Melted Onions Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take for onions to melt? ›

Melt the butter in the stockpot over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onions. Keep your eye on the onions and stir often at the beginning to allow all the slices to have contact with the bottom of the pot so they start to release their liquid. In about 45 minutes they should have released a good amount of liquid.

Caramelize the onions: Heat about 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the onions and stir to coat. Let cook, stirring every 5-10 minutes, until deeply caramelized, about 1 ½ - 2 hours.

Color Change: One of the most noticeable signs of cooked onions is a change in color. Raw onions are usually white or light-colored, while cooked onions become translucent or golden brown, depending on how long they're cooked. Transparency: As onions cook, they become translucent, meaning you can see through them.

You can use either oil or butter to caramelize onions — but ideally, you use a combination of both! I like to use olive oil, and this cooking fat tolerates heat particularly well. Meanwhile, butter adds a distinctly rich flavor to the caramelized onions.

Caramelized onions can add flavor and nutrition to a variety of dishes, such as soups, stews, sandwiches, and omelets. It's also important to remember that it's okay to enjoy caramelized onions in moderation as part of a balanced diet.

Sautéing is about softening and lightly flavoring the onions, while caramelizing is about developing a rich, sweet complexity. Unfortunately, you can't swap one out for the other without changing the flavor profile of your dish. Sautéing onions quickly brings out their natural flavors while maintaining some brightness.

Yes, you should cover the onions when caramelizing them. Covering the onions helps to trap the steam and heat, which aids in the caramelization process by softening the onions and allowing them to release their natural sugars. This results in a sweet and flavorful caramelized onion.

Why add vinegar to caramelize onions? ›

Tip: use apple cider vinegar for white and yellow onions and balsamic vinegar for red onions. Tip: the vinegar serves to deglaze the pan, adds acidity, and brings this recipe together by boosting the tangy and savory flavors of the caramelized onions. If the onions stick to the pan, that's fine.

Soaking raw onions in acid rinses away the harsh flavors and adds pleasant tartness. Soak in Water: Even water washes away those pesky sulfuric flavors.

Another flavorful option is to make a quick pickle of sliced onions in vinegar, fresh lime, or lemon juice with salt. Even just a few minutes in an acidic brine will tone down its intensity considerably while boosting flavor and transforming into a delicious topping for sandwiches, wraps, salads, and more.

Onions lose their bite and melt in your mouth when they're sliced and roasted with butter and fresh herbs and then tenderized further by braising in broth. Serve alongside roasted chicken or cook them in vegetable broth for an easy, elegant vegetarian side dish.

Onions are almost always cooked in some kind of fat, although they can be softened in a small amount of liquid.

Sauteing onions: Softens them, most people prefer not to run into raw onions in their sauce. Onions will cook in a sauce, but very slowly, so frying them before makes sure they will be soft even if your sauce has a fast cooking time.

Wash onions, trim ends and remove outer layer (keep whole). Cook in salted boiling water for 30- 50 minutes (depending on size of onions) until soft and onion layers start to 'come apart'.