There's something wildly comforting about a pan of golden, sweet, and jammy onions. This easy caramelized onions recipe uses a touch of maple syrup to enhance that natural sweetness, giving you deeply flavorful onions that taste like they came from a restaurant kitchen.
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Looking for a delicious way to use these easy caramelized onions? Try layering them into your Big Mac salad for an extra depth of flavor, or stacking them high on homemade beef burgers or delicious French dip sandwiches. They also work beautifully in chicken and rice bowls, Big Mac tacos, and even chorizo hash brown breakfast bowls.
Why This Recipe Works
- This is the best way to make caramelized onions because they are naturally sweetened with maple syrup (instead of refined sugar) and deliver a deep, rich flavor with minimal ingredients.
- If you've ever caramelized onions before, you know they smell incredible while cooking (bonus)!
- This is a beginner-friendly how-to recipe, and it is hard to mess up.
- Use this easy caramelized onions recipe on burgers, pasta dishes, sandwiches and more!
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Ingredients You'll Need
- Onions - Yellow or sweet onions work best. White and red onions lack the specific sugar-to-sulphur balance, and white onions lose their structure more easily than yellow, often turning mushy before they get the chance to properly caramelize.
- Butter & Oil - Using both butter and olive oil gives you the best of both worlds. Butter adds a rich flavor while the oil helps prevent the onions from burning.
- Maple Syrup - Maple syrup adds a deeper, more complex sweetness than regular sugar while also helping the onions caramelize evenly and develop a richer golden color.
A full list of ingredients with exact quantities can be found on the recipe card below.
Ways To Use
- Burgers: Try the onions on my pure beef burgers, Hawaiian sliders, or in Crunchwrap supremes!
- Pasta Dishes: Stir these easy caramelized onions into pesto chicken pasta or layer them on top of homemade fettuccini alfredo.
- Pizza: Adding caramelized onions to pizza is an elite move. Try them on this spicy pierogi pizza, camembert and fig pizza, or honey butter sausage pizza.
- Sandwiches: Try these onions on Big Mac smash tacos, breakfast tacos, fully loaded clubhouse sandwiches, or blackened chicken sandwiches.
- Grilled Meat Toppings: Freshly caramelized onions are delicious on grilled steak, pork chops or grilled chicken breast.
This easy caramelized onions recipe is especially delicious in my hummus with caramelized onions.
How To Make Easy Caramelized Onions
Step 1
Slice the onions into thin, even strips using a sharp knife.
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Step 2
Melt the butter and add the olive oil to a large frying pan. Add the onions and the salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until softened.
Step 3
Once the onions are softened and starting to turn light yellow, stir in the maple syrup. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions are deeply golden brown and caramelized.
Step 4
Once the onions are a deep golden brown, remove them from the heat and use them as desired.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Do not try to cook onions over high heat. Cooking onions over too high a heat will cause them to scorch and burn.
- Stir occasionally, not constantly. Stirring too often will prevent browning, but leaving them too long can cause burning. So be sure to stir occasionally, every 2-4 minutes.
- Add salt early. It helps draw the moisture out of the onions so they soften and caramelize properly.
- Adjust the heat. Lower the heat if needed to prevent burning.
How To Store
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Serve cold or reheat gently in a frying pan, just until they are warm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Realistic timing is 30-45 minutes. It is important not to rush this recipe. Rushing ruins texture, flavor and will more than likely cause the onions to burn.
Sautéed onions are the quick version. Cooked quickly over high heat until softened and lightly browned. Caramelized onions are cooked slowly over a lower heat for 30-45 minutes, allowing their natural sugars to break down and develop a deep golden color and rich, sweet flavor.
This usually happens if the heat is too low, the pan is overcrowded, or there isn't enough fat to help with the cooking process.
Yes! They store well in the fridge and can be frozen for longer storage.
No, onions naturally contain sugars. However, a small amount of maple syrup can enhance flavor and help achieve a deeper golden color.
More How-To Recipes & Kitchen Tricks
Looking for foundational recipes like this? Try these:
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Easy Caramelized Onions Recipe
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Print Recipe Pin RecipeEquipment
- Frying Pan
- Wooden Spoon or Spatula
Ingredients
- 3 large Yellow Onions (or 4 medium sized), thinly sliced
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup optional, for sweetness
Instructions
- In a large frying pan over medium-low heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the onions and salt, then stir to coat. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened. After 20-25 minutes, add the maple syrup (if using) and continue cooking for another 15-20 minutes until the onions are deeply golden and caramelized.
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Notes
- Onions: Yellow or sweet onions work best. White onions break down too easily, and red onions can give an unfavourable, "muddy" looking color.
- Maple Syrup: Adds a more complex flavor and enhances the onion's natural sweetness without using refined sugar. However, regular white sugar can be used as a substitute. Adding any sweetener is optional.
- Butter & Oil: Using both gives you the best of both worlds. The butter adds a creamy, rich flavor and the oil helps prevent burning.
- Use these easy caramelized onions on burgers, sandwiches, pasta dishes, pizza and more!
- Do not cook the onions over high heat. Cooking over high heat will cause them to scorch and burn.
- Stir the onions occasionally, not constantly. Constant stirring will prevent browning, but leaving the onions too long can cause them to burn.
- Adjust the heat as needed to prevent burning.
- Store leftover onions in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Serve them cold or reheat gently in a frying pan over low heat.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator and it will vary based on the ingredients that you use.
Jessica says
I have made this caramelized onions recipe so easy to follow, and I hope you are as obsessed with it as I am!