3 Easy Ways to Caramelize Onions
Caramelized onions,
onion pieces cooked low and slow in a skillet with butter and olive oil
are part of many recipes
because they add a wonderful layer of flavor
The downside of caramelized onions
is that they take 20-30 minutes to make
and you have to stir them every 2-3 minutes
Since Patience is not my middle name,
and I’ve found 3 ways to make this step easy peasy
so you can focus on making your recipe
Method #1, Foil
Slice onion/onions
Stack slices on a square of foil with a pat of butter,
a drizzle of Olive oil, S & P
Bring sides up to form tight packets
Roast at 400 for 1 hour
Cut slices in smaller pieces or whatever the recipe calls for
These baked onions don’t have any darker areas,
but they do have tons of flavor
Method #2, Sheet Pan
Another short cut way to make caramelized onions
is on a sheet pan in the oven
Drizzle them with olive oil, salt and pepper,
toss to coat and spread them out into an even layer
Give them a sprinkle of water
which helps them steam and soften
These take about the same time as cooking them in a skillet
but you don’t have to stand there for 30 minutes stirring them!
Remove from the oven when they are brown
and beginning to char, 30-40 minutes
Even though mine look a little burnt
they had incredible flavor and didn’t taste burnt at all
Method #3, Slow Cooker
These slow cooker onions take 14 hours so plan ahead!
Put the sliced onions into the slow cooker with butter and olive oil
Season with salt and pepper
I started them in the afternoon, and let them cook all night
In the morning they were golden and creamy
and the house was full of a magical aroma
Store them in the refrigerator for up to 10 days
and use them as needed
Caramelized Onions, 3 Ways
Ingredients
Method #1, Foil
- onions
- 1 Tbsp butter per onion
- 1-2 tsp olive oil
- salt & pepper
Method #2, Sheet Pan
- onion/onions
- olive oil, water
- salt & pepper
- onions
- 1 Tbsp butter per onion
- 1/2 tsp olive oil per onion
- salt & pepper
Method #3, Slow Cooker
- onions
- 1 Tbsp butter per onion
- 2 tsp olive oil per onion
- salt & pepper
Instructions
Method #1, Foil
- Slice onion/onions
- Stack slices on a square of foil with a pat of butter, a drizzle of Olive oil, S & P.
- Bring sides up to form tight packets and roast at 400 for 1 hour.
Method #2, Sheet Pan
- Place onion on a parchment lined or sprayed rimmed cookie sheet.
- Drizzle with oil, a sprinkle of water and salt & pepper
- Roast in a 400 degree oven for 40 minutes, stirring once halfway through baking time
Method #3, Slow Cooker
- Set slow cooker to low and add butter
- Slice onions and put them in a greased slow cooker
- Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt & pepper
- Cover and cook for 14 hours
Pour yourself a cocktail and relax,
the onions are taken care of!
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Very nice! Nothing smells better than onions cooking!
I agree!
Hey, Jenna girl,
I am getting ready for that 60th high school reunion, so I am cleaning everything and not doing a lot of cooking. So, I’ll just opt for the cocktail to begin with. I don’t really drink much at all, but if I do, I simply want rum and Coca-Cola, just like the Andrews Sisters famous song.
Haha, that sounds delicious!
Indeed, the onion will turn out perfect with any of these recipes!
Thanks Mary, I hate having to stand over them stirring!
I love cooking onions, they smell wonderful. I have tried two of your recipes, I need to try the slow cooker. Great ideas and love the cocktail idea rather than standing over the stove! Hope your day is going well. Hugs……
Thanks Emily, Cheers!
This is brilliant, Jenna. Every time I make onion soup, I always make a LOT extra, partly because I can’t stop sampling them and partly because I love using them in so many things and they take a long while. I like the foil method here– set it and forget it! But any of the three, excellent! Thanks!
Try the slow cooker method the next time you make soup Jeanie, after the onions are caramelized, just add the rest of your ingredients and continue cooking as your recipe directs~
Jenna, caramelized onions makes any recipe more delicious. I am going to try the foil method. I hope you had a good day and take care!
Thanks Pam, it’s so easy and the onions are so good, you can serve them as a side dish-see the recipe here: https://thepaintedapron.com/2013/04/14/recipe-box-sunday-at-the-masters/
I like the foil method Jenna, but I also like the slow cooker , gonna do that for sure. Who doesn’t like caramelized onions? I have let scalloped potatoes slow cook all night and oh my gosh, the smell in the morning. Prayers always for you and your health. Hugs
Kari @ Me and My Captain
I am always looking for shorcuts 🙂 Thank you for your hugs and prayers~
These are good tips, but I actually like the traditional caramelizing process and it smells so good!
Of course, I agree, but you can smell the onions with these methods too~ as I said Patience is not my middle name!
Thank you so much for the foil idea! It’s a perfect way to cook onions without having to stand over and stir them. This is another great example of why Foil is such a great invention and I appreciate how cooking onion’s this way will free me up to focus on the rest of the meal.
You will love how well they turn out! Thanks Laura~
Your slow cooker method is a winner Jenna! I know the aroma is wonderful. ♥
The aroma is intoxicating and you can make a big batch and refrigerate some for later~
the slow cooker method is genius and no mess from splattering. Love it. Caramelized can be used in so many recipes.
Thanks Judee, I hate standing there stirring onions 🙂