Caramelized Onions For Burgers (And Beyond)
Caramelized onions are a flavorful, versatile condiment for burgers, bowls, sandwiches, pizza, and so much more! Make them ahead of time so you always have an easy way to add heaps of flavor to your meals.
Ingredients
- 5-6 cups sliced yellow onions about 2 large
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- pinch kosher salt
- 4 ½ tablespoons deglazing liquid, divided water, broth, vinegar, or wine
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat (no higher). Once hot, add the oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Add the onions to the pan and mix them around to coat them in the oil. Then spread them out and let them cook untouched for about 6-8 minutes.
- Season with a pinch of salt and stir the onions. As they continue to cook, the onions will start sticking to the pan a bit more (which is when the fond starts forming). If you notice the onions starting to brown too quickly, turn the heat down a little.
- When you notice they're starting to stick, deglaze the pan with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of deglazing liquid and then scrape the bottom of the pan to help break up the fond and stir the onions around.
- Continue cooking the onions while stirring occasionally. Once you notice them starting to stick again, deglaze the pan with another 1 1/2 tablespoons of liquid while scraping the bottom of the pan.
- Continue with this method until you’ve deglazed the onions three times.
- After 30 minutes, turn the heat down to low. Let them caramelize and deepen in color for an additional 10 minutes before removing them from the heat.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Notes
Use the right pan. Stainless steel or cast iron pans work best. Avoid using a non-stick pan.
Avoid high heat. You’ll end up with burnt onions instead of caramelized onions.
Don’t slice the onions too thin. Cutting them too thin can cause them to burn.
Deglaze your pan. This means you’ll be releasing all the caramelized, flavorful bits (called fond) that have stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Practice patience. Good things take time, and this is definitely the case when making caramelized onions.
Don’t remove the onions from the pan too early. You’ll miss out on that rich, caramel flavor.