Let’s talk about caramelized onions. They’re sweet, salty and mellowed out, but not without a crispy, charred kick. Caramelized onions do to recipes what Morgan Freeman does to movies; the real challenge is finding something you can‘t add them to. Put them on your pizza, pile them on a grilled sandwich, mix them into your favorite side salad, add them to pasta or use them in a stew. Caramelized onions are the chameleon of easy cuisine, and learning how to master this basic cooking technique will bring rich flavors to even the simplest of meals.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
2 large onions
Directions:
1. Cut onion in half, then slice thinly.
Photo by Kendra Valkema
Photo by Kendra Valkema
2. Add oil to a large skillet over medium low heat.
Photo by Kendra Valkema
3. Swirl oil around pan to coat the bottom.
Photo by Kendra Valkema
4. Add a few onion slices. If they sizzle immediately upon touching the oil, the pan is hot enough to cook the rest.
Photo by Kendra Valkema
5. Add all onions to pan and stir.
Photo by Kendra Valkema
6. Stir onions occasionally. They should not turn brown immediately but become yellow and translucent. If the onions brown quickly, the pan is too hot and the heat should be lowered.
Photo by Kendra Valkema
7. Continue stirring occasionally until all onions have caramelized, about 30 more minutes.
Photo by Kendra Valkema
Photo by Kendra Valkema
8. Once onions are caramelized, use immediately or transfer to a heat-safe bowl and cool completely before storing.
Photo by Kendra Valkema