How to Make the Best Caramelized Onions

Making the best Caramelized Onions is easy, but there are a few things to keep in mind.

Once you have the technique down for properly caramelizing onions, you're well on your way to enjoying them in a multitude of dishes, such as these French Onion Pork Chops (shown below).

The trick to making deliciously deep caramelized onions is to cook them low and slow. It's a process that shouldn't be rushed, so settle in and give those babies time to develop their best flavor.

What does caramelizing mean?

To cook (or sear) food for enough time to bring out its natural sugars, making whatever you're cooking turn a lovely caramel color.

How long does it take to properly caramelize onions?

It will take at least 45 minutes of cooking over medium heat for the deepest, richest color and flavor.

Let the skillet do the brunt of the work, and you only need to supervise from time to time.

What fats should be used when making sweet sauteed onions?

I like to use olive oil and butter, but you can also use avocado, grapeseed, canola, vegetable, or sunflower oil.

Can sugar be used to help speed up the caramelizing process?

Yes, but use a tiny bit only. Remember that caramelizing onions brings out their sweetness, so adding sugar can potentially cause the onions to be overly sweet. Use sugar sparingly, if at all. One teaspoon is what I caution, and no more.

My kitchen tool recommendations for caramelizing onions:

I prefer using a large cast iron skillet because it produces the very best color when caramelizing and provides the most uniform heat, but any large, heavy-bottomed skillet will work.

Hands down, my very favorite tool in the kitchen is this slotted spatula (otherwise known as a fish spatula).

It is thin enough to bend (if needed) yet firm enough to easily scrape (deglaze), lift, flip, and stir, and its angled edge makes it perfect for getting into the rim of any pan or skillet. I reach for it every single day!

No matter which knife you choose to slice your onions (I tend to use my chef's knife or my santoku), keeping it sharp is the safest thing you can do in the kitchen.

Did you know that a dull knife leads to more injuries in the kitchen than a sharp knife? Why? Because dull knives tend to slip off the food instead of slicing through it.

A knife sharpener should be used frequently in the kitchen before any slicing or injuries happen.

Another of my favorite kitchen tools when slicing lots and lots of onions (or anything for that matter) is this very large cutting board.

Nothing is more frustrating than using a cutting board that is too small for the job, and the food continues to fall off. I like my sliced onions to stay on the board until it's time to transfer them into the skillet.

My tip is to invest in the largest cutting board that your countertop will allow. You'll be glad you did.

And since we're talking about transferring sliced onions to a skillet on the stovetop, the easiest way to move them without dropping more on the floor than into the skillet is to use a bench scraper/food mover.

This tool is simple in design but is a kitchen workhorse for many different tasks. You'll reach for it nearly every day, and if you don't already have one, you'll wonder how you ever got along without it.

My final kitchen tool recommendation is to have a specified garbage bowl close by when peeling and slicing onions.

Since you'll have lots of bits, bobs, and onion skin to discard, the last thing you'll probably want is to make a million trips to the kitchen garbage can.

Disposing of all the debris into the garbage bowl as you work will save you time and aggravation and will likely keep your work area cleaner with only one trip to the kitchen can when the job is done.

I use my garbage bowl every single day. It's a simple pleasure, but one that I truly appreciate!

What are the best onions to use?

I like using large Spanish onions or yellow onions best. However, sweet onions like Wala Wala and Vidalia will also work wonderfully well.

Red or white onions aren't recommended for caramelizing as they don't have the same depth of flavor as the other onion varieties once caramelized.

After all, if you're going to take the time to caramelize onions, you're also going to want optimal flavor.

When to season caramelized onions?

I like adding salt and pepper after the onions have been in the skillet for a while and have gotten a head start on their color.

Twenty minutes in is a good barometer. Once salt is added, the onions release water, slowing the browning process.

How and when to deglaze the skillet for more flavor?

Deglazing is the term used when adding liquid to a pan in order to scrape up the stuck bits of browned food from the bottom of a skillet or pan.

Deglazing is all about getting every last bit of flavor from what's been cooking and not leaving anything behind in the pan.

Typically, only a tiny amount of liquid is needed to deglaze (¼ to ½ cup is all you'll need).

The liquid can vary depending on what you're making. Water is always a fine choice, but wine, stock, or broth are some very popular choices.

Once the liquid has been added, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan or skillet will be very easy.

Be sure to complete the deglazing step for the very best caramelized onion flavor.

What is the best way to slice onions for caramelizing?

The choice is yours.

They're usually sliced into long, thin strips for French onion soup, sandwich toppings, or pasta dishes.

However, depending on what you will use them for, you may prefer to chop or dice the onions before caramelizing them to make them more manageable to serve and eat.

Can caramelized onions be made in advance?

They sure can.

Since caramelizing onions takes a bit of time, you can certainly make them in advance and keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

How long can caramelized onions be kept in the refrigerator?

They'll store perfectly well (covered in an airtight container) in the refrigerator for up to 7 days, and then you can use them however you see fit to enhance so many different dishes.

Can caramelized onions be frozen?

You bet!

Store them in airtight freezer containers or zip-top bags, and they'll keep in the freezer for up to 4 months.

Please note that it may be wise to portion the caramelized onions into smaller containers to freeze if you plan to use them randomly and where you won't need a lot at once. Use them as needed.

What other methods can be used to caramelize onions?

The stovetop is, without a doubt, the best way to get the deepest, richest, and most flavorful caramelized onions.

However, I've also tried caramelizing them in the slow cooker and in the air fryer (see video below), but the results were rather lackluster if I do say so myself.

Do herbs need to be included when making caramelized onions?

No. Not at all.

You'll notice that I add a sprig or two of fresh thyme, with most of my recipes featuring caramelized onions. I so enjoy that flavor combination, so that's what I typically do.

You can certainly leave the thyme out. Or, if you're feeling feisty and adventurous, you can substitute another hearty, woodsy herb (one with substance that can withstand the long cooking process) and have fun experimenting with flavors.

Recipes featuring caramelized onions:

The recipes below are ones that I've developed over the years featuring caramelized onions.

As time goes on, I plan to add more and more dishes to the list because caramelized onions are one of my favorite things, and I love to develop recipes around this rich and delicious flavor profile.

I hope you'll enjoy the following list. Please let me know if you've tried any of these recipes or if you plan to. I sincerely hope you enjoy each and every one!

Should you have any questions or comments regarding anything you've seen on my site, please don't hesitate to reach out to contact me. It is always my distinct pleasure to get back with you just as soon as I possibly can!

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