• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Coley Cooks
  • About
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Casseroles
    • Chicken + Poultry
    • Cookies + Bars
    • Drinks
    • Frozen Treats
    • Pasta + Risotto
    • Pies + Tarts
    • Meat
    • Salads
    • Seafood
    • Snacks
    • Soups + Stews
    • Starchy Sides
    • Vegetable Sides
    • Vegetarian Main
  • Privacy Policy
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Privacy Policy
×

Home » Recipes » Gluten Free

How to Make Caramelized Onions

Published: Nov 20, 2015 · Modified: Nov 21, 2020 by Coley · This post may contain affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe

This easy video recipe shows my method for making the most amazing, deeply caramelized onions. They make a great base for French Onion Soup or on sandwiches! Gluten free recipe.

Caramelized onions are like a super secret flavor weapon. They're rich, sweet and can make even the simplest dish taste like it's been cooking all day. I love slathering them on sandwiches, mixing them into omelettes and using them as a base for myriad of soups, dips and spreads. Making a proper batch of caramelized onions isn't difficult per se, but it does take a good bit of time and supervision. The good thing is they can be made in bulk and then frozen for use at a later date. The effort is totally worth it, and makes for a nice, lazy Sunday afternoon project.

Not convinced? Keep your eyes peeled next week, as I'll be posting a killer recipe for a savory pumpkin tart with caramelized onions and goat cheese that you're definitely going to want to make. Get a head start on the onions this weekend, and you'll be able to throw that tart together just in time for the big Turkey Day celebration.

Print

Caramelized Onions

Print Recipe

This easy video recipe shows my method for making the most amazing, deeply caramelized onions. They make a great base for French Onion Soup or on sandwiches! Gluten free recipe.

  • Author: Nicole Gaffney (ColeyCooks.com)
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: about 1 cup 1x
  • Category: condiment
  • Method: sauteed
  • Cuisine: French

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
  • 2 large Spanish or sweet onions, thinly sliced*
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (optional)
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • water as needed

Instructions

  1. Heat the butter or oil in a pan over medium heat and drop in the onions. Season with salt, stir, and then pour in about ¼ cup of water. Cover, and let cook for about 10 minutes. Open the lid, give them a stir, then cover and cook for another 10-15 minutes until they become very soft. Continue cooking, uncovered, and allow the liquid to evaporate.
  2. Stir in the thyme, if using, and then once all the liquid has dried up, deglaze the pan with the wine. Be sure to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom so they can dissolve in the liquid. Once the wine evaporates, deglaze the pan again with a few tablespoons of water, scrape the bottom, and cook until the pan dries out again.
  3. Continue this process until the onions reach a deep golden brown color. It can take up to an hour for this to happen, so be patient, and don't take your eyes off of the pan for too long. The onions can turn from perfectly caramelized to burnt in a matter of seconds.
  4. Remove the pan from the heat, transfer the onions to a container, allow to cool and store in the refrigerator for up to one week. For longer storage, the onions can be frozen for up to 6 months.

Notes

  • *I find sweet onions caramelize a bit faster than Spanish onions, but they both work fine.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: ¼ cup
  • Calories: 137
  • Sugar: 8.3 g
  • Sodium: 303.9 mg
  • Fat: 7.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 13.1 g
  • Protein: 1.4 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Keywords: onions, caramelized, french onion soup, grilled cheese, sandwiches, condiment, caramelized onions, best, easy

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a review and star rating ⭐️ to help other cooks!

More Gluten Free Recipes

  • Easy New England Fish Chowder
  • Easy Oatmeal Dutch Baby Pancake
  • Oatmeal Pumpkin Dutch Baby Pancake
  • 4 Ingredient Flourless Chocolate Soufflé Cakes

Reader Interactions

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a rating and review! Cancel reply

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

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Nicole Gaffney smiling for the camera
I'm Nicole Gaffney, but my friends all call me Coley. You should, too! I'm a chef and recipe developer specializing in coastal Italian cooking. Welcome to Coley Cooks! About Nicole Gaffney

Italian Recipes

Overhead close up of a bowl of La RIbollita Tuscan soup.

La Ribollita: Authentic Tuscan Soup

Top view of linguini carbonara with peas in a shallow white bowl.

Linguini Carbonara with Peas

side view of a stack of thin breaded chicken breasts with a lemon

Crispy Italian Breaded Chicken Cutlets

Vertical shot of eggplant parmesan on a plate next to a baking dish.

Unbreaded Eggplant Parm

bowl of rigatoni pasta with a fork

Rigatoni with Italian Sausage, Mascarpone + Walnuts

Top view of a bowl of pasta with eggplant and tomatoes.

Fairytale Eggplant Pasta

Seafood Recipes

overhead shot of a bowl of pasta with clam sauce

Linguine alle Vongole: Pasta with Clam Sauce

Easy New England Fish Chowder

A white bowl with bright orange lobster soup with a lobster tail and chives on top.

Classic Creamy Lobster Bisque

Clams with Bacon, Tomatoes + Jalapeños | ColeyCooks.com

Clams with Bacon, Tomatoes + Jalapeños

overhead shot of a platter with crab cakes and lemon wedges on top

Easy Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes

Close up of a pile of steamed crabs and corn on the cob.

Steamed Crabs Maryland Style

The Art of the Smoothie Bowl Cook Book is Out NOW!! Click the photo above to order.
Nicole Gaffney of Coley Cooks As Seen On...

Footer

Nicole Gaffney, aka Coley, is a professionally trained chef, recipe developer, tv host and food writer. Learn More about Coley…

Stay Connected!

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Didn't find what you were looking for?

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2023 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme