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Flavorful Caramelized Onions Recipe

Add them to soup, on top of bread, or enjoy just as a side dish!
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Is there anything not made better by the addition of syrupy sweet slow-cooked caramelized onions? If there is, we haven't found it just yet. You can use this simple and delicious recipe to add to so very many different meals: to top your favorite roasted vegetable or meat, to mix into a nice stir-fry, to stir into a thick creamy soup, to top a batch of garlic bread, or you could even top a dip or spread with some before you serve it. The possibilities are endless! In this caramelized onions recipe, you can cook them for as long as you would like, depending on what you'll be using the final product for. We promise, they will only improve the longer you let them cook! But if you do plan to cook these down to an oniony jam (a consistency that is achieved after about 45 minutes of cooking), add an extra onion or two (you might as well, if you're taking the time to do this) and keep the flame really low. Don't have the time but still want the sweetness? Add a splash of balsamic vinegar in the final moments of cooking and you'll have yourself a whole new recipe!

Makes 1 Cup

You'll Need

1 Tbsp olive oil
2 large red onions, sliced
1⁄2 tsp salt

How to Make It

  1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until thoroughly blended.
  2. Keeps for 1 week covered in the refrigerator.

Eat This Tip

What is onion jam anyway?

Okay, so above we mentioned that if you cook these onions long enough, they will slowly (yes, 45 minutes is slow for onions) turn into an oniony jam, of sorts. Most people classically tend to associate jam with sweeter ingredients like blueberries, strawberries or even raspberries. But there is a whole other world of savory and even spicy jams for you to play with here, and many of them taste just as great on a piece of toast or English Muffin in the morning as a sweet jam does. Next time you try this recipe, try adding a few additions like garlic or a few chili flakes. If you get really brave, try cartelizing a few strawberries in with your onions for a delicious contrast!

This recipe (and hundreds more!) came from one of our Cook This, Not That! books. For more easy cooking ideas, you can also buy the book!

3.2/5 (21 Reviews)