How To Caramelize Onions

Good caramelized onions take a steak sandwich, hamburger, or simple grilled sausages, from good to great!

You can’t rush caramelised onions, it’s worth taking the time to reduce them down to a really dark, sticky mass.

It might look like a lot of onion to start with, but if you want them really dark and bitter-sweet, you’ll be surprised how little’s left once all the moisture has cooked off.

Caramelized onions store well in the fridge for a week or more, so consider making a double batch to quickly reheat and dress up your next grill or pile onto a toasted sandwich for an easy mid-week meal.

To makes about ¾ cup caramelised onion, you’ll need:

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 red onions (about 450g), thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt flakes, crushed

Here’s how to make the best caramelised onions:

Put oil in a large high-sided frying pan over low heat.
Add onion and salt and stir to coat well.
Cover and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft.
Remove lid, increase heat to medium and continue cooking for another 20–30 minutes, stirring regularly and using the wooden spoon to scrape off any caramelised bits stuck to the base of the pan.
If they aren’t dark and sticky enough after 30 minutes, increase heat and cook for a further few minutes, stirring often, until they’re as dark as you want them.
Remove from pan, drain off any excess oil and serve, or refrigerate until needed with the oil.

Caramelising onions properly leaves a film of burnt onion juice on the base of the frying pan. I find the easiest way to clean it is to add water and detergent straight away, while it’s still hot, and leave it to soak for a few hours or overnight. Then it cleans up easily with a quick swoosh of the scrubbing brush or scourer.