Caramelized Onions
Distinctive, savory, appetizing, and cheap to make! Caramelized onions are a simple but incredibly tasty side that pairs with just about anything and instantly makes lunch or dinner more interesting. They come out a gorgeous color, sweet-and-sour with a whisper of balsamic. Give them a try!
Cooking method
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Step 1:
How do you make caramelized onions? Gather your ingredients. Any onion works — regular yellow onions or milder varieties like red, white, or shallots. Use a refined, neutral-tasting oil. In place of balsamic vinegar, you can use white or apple cider vinegar. Brown sugar instead of white gives an especially nice flavor.
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Step 2:
Peel the onions and cut them into rings about 1/4 inch (4–5 mm) thick.
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Step 3:
Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet, then add the onion rings.
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Step 4:
Fry the onions, stirring, over medium-high heat — but not the highest setting, so they don't scorch.
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Step 5:
Once most of the liquid has cooked off and the rings have softened and lightly browned, add the sugar and salt and pour in the balsamic vinegar.
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Step 6:
Stir to combine.
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Step 7:
Cover and simmer the onions over low heat for 15 minutes. Serve the finished caramelized onions warm or cold — they're delicious either way. Enjoy!
- To keep the onion from stinging your eyes as you slice, rinse both the onion and the knife in cold water. Rubbing your cutting board with a piece of lemon before slicing will keep it from soaking up the onion smell.
- Since everyone's tolerance for salt, sweetness, heat, and acidity is different, always season to your own taste. If you're using a spice for the first time, go easy — some, like chili pepper, are easy to overdo.
- Use an oil with a high smoke point for frying. Every oil is only healthy up to its smoke point — the temperature at which it starts to burn and form harmful compounds. Unrefined oils, with rare exceptions, have a low smoke point and burn quickly. Refined oils hold up better to heat. If you're roasting, pan-frying, or grilling, reach for a high-smoke-point oil such as refined sunflower, olive, or grapeseed oil.
Caloric content of the products possible in the composition of the dish
- Granulated sugar - 398 kcal/100g
- Sugar - 398 kcal/100g
- Vegetable oil - 873 kcal/100g
- Salt - 0 kcal/100g
- Onion - 41 kcal/100g
- Balsamic vinegar - 88 kcal/100g
