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I have the secret to perfect Caramelized Red Onions right here! You might think making caramelized onions is time-consuming and difficult to get right, but trust me: once you learn how to caramelize onions this way, you’ll find every excuse to make them. Ready in 20 minutes!
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Quick Caramelized Onions
One of my favorite toppings for any meal is caramelized onions. I love how sweet they are, and they always add so much flavor to a dish!
Some of my favorite recipes to use them for are steaks or a Hot Roast Beef Sandwich. Not to mention, caramelized onions on mushroom swiss burgers… yum!
It’s said you have to slowly cook your onions for an hour to get them to caramelize properly, but I am here to tell you that isn’t true. You can have perfectly caramelized onions in less than 20 minutes following my guide on how to caramelize onions!
It’s honestly so easy, but there’s a trick to getting them just right. You want perfectly browned, sweet, flavorful onions, and I have the secret. It takes just a small handful of ingredients and a few simple steps!
Caramelized Onions Recipe Ingredients
- Butter
- Onions
- Brown sugar
- Soy sauce
- Balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper
How to Caramelize Onions
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced red onions to the pan and saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Mix in brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Stir and continue cooking until the onions are golden-brown and soft, around 15-17 minutes.
How Long to Caramelize Onions
You may have read it takes at least an hour to caramelize onions, but you don’t need that much time. You can caramelize onions in as little as 20 minutes with the help of brown sugar. Balsamic vinegar helps balance out the flavor so the onions don’t become overly sweet!
Caramelized Onion Recipe Tips
- Red wine vinegar, vermouth, or whiskey can be used in place of balsamic vinegar, if you wish.
- I love the flavor of red onions for caramelized onions, but you can also use sweet yellow or white onions if you prefer.
- Remember, onions shrink when caramelized. You may need more than you think if you’re cooking for a large group. It’s best to make extra and freeze any leftovers you don’t need right away.
How to Freeze Caramelized Onions
- After cooking, allow your onions to cool.
- Portion cooled onions into a container of your choice. I like using ice cube trays for small portions! Freezer bags work well if you want to freeze it all at once. Flatten them out in the bag so they freeze evenly and don’t take up much space.
- Freeze for up to 3 months. Make sure to label with the freezing date.
- Use straight out of the freezer. You don’t need to thaw them before using them. Simply add them to whatever you’re cooking and allow them to cook down with the rest of the meal.
Note: Since caramelizing onions shrinks them, you may want to increase the amount you’re using if you’re freezing a batch. An easy way to do this is to simply double the ingredients in the recipe and cook double the amount.
I love to make a big batch of caramelized onions and freeze some to use on short notice!
How to Use Caramelized Onions
There are so many ways to use these perfect caramelized onions in all your favorite recipes. Here are a few of my favorite ways to use them – let me know yours in the comments!
- Saute them with mushrooms, like my Sautéed Mushrooms and Onions
- Or, saute them with peppers – just add the peppers later in the cooking time: Sauteed Peppers and Onions
- Top a burger with them, as in my Fried Egg Burger
- Add them to steak, like my Perfect Reverse Sear Ribeye
- or, add them to a Philly Pork Sandwich!
Also try my Pickled Onions! If you love caramelized onions, you’ll go wild for my pickled onions recipe – trust me!
Did you try this recipe? Leave a comment and a rating below to let us know what you think! We love to hear from you!
📋 Recipe
Caramelized Red Onions
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 red onion cut into thin slices
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
See our Cooking Conversions Chart for help converting measurements!
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced red onions to the pan and saute for 2-3 minutes.2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 red onion
- Mix in brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, salt, and pepper.2 Tablespoons brown sugar, 3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, salt, pepper
- Stir and continue cooking until the onions are golden-brown and soft, around 15-17 minutes.
- Enjoy with burgers, steaks, and more!
Video
Notes
- Red wine vinegar, vermouth, or whiskey can be used in place of balsamic vinegar, if you wish.
- I love the flavor of red onions for caramelized onions, but you can also use sweet yellow or white onions if you prefer.
- Remember, onions shrink when caramelized. You may need more than you think if you’re cooking for a large group. It’s best to make extra and freeze any leftovers you don’t need right away.
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