions start to stick or brown too quickly, lower the heat. You’re aiming for a deep golden-brown color and jammy texture.
- Optional: Deglaze with red wine. Once the onions are caramelized, increase the heat to medium-high and pour in some red wine. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer until the wine is mostly reduced and absorbed — about 3–5 minutes.
- As always, read the notes below for substitutions, tips, and storage.
NOTES
- The amount of salt and pepper is just a suggestion, I never measure these out and instead just add to taste.
- I almost always use red wine to deglaze my caramelized onions as I usually pair these with a burger and that flavor profile works nicely. You can also use chicken stock, beer, or even just water. I recommend deglazing no mater what to lift the burned bits off the pan and to rehydrate the onions.
- The secret to these prefect caramelized onions are to not stir too frequently (or else they won’t brown properly) but also to not let them stick too long and burn. The sweet spot is sitting long enough to just begin to stick, and then giving them a stir to prevent a burn from setting in.
- You can also add a splash of balsamic vinegar at the very end to brighten up the flavor.
- Serve or store: Use immediately or let cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
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