How to Caramelize Onions
Here's how to caramelize onions so they're silky-sweet with a concentrated onion flavor and rich, smooth texture. As they slowly cook, their natural sugars turn into a delicious caramelized flavor, making them perfect for adding extra yum to lots of dishes.
Servings: 8 Makes 1 cup
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs. olive oil
- 2 lb. Spanish onions or large yellow onions, peeled, trimmed, halved, and thinly sliced (about 8 cups)
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, about 1 minute.
- Add the onions, sprinkle with the salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until they wilt completely and begin to stick to the bottom of the pan, 10 to 20 minutes (much of the onions' moisture will evaporate and the pan will begin to brown; the cooking time varies with the onions' moisture content).
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring and scraping the pan with a wooden spoon every few minutes. (If the pan begins to look like it's burning, add 2 tablespoons water, stir, and lower the heat a bit.)
- Cook, stirring and scraping and adding water as needed, until the onions are a uniform caramel brown, another 30 to 45 minutes. (If they haven't begun to brown much after 20 minutes, raise the heat to medium.) Add a couple of tablespoons of water and scrape the pan well.
- Use right away or spread the onions on a baking sheet and let cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.