Melted Onions Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

How do you melt onions? ›

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.

Around 10 Minutes: Onions will start to soften and turn translucent in spots. They will release a lot of liquid into the pan. Around 20 Minutes: Onions will be very soft and starting to break down. Some onions will start to show spots of caramelization and you may see some fond starting to build up in the pan.

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.

Our Test Kitchen likes to use butter when caramelizing onions, as it offers the richest flavor. If you avoid dairy or don't have butter, you can caramelize onions in other fat such as margarine or olive oil. Add the onion slices. It's okay if they overlap a bit here because they'll shrink as they cook down.

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.

Browning is a quicker method and is best for dishes that need a rich, umami quality without much sweetness. On the other hand, caramelizing onions is a slow process where, though the onions brown, the natural sugars break down over low heat, resulting in a sweet, rich flavor profile.

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.

Before you start, let us be clear about something: No matter the approach, the caramelization process will take time: 15–20 minutes for French onion soup and 45 minutes to an hour for jammy, mahogany-hued onions. Fortunately, while they cook over low heat you can take care of other things.

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.

As for how these onions compare to sauteed onions the big difference is time. Sauteed onions don't spend as much time on the heat. They get soft and they may brown a bit, but sauteed onions only take a few minutes and still retain their sharp, onion flavor. Caramelized onions are a labor of love and taste sweeter.

How do you know when onions are cooked enough? ›

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.

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.

Instead of spending 15 minutes trying to soften onions in a pan (only to scorch them!), try this microwave method. Pop chopped or sliced onions in a bowl, add a spoonful of water, cover with a plate and microwave on high for 3-4min. Carefully remove (the bowl will be very hot) and uncover.

Yes, you can cook onions in the microwave without any oil or butter. Onions naturally contain a high water content, so they will steam and cook in their own moisture. This method is a healthier option and can still yield deliciously cooked onions.

Slice the onions to about ½ inch thick, try to make them the same size so they cook evenly. Melt 4 TBS butter in a pot over medium heat and add the sliced onions. Cover partially and let them simmer, soften, and reduce for about 25 minutes. Stir every few minutes and reduce heat if they start cooking too quickly.

Keep the heat low to medium and give the onion its gentle 7-10 minutes for the best results. If you'd rather not stand and stir for all that time, here are 3 less hands-on methods: Add water or stock and simmer the onions to cook them*. Use butter instead of oil, keep the heat low and put a lid on the pan.