• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Oh My Veggies logo

  • Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Vegan Recipes
    • Vegetarian Main Dishes
    • Vegetarian Appetizers
    • Vegetarian Breakfast Recipes
    • Vegetarian Side Dishes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Snack Recipes
    • Drinks
    • Sauces, Spreads and Condiments
    • Holiday Recipes
    • From our Readers
  • Cooking Tips & Hints
    • Cooking Tips
    • Plant-Based Nutrition
    • Product Reviews
  • Shop Cookbooks
  • About Us
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Find Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • About Us
  • Freebies!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Find Recipes
    • Cookbooks
    • About Us
    • Freebies!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Oh My Veggies » Cooking Tips & Hints

    How to Caramelize Onions (Perfectly!)

    Published: Jan 3, 2012 · by Nicole · Updated: Mar 24, 2023 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Caramelized onions are the secret ingredient in so many of my recipes. Let me show you how to make perfectly caramelized onions with these step-by-step instructions. All you need are onions, oil, and a little patience.

    caramelized onions before and after

    If you've been a reader for a while, you've probably noticed that I include caramelized onions in a lot of my meals and recipes. Maybe they're a bit of a crutch for me, cooking-wise. If I make a meal and it's lacking a little something, nine times out of ten, I end up adding caramelized onions. But hey, they're delicious! So why not add them to everything, right?

    Over the years, I've read lots of different methods for caramelizing onions. Some call for a little bit of sugar; others are made in slow-cookers. They have varying times and temperatures.

    caramelized onions ready to serve

    My biggest problem when it comes to caramelizing onions is trying to speed up the process - it just doesn't work! If you cook the onions at a high temperature, they end up sautéing instead of caramelizing. And don't get me wrong, sauteed onions are still good. But they're not caramelized!

    The secret to caramelizing onions is have patience. Lots and lots of patience. Because good things come to those who wait - and if you cook them low and slow, you will be rewarded with perfect caramelized onions in a little over an hour. Yes, I said over an hour!

    But let's go back to the beginning. Here's how to caramelize onions, step-by-step.

    How to Caramelize Onions - Step by Step

    Thinly slicing the onions

    Thinly slice your onions. They should be pretty uniform in size so that they all cook at the same speed.

    Oil Heating in Skillet

    Heat oil in a skillet on low heat. Low! Not medium-low, low-low! This is important - don't be tempted to turn up the heat to make this go faster.

    For every large onion you're caramelizing, add one tablespoon of oil and a pinch of kosher salt to your skillet. I'm doing two large onions here and I'm using two tablespoon of olive oil. Adjust the size of your skillet based on the amount of onions being cooked.

    Infographic showing how long it takes to caramelize onions - you can see the results at different cook times.

    Here's where the patience comes in. Your onions won't do much for a while. As you can see, after cooking for 15 minutes, the onions are hardly even softened.

    This is the point where you'll say to yourself, "This woman is completely nuts. I'm turning up the heat!" Don't do it! I implore you!

    And when 30 minutes rolls around and your onions still haven't done much, resist that urge and keep the heat on low.

    Stir your onions every five minutes or so, and more often once they start to brown (that will start happening after about 45 minutes).

    caramelized onions in a pan on the stovetop

    Congratulations! You were patient and now you have yummy caramelized onions! This picture was taken exactly an hour and thirty minutes after the onions were put in the skillet.

    Although they were caramelized after an hour and fifteen minutes, I like them really caramelized, so I let them go a little longer. Season with additional salt if needed and pepper.

    Some things to note: I have an induction range and I've heard from people using gas ranges that it doesn't take them quite as long to caramelize onions. So keep an eye on the onions and be aware that different types of stoves or pans can make the cooking time vary.

    How to Store Caramelized Onions

    You can store your caramelized onions in a refrigerator for about a week or even make a big batch to freeze. They are great for tossing into soups and stews.

    caramelized onions in a glass jar

    How to Use Caramelized Onions

    Here are some ideas for using your caramelized onions in delicious recipes:

    Butternut Squash & Caramelized Onion Flatbread
    Caramelized Onion & Eggplant Puff Pastry Tart
    French Onion Soup Sandwiches
    Mediterranean-Style Rotini with Toasted Garlic Panko
    Sweet Potato Pizza with Kale & Caramelized Onions

    Recipe

    caramelized onions

    Perfect Caramelized Onions

    Step by step directions to get perfect caramelized onions every time!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
    Course: Basics, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American, French
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: how to caramelize onions
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 368kcal
    Author: Oh My Veggies

    Equipment

    • non-stick or well seasoned cast iron skillet

    Ingredients

    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • pinch kosher salt
    • 2 large onions peeled and thinly sliced
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Slice the onions very thinly. They should be as uniform in size as possible for even cooking.
    • Heat the oil in a skillet over low heat. (Do not be tempted to turn up the heat!)
    • Allow the onions to cook slowly over low heat, stirring every five minutes, or more once they begin to brown. Keep this up until the onions reach your desired level of caramelization - it will take anywhere from 45-75 minutes depending on your stove, pan, and how brown you prefer your onions. Have lots of patience and don't turn up the heat!

    Notes

    Nutrition information is for the full recipe.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 368kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 3gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gSodium: 13mgPotassium: 438mgFiber: 5gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 6IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 69mgIron: 1mg
    Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!
    « Plum Pudding Vodka
    Parsnip Risotto with Mascarpone & Sage »

    Cooking Tips & Hints, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes caramelized onions, gluten-free

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jason says

      October 14, 2013 at 2:05 pm

      We just had a 90th Birthday Party for my grandmother, with a sandwich bar for the lunch. I took home the 8 extra unused onions that we're perfectly sliced - to caramelize them! I'm 15 minutes into it and they are looking good... Low low low! Thanks for the pictures.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 16, 2013 at 2:18 pm

        Happy Birthday to your grandmother! 🙂 I love making big batches of caramelized onions to keep on hand too--they freeze really well!

        Reply
    2. Ramona says

      November 09, 2013 at 3:07 pm

      I made the penne with kale and butternut squash last night, and I made caramelized onions for the first time. My stove is super efficient, and I only took 30 minutes. I kept turning it to simmer (great stove!) and that wasn't enough. Turning it to low had it all done in 30. Tastes great nonetheless! Making the apple cheddar pizza with caramelized onions tonight!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        November 10, 2013 at 7:43 pm

        I wish my stove was more efficient! 😉 I hope you enjoyed the pizza!

        Reply
    3. Courtney says

      November 13, 2013 at 9:04 pm

      Is it okay to cover the skillet while cooking? Its driving me crazy just looking at the onions just sitting there. lol.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        November 14, 2013 at 8:35 pm

        Well, you can, but the onions might steam instead of caramelize.

        Reply
    4. Kristen says

      September 05, 2014 at 10:55 am

      These onions come out perfect every time! My only issue is that it usually takes me closer to 2 and a half hours than 90 minutes. Any suggestions?

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        September 07, 2014 at 9:34 am

        The cooking time seems to vary so much! I hear from other people who say it takes them 30 minutes. I think it really depends on your stove and your pan. The best suggestion I have if it takes a long time for you is to make your caramelized onions in big batches and freeze them - then when you need them, you won't have to wait 2 and a half hours for them to be finished! 🙂 That's what I've started doing.

        Reply
    « Older Comments
    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

    Something to say? Leave a comment. Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    image of the author

    Nicole is a life long vegetarian and the author of the popular vegan cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. She loves sharing her recipes and showing the world just how easy and delicious meatless meals can be!
    Learn more here.

    signature of author

    get a free 5 day vegetarian meal plan

    shop our vegetarian and vegan cookbooks

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    • Shop Cookbooks
    • About Us
    • Work with Me
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use

    Still hungry? Check out our delicious family of blogs.

    veg kitchen
    step away from the carbs
    all she cooks
    midlife rambler
    wandertooth logo

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Hook & Porter Media

    1.4K shares

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.