Caramelized Beer Onions

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Caramelized Beer Onions will elevate some of your favorite party foods. Brats, burgers and steaks can all be enhanced by these caramelized onions.

Beer Onions in a white baking dish.

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These beer onions are really easy to make and can take flavors from ordinary to extra ordinary. This recipe requires only 6 ingredients and a few minutes to make. Make it a part of your next party or family dinner and see how your family cheers.


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Spicy Turkey Burgers with Pickled Onions | Caramelized Onion Dip | Garlic Beer Brats


What We Love About This Burger with Caramelized Onions Recipe

Really there are so many ways to use this sauteed onions recipe, if you are looking for more, check these suggestions out.

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  • 40 Minutes : Truly this takes a little time, but it is so worth the effort.
  • Easy Ingredients: All found in pantry and only takes 6 ingredients.
  • Adaptable: Can use it in so many different dishes, to enhance the flavor for easy dinner recipes or for favorite side dish.
  • Makes Great Leftovers: Make a dip, use in eggs, bratwurst recipe, pizza or whatever you like.
A fork of beer onions.

Ingredient Notes for Caramelized Onions for Burger

  • Yellow onions, sliced 1/4 inch thick.
  • Olive Oil, you only need one tablespoon of a high smoke point oil.
  • Butter: Salted or unsalted butter,
  • Brown Sugar
  • Lager beer, only about a tablespoon you can drink the rest so make sure it is one you like.
  • All Purpose Seasoning, 1 teaspoon, click the link for this recipe.
Lager beer, onions and seasonings.

Equipment Needed for Burger Onions

How to Make Sauteed Onions Recipe

These are the basic steps for making quick caramelized onions. Please refer to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions and nutrition information.

The onions in the pan before or after cooking.

STEP 1: SAUTE

First, melt butter and sliced onion in a large skillet over medium high heat, then stir in brown sugar, 1/4 cup of beer and salt; add onions and stir for 5 minutes. Keep in a single layer.

STEP 2: ONION MIXTURE

Next, turn heat down to medium-low and cook onions for 40 minutes. Finally, remove from heat and stir in remaining tablespoon of beer.

Prep and Storage Tips for Beer Onions

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE AHEAD OF TIME

This is a favorite way to make the onions a day or two ahead of time and then use them when you are ready. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

HOW TO STORE THIS RECIPE

Store the beer onions in an airtight container in the fridge.

HOW TO FREEZE THIS GREAT RECIPE

They will last in the freezer for up to three months. Therefore, take the time to make a lot and then freeze them for when you need them.

HOW TO REHEAT THIS GREAT RECIPE

Warm in a pan on the stove or in the microwave.

Frequently Asked Questions about this Simple Recipe

WHAT TYPE OF ONION SHOULD YOU USE?

Truly any kind will work such as Vidalia onion, red onions or any kind of sweet onion even pearl onions can be used.

BEST BEER TO USE FOR THIS BEER ONION RECIPE?

Type of beer such as Lager, brown ale, dark beer and nutty beers are wonderful to add the beer flavor, stay away from light beers or fruity flavored beers.

CAN THIS RECIPE BE DOUBLED OR HALVED?

Definitely make more, you can use it for so many different things, simply increase the recipe below.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SAUTEED ONIONS AND CARMELIZED ONIONS?

Sauteed onions don’t spend as much time on the heat. They get soft and they may brown a bit, but sauteed onions only take a few minutes and still retain their sharp, onion flavor. While caramelized onions are sweeter and softer.

Top shot of the onions.

Expert Tips for Making This Quick Caramelized Onions Recipe

  • Stir: As soon as the onions start sticking to the pan, let them stick a little and brown, but then stir them before they burn. The trick is to leave them alone enough to brown.
  • Baking Soda: The baking soda changes the pH which causes the onions to brown more quickly. The higher pH also causes the onions to soften more quickly, which we cover below when we discuss the texture
  • Variation tip: Feel free to add peppers to this dish. Red, yellow green peppers are all fabulous with this dish.
  • Flavor additives: Bay leaf, a pinch of salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, caraway seed or thyme sprigs. A little salt makes everything better.
  • What to Cook them in: large nonstick skillet or a dutch oven.

What to Serve with Beer Onions

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Beer Onions in a white baking dish.
4.78 from 9 votes

Caramelized Beer Onions

Yield: 2 cups
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Beer Onions will elevate some of your favorite party foods. Brats, burgers and steaks can all be enhanced by these caramelized onions.
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⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review below!

Ingredients

  • 4 yellow onions, sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • ¼ cup lager beer
  • 1 tablespoon lager beer
  • 1 teaspoon All Purpose Seasoning

Instructions

  • Melt butter and onions in a large skillet over medium high heat.
  • Stir in brown sugar, 1/4 cup of beer and salt; add onions and stir for 5 minutes.
  • Turn heat down to medium-low and cook onions for 40 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and stir in remaining tablespoon of beer.

Expert Tips

 
  • Stir: As soon as the onions start sticking to the pan, let them stick a little and brown, but then stir them before they burn. The trick is to leave them alone enough to brown.
  • Baking Soda: The baking soda changes the pH which causes the onions to brown more quickly. The higher pH also causes the onions to soften more quickly, which we cover below when we discuss the texture
  • Variation tip: Feel free to add peppers to this dish. Red, yellow green peppers are all fabulous with this dish.
  • Flavor additives: Bay leaf, a pinch of salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, caraway seed or thyme sprigs. A little salt makes everything better.
  • What to Cook them in: large nonstick skillet or a dutch oven.

Estimated Nutritional Information

Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 1223mg | Potassium: 321mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 16.3mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 0.5mg
The nutritional information provided are estimates. To learn more about how I calculate this information go to www.itisakeeper.com/about-its-a-keeper/privacy-disclosure-policies/
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Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American

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7 thoughts on “Caramelized Beer Onions”

  1. 3 stars
    Typo in the recipe, step 1. Says to “melt butter and onions”. I’m assuming that it should read “butter and oil”.

    Also in the notes it talks about baking soda, but that isn’t in the ingredient list or mentioned in the recipe.

    Reply
  2. 5 stars
    These were a delicious addition to our burgers. It made it seem like we were having something fancier than a burger and added so much flavor!

    Reply
  3. Where and how much of the baking soda is used? – “Baking Soda: The baking soda changes the pH which causes the onions to brown more quickly. The higher pH also causes the onions to soften more quickly, which we cover below when we discuss the texture.” Don’t see anything about texture.

    Reply
    • The recipe states that it’s 4 onions and only 1 teaspoon of salt. You can always feel free to cut back on the salt to suit your tastes. Enjoy!

      Reply

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