Quick Caramelized Onions

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These quick Caramelized Onions are ready in 10 short minutes. I use a little trick to speed up the process. Now you can have this sweet condiment in minutes!

Caramelized onions in a white dish with tan napkin

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This is an expert way on How to Caramelized Onions. They are a sweet addition that brings another level of flavor to almost any dish.

What does caramelized mean, anyway? Find out here.

  • 10 Minutes: just a few minutes to perfection
  • Easy Ingredients: Only four pantry staples to make.
  • Family Friendly: Even finicky eaters love this sweet addition.
  • Adaptable: Amazing on anything.

What You Need to Make Caramelized Onions

Ingredients

  • vidalia onions or red onions
  • canola oil or olive oil
  • baking soda
  • salt

Equipment

How to Make Caramelized Onions – Step by Step

Onions chopped before cooking in the pan cooking and the finished onions.
  • Peel and Slice: First, peel onions and cut in half lengthwise and then slice onion halves into 1/4 inch slices.
  • Skillet: Second, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat and then add onions and sprinkle with baking soda.
  • Cook: Third, cook onions, stirring periodically, for 10 minutes until golden brown and soft.
  • Salt: Finally, stir with spatula in salt just before removing from the pan.

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Common Questions About This Onion Recipe

HOW DOES THIS WORK?

Baking soda helps onions to caramelize much faster by raising their pH level which is responsible for the browning of the sugars in food.

RECIPE BE HALVED OR DOUBLED?

Of course, I love to have this handy topper on hand so make extra, however, if you have a small family simple reduce amounts.

USING A VEGETABLE SLICER?

The vegetable slicer is so handy for many things but absolutely the best for slicing onions evenly and quickly.

BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?

Above all, this is an easy caramelized onions recipe so yes!

HOW DO I STORE THIS RECIPE?

I love to store it in a mason jar in the fridge, any airtight container will do.

SERVE WITH RECIPE?

As a base for french onion soup, on top of steak, pizza or burgers. Great for 30 Easy Mexican Recipes or Caramelized Onion Penne.

Carmalized onions on a fork from round white dish

Expert Tips for Making the Best Caramelized Onions

  • Recipe Can be Doubled: A great recipe for a crowd.  Simply increase the ingredients proportionately.
  • Store: Lasts up to four days in the fridge.
  • Freeze: Feel free to freeze for up to 4 months.
  • Variation tip: More sugar for a sweeter caramel taste or hit it with a dash of your favorite spice for a little heat.
  • Alternate ingredient: Try a little acid, use your favorite vinegar to up the flavor. I like Balsamic vinegar and champagne.

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If you’ve tried this recipe, please rate it in the comment section below.

Caramelized onions in a white dish with tan napkin
4.63 from 138 votes

Quick Caramelized Onions in 10 Minutes

Yield: 4 servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
How to Make Caramelized Onions has never been easier with this ingenious trick to make them perfect every time. These golden sweet beauties will enhance any dish. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU FOLLOW THE RECIPE EXACTLY!
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⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review below!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups white or yellow onions
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoons salt

Instructions

  • Peel onions and cut in half lengthwise.
  • Slice onion halves into 1/4 inch slices.
  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Add onions and sprinkle with baking soda.
  • Cook onions, stirring periodically, for 10 minutes until golden brown and soft.
  • Stir in salt just before removing from the pan.

Expert Tips

  • Recipe Can be Doubled: A great recipe for a crowd.  Simply increase the ingredients proportionately.
  • Store: Lasts up to four days in the fridge.
  • Freeze: Feel free to freeze for up to 4 months.
  • Variation tip: More sugar for a sweeter taste or hit it with a dash of your favorite spice for a little heat.
  • Alternate ingredient: Try a little acid, use your favorite vinegar to up the flavor. I like Balsamic and champagne.

Estimated Nutritional Information

Calories: 94kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 328mg | Potassium: 117mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin C: 5.9mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 0.2mg
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: Other
Cuisine: American

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57 thoughts on “Quick Caramelized Onions”

  1. 5 stars
    Absolutely FANTASTIC. I added a splash of acidity (balsamic) and a sprinkle of brown sugar 2mins before finish and it was to die for. Many thanks!

    Reply
  2. 1 star
    Yeah, I watched the video and did everything she said. I used just a sprinkle of baking soda, less than 1/8th and I have the same yellow, mushy result. I might try again…

    Reply
  3. 5 stars
    I only had about 10 minutes until dinner was ready and forgot about the onions. So, I found this quick recipe after I already had 2 T of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of butter heated in a pan over medium high heat. I added a about half the amount of baking soda because I only used one onion. I stirred often and they came out perfectly! Thank you so much for this recipe!

    Reply
  4. 5 stars
    THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS RECIPE. I love making caramelized onions for burgers and pizza but dreaded how long it took to make them. This cuts down the time so much! I tried making a double batch in one pan and quickly learned that one batch at a time is the way to go( I think my pan was too small haha). I’m currently cooking another batch and cannot wait to eat them! 🙂 This will be my go-to recipe from now on

    Reply
  5. 5 stars
    not sure what the other’s issues are. this worked fine for me. they tasted amazing. This is my first time trying caramelized onions, I didn’t have 4-8 hours for the ‘real’ method. I will try that next, but in a pinch, these were fantastic.

    Reply
  6. Quick & carmaluzed should never be used in the same sentence. I’m a home economics science teacher, & if you don’t have the time & patience, don’t bother.

    Reply
    • I think you are missing the boat on the latest in cooking science then. Baking soda promotes browning by changing the pH level of foods and it makes browning quicker. The best food scientists in the US have been using it for years. Please consult Modernist Cuisine, Serious Eats, and America’s Test Kitchen on the subject.

      Reply

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