15-Minute Caramelized Onions Recipe

Name: 15-Minute Caramelized Onions Recipe
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 1 cup caramelized onions
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon butter; 2 to 3 large onions, finely sliced (about 5 cups); Water; Kosher salt

Why This Recipe Works

A heavy-bottomed pot or pan helps evenly distribute heat.
Regularly deglazing with water prevents the burning higher heat caramelization would typically case

There's really no substitute for traditional caramelized onions cooked slowly over a low flame. But in a pinch, the process can be rushed along with higher heat and a bit of water to prevent burning.

The trick is to use a heavier pot or pan—a tri-ply stainless steel saucepan or enameled cast iron Dutch oven is ideal—that can transfer heat slowly and evenly, preventing the hot and cool spots that are the bane to good caramelization.

Every time the fond (that's the browned bits of sugars and proteins that stick to the bottom of the pot) threatens to burn, just add a few tablespoons of water and use a wooden spoon to scrape the bits up. The browned sugars and proteins end up dissolving in the water then spread themselves evenly around the onions. In no time at all, you have deep, dark, sweet onions.

Will they ever truly rival real-deal caramelized onions? Nope. But will they make a welcome addition to your next burger, sandwich, pizza, or roast? Absolutely.

An earlier version of this recipe suggested using sugar and baking soda for even faster results. Due to reader complaints and further testing, we no longer recommend this adjustment.

15-Minute Caramelized Onions Recipe

Cook 15 mins

Active 15 mins

Total 15 mins

Makes 1 cup caramelized onions

Caramelizing onions the traditional way can take over an hour. Here's a rapid-fire way to get soft, sweet onions in only 15 minutes.

1 tablespoon butter
2 to 3 large onions, finely sliced (about 5 cups)
Water
Kosher salt

Melt butter in a large heavy-bottomed stainless steel or enameled cast iron saucepan over high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until bottom of saucepan is glazed in a pale brown fond, about 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons water and scrape up fond with wooden spoon.
Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until fond has built up again, about 2 minutes longer. Add 2 more tablespoons water and scrape up browned bits. Repeat cooking, adding water, and scraping until onions are completely softened and a deep, dark brown, about 15 minutes total. Season to taste with salt. Remove from saucepan rapidly to prevent burning.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
597	Calories
14g	Fat
114g	Carbs
15g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories	597
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g	18%
Saturated Fat 8g	38%
Cholesterol 31mg	10%
Sodium 756mg	33%
Total Carbohydrate 114g	42%
Dietary Fiber 16g	56%
Total Sugars 53g
Protein 15g
Vitamin C 59mg	293%
Calcium 253mg	19%
Iron 3mg	15%
Potassium 1871mg	40%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)