How to Make Caramelized Onions with Balsamic Vinegar. Caramelized onions recipe with photos. How to make a delicious caramelized onion salad

Home-caramelized onions are a fairly common ingredient that chefs use to prepare a wide variety of dishes. It has a distinct unusual taste. Try replacing it with regular fried one - and the taste of the dish will be completely different.

You can make caramelized onions yourself, but the process will require some effort and quite a long time. However, there is nothing complicated in this matter. Now we will make sure of this.

What is caramelization?

The technology is based on melting sugar under the influence of temperature. Turning into a liquid caramel-like mass, sugar envelops the product and retains all the juices and aromas inside it. And the taste of caramel sets the final accents.

Brown sugar works best for caramelizing onions. But if haute cuisine implies strict adherence to the recipe, then for simple homemade dishes you can use the usual one. Don’t forget that vegetables and fruits also contain natural sugar, which can also caramelize when heated.

A few words about oil

Onions caramelized with sugar are best cooked in butter. Ghee is especially good. Many vegetable oils will also work. Rapeseed occupies the top spot, but it is not so easy to get. This is followed by olive, intended for frying (not salad extra virgin). Sunflower oil is not the best option, but if you have to use it, choose highly refined oil. Homemade, with an active smell, will not be suitable for caramelizing onions.

Subtleties of the process

Let's look at how to make caramelized onions. Cut the peeled heads into half rings. Melt the butter in a frying pan. On average, you will need one tablespoon for each medium onion.

Load onions and reduce heat to medium. Add sugar depending on the type of onion. If the vegetables are too spicy for your taste, you will need a tablespoon for each head. For medium-hot varieties, reduce the amount.

Try to interfere less with the process, do not stir the onions too often. This should be done once every few minutes. The caramelization process will take at least 20 minutes. The signal of readiness is a pronounced amber-brown hue and a persistent caramel aroma.

You can make caramelized onions without adding sugar. To do this, the half rings are loaded into warm oil and cooked over low heat, stirring no more than once every 5-7 minutes. This method is good only for the sweetest varieties.

Using caramelized onions

In many cuisines around the world, this component is combined with a variety of products. Mediterranean people add onions, caramelized in advance, to cheese (such as ricotta) before further baking.

The French love onion soup - this dish is considered national and native to many regions of France. To prepare it, caramelized onions are stewed in broth and grated cheese and dried herbs are added before serving.

In America, various steaks of varying degrees of doneness, seasoned with caramelized onions, are popular.

This component goes well with the familiar dumplings, ravioli, dumplings, and dumplings. In Central Europe, it is served with zeppelinai and also sprinkled on gnocchi.

This product is widely used as a dressing for soups, stews, roasts, and added to pizza and sandwiches.

In short, caramelized onions go well with a huge variety of different dishes. Some admirers of this dish simply serve it as an appetizer with fresh aromatic bread, tandoor pastries or toast.

Caramelized onions are a great addition to absolutely any dish. Caramelization technology will help remove all excess acid from the product, giving it divine sweetness in return.

Cooking does not take much time, and for cooking you only need onions, oil, spices, and tools such as a knife and a frying pan.

This dish is most often prepared as an appetizer. Usually served with buns or bread. Sometimes used as an ingredient in the preparation of burgers, soups and other main dishes.

In what dishes is it used? French onion soup

Caramelized onions have a versatile flavor. Thanks to this, it is added to vegetable and meat dishes, and is also used as a filling for pies. In general, caramelized onions are an essential component of any first course. But often, in order to save time, it is not brought to the desired state, which, of course, affects the taste of the culinary product.

French has such a deep, rich taste precisely because of properly caramelized onions.

How to cook it? For 2 liters of broth you will need 750 g of onion, a couple of tablespoons of butter, a clove of garlic, 150 g of cheese, your favorite herbs and spices. First, the garlic is fried in butter, then the onion, cut into half rings, is added to it and the vegetables continue to simmer over low heat for about an hour. When the onion becomes completely soft and acquires a caramel flavor, it’s time to pour the broth over it, add salt, thyme and black pepper. Serve and be sure to sprinkle grated cheese on top. This is delicious! Bon appetit!

How to make caramelized onions for a burger

Let's take a closer look at preparing caramelized onions for a burger.

Ingredients you may need for 1 serving:

• bun – 1;
• burger cutlet – 200 g;
• mustard to taste – 5 g;
• cheese – 15 g;
• sun-dried tomatoes – 15 g;
• onion (onion) – 50 g;
• vinegar – 50 g;
• sugar – 10 g;
• sauce to taste;
• vegetable oil – 10 ml;
• salt – 2 g;
• white pepper – 2 g.

Let's move on directly to the cooking process.

To begin with, you need to cut the onion into large rings, the thickness of which will be about 4 mm, then fry the product in vegetable oil until ready. Next, add sugar and vinegar, evaporate the resulting ingredient, turning the burner to the “low” level, add salt and pepper.

After we have prepared the caramelized onions, we need to place the burger patty in the frying pan and fry it to the desired state, not forgetting to pepper, salt and season with mustard. After completing these steps, warm the bun well, put a small piece of cheese in its lower part, and place a pre-cooked cutlet on top and place onions, tomatoes on top of it (you should carefully cut them into strips), and also pour over the sauce.

Recipe for crispy onions in a frying pan

In order to cook crispy onions in a frying pan, we need to follow these steps:

1. Over medium heat, melt 3 tbsp. l. butter until smooth.
2. Chop 1 kg of onion (cut each onion in half, then divide into thin slices in layers).
3. Place the resulting ingredients in a frying pan, then add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Caramelized onions need to be fried until they soften in the pan. This takes no more than 5 minutes. After the onion reaches the desired state, add 2 tsp. Sahara.
5. After this, the onion needs additional frying - to achieve a tasty result, it should be fried for at least 20 minutes. The product requires frequent stirring due to the risk of burning.
   Complete readiness will be indicated by the formation of a golden crust - at this moment you can be sure that the appetizer is already ready.

Sweet version with honey

To caramelize onions with honey, you will need the following ingredients:

• red onion – 7-8 pcs.;
• thyme;
• red wine (dry) – 1 glass;
• sugar – 150 g;
• honey – 100 g;
• wine-based vinegar – 120 ml;
• ground black pepper - to taste;
• coriander – 1 tsp. seeds

The cooking process is as follows:

1. The onion needs to be cut into large half rings.
2. Heat olive oil in a frying pan, then add a little thyme and coriander.
3. Pour the onion into the pan, turn the burner down to medium, and fry the contents of the pan for 20 minutes.
4. Melt honey, pour wine and vinegar into it, add a pinch of pepper. Fry over moderate heat for 40 minutes along with the onion. You will know that the dish is ready when the onions turn caramel red - now all that remains is to add salt.

Recipe: Caramelized onions. Calorie, chemical composition and nutritional value.

Nutritional value and chemical composition of Caramelized Onions.

The table shows the nutritional content (calories, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals) per 100 grams of edible portion.

The energy value of Caramelized onions is 71.1 kcal.

Primary Source: Created in the application by the user. Read more.

** This table shows the average levels of vitamins and minerals for an adult. If you want to know the norms taking into account your gender, age and other factors, then use the “My Healthy Diet” application.

Red caramelized onions

Ingredients you may need to make caramelized red onions:

• onion (required red) – 800 g;
• vegetable oil – about 80 g;
• butter, with a fat content of 72.5% - 2 tbsp. l.;
• cane sugar - 3.5 tbsp. l.;
• fine salt – 2 tsp;
• any vinegar – 5 tsp.

Cooking process and technology:

1. To begin with, you should peel the onion from unnecessary peels, and then cut into strips to better retain its shape at the end of cooking.
2. Take a deep, large frying pan and heat the oil in it (it doesn’t matter whether it’s butter or sunflower), then add all the chopped onions and fry it until the moisture evaporates, turning the burner to medium heat.
3. After the onion has evaporated all the moisture, you need to pour out the required amount of vinegar, add salt and sugar.
4. By constantly stirring, do not allow the onion to burn. This will promote even caramelization.
5. When the onions become thick, the caramelization process will begin and will continue for 15 minutes.
6. After the above-mentioned time has passed, transfer the prepared onion to another bowl and cover it with a lid until it cools completely. The best place for further storage is the middle shelves of the refrigerator.

In the process we will need the following products:

• 100 g shallots;
• 15 g butter;
• 1 tsp. cane sugar;
• 1 tsp. wine-based vinegar;
• 100 g thin green beans;
• 8 pcs. new potatoes;
• 4 sun-dried tomatoes;
• 12 olives;
• 50 g green onions;
• greens for decoration;
• garlic, previously dried;
• black pepper;
• salt.

Olive oil and vinegar are mixed 4:1.

How to make a delicious caramelized onion salad?

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
2. We peel the bulbs, but do not cut off their top layer.
3. Melt the butter in a frying pan, then pour sugar into the resulting substance, placing the shallots on top of the homogeneous mass.
4. Leave the onion on the fire for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
5. After removing the frying pan from the stove, pour vinegar into the mixture, stir and put the resulting mixture in the oven for about 4 minutes.
6. After the onion has acquired a soft shape, place the resulting product on a plate and then pour over the sauce that was released from the shallots during the cooking process.

Now prepare the remaining ingredients for the warm salad:

1. Wash the potatoes well, then cook them for about 12 minutes in water previously brought to a boil. After that, sprinkle it with olive oil and salt.
2. Cook the beans for 7 minutes, and once ready, place them in a colander. We cut it into 2 parts, first cutting off the unnecessary ends with a sharp knife. We don't touch the seeds. Next, we do the same as with potatoes: spray with olive oil and add salt to taste.
3. Place the tomatoes in warm water and keep them for 15 minutes.
4. After all the ingredients have been prepared, you need to thinly slice the potatoes and tomatoes, and cut the olives in half.
5. Next, you need to mix all the products in a deep bowl, add spices and mix.
6. Warm caramelized shallot salad is ready!

Friends, a little over a year ago I tried this savory appetizer and fell in love - the taste is indescribable, I can describe it endlessly, but I still recommend making it and trying it. I don’t caramelize onions often, but if I’m baking meat or fish, then it definitely has to be on the table, and just spread on bread is very tasty, and the kind of sandwiches and burgers you get with it... you’ll lick your fingers!

I always buy purple onions for this recipe. I don’t argue that white may be even tastier, but for some reason I like the color of the finished dish, it’s more appetizing or something, but it doesn’t matter, cook with any.

So, prepare all the necessary ingredients for making caramelized onions.

Peel the onion and cut into half rings or rings, as you like. Heat a frying pan with oil, I use sesame oil, but you can use any refined oil to your liking. Fry the onion, stirring, over medium heat until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.

Pour in balsamic vinegar.

Add salt, sugar.

And, stirring, evaporate to a caramel state, this will take another 15 minutes. You will know whether it’s ready or not by the caramel smell.

The caramelized onions are ready, all you have to do is cool them completely and you can serve them.

Bon appetit!

In this article we talk about caramelized onions - a quick-cooking recipe will allow you to try the original appetizer in half an hour. You will be able to evaluate other recipes from our selection and receive useful recommendations for preparing this dish.

What varieties are suitable?

Typically, any type of onion is suitable for caramelization, but shallots and red varieties of the vegetable are preferable options. The yellow variety is also suitable for cooking. Leek can also be used, but it contains a lot of moisture, which can complicate the caramelization process.

When choosing a variety, the main thing to remember is that the less bitterness a vegetable produces, the less sugar should be used in cooking.

You can bring a whole small onion to the caramelization process, even a set will do, and eat it as a separate dish with a fresh vegetable salad.

Before preparing the dish, use a few simple recommendations.

• Choose a frying pan with a thick bottom and high sides. It is better to use cast iron. The least preferred option is Teflon, it gives the food an unpleasant aftertaste.
• For cooking it is better to use melted butter. When using vegetable, it is recommended to choose rapeseed or olive options. In some cases, sunflower oil is also suitable, but it is important that it be refined and of the highest quality.
• If guests are about to ring the doorbell, then to save time, you can pre-bake the onions in the microwave for 5-6 minutes, and only then proceed to the caramelization process.
• While cooking, the kitchen smells of fried onions. To prevent this aroma from permeating the entire apartment, it is better to open the windows in advance. Don’t be alarmed; the caramelized vegetable itself tastes and smells nothing like the usual fried product.
• When choosing the amount of onions for caramelization, do not forget that this vegetable tends to fry by 26%, and therefore do not be afraid to use a large number of onions.
• The caramelized product can be stored in the refrigerator for a week in an airtight container, and in the freezer for three months.

Thus, it is in vain that Russian housewives pay so little attention to this product. In other countries there is nothing exotic in this recipe; it is a traditional ingredient in the most popular dishes. The food is simple to prepare, no special culinary skills are needed, and there is also no need to spend a lot of money - onions, sugar and butter can be found in any kitchen. Therefore, try to surprise your guests with this unusual dish; even the most demanding gourmet will love it.

For another recipe with caramelized onions, watch the next video.

Caramelized onions are a great addition to absolutely any dish. Caramelization technology will help remove all excess acid from the product, giving it divine sweetness in return.

Cooking does not take much time, and for cooking you only need onions, oil, spices, and tools such as a knife and a frying pan.

This dish is most often prepared as an appetizer. Usually served with buns or bread. Sometimes used as an ingredient in the preparation of burgers, soups and other main dishes.

How to make caramelized onions

Caramelized onions - a delicious snack

Onions contain more sugar than apples, so they are most often caramelized among vegetables. There are only two main ingredients – onion and sugar. It is better to use cane sugar, but if it is not available, white sugar will do. During the process of slow heating, the sugar turns into a thick mass, which will retain the juice inside the onion and give it a sweet taste.

To understand how to cook caramelized onions correctly, it is important to remember that you cannot make a dish in 5-10 minutes. In order for the onions to acquire a caramel-nut flavor, the cooking time should be at least half an hour.

Do not try to speed up the process by turning on high heat. This way you risk getting burnt onions.

How to caramelize onions. My proven method

Caramelizing onions, that is, slowly frying them in a small amount of vegetable (preferably, of course, olive) oil until they are well browned, is the simplest way to extract wonderful flavor from the simplest ingredients.

Onions contain natural sugar, so both when sugar is heated to create caramel, when onions are roasted over low heat for a long time, the sugar they contain caramelizes, resulting in an intense and striking flavor and color.

I usually use caramelized onions as an addition to baked meat or shashlik, as well as for making onion soup, pies, pizza, onion puree sauce and many other dishes.

But you can eat it right after cooking, just like that or with bread - it’s also very tasty!

The amount of onion I use for caramelization depends on how much I would like the finished product to be. A simple rule applies here: the more you want the finished product, the more raw materials you take.

For example, 5 large onions usually yields about 2 cups of caramelized onions.

In order to caramelize onions, we need these:

Caramelized Onion Recipes

The homemade way to make caramelized onions is simple. There are various variations of this dish. Onions can be served on pate, steak, cheese plates, or added to soups such as French onion soup

.

The classic recipe includes only 3 ingredients: onion, sugar and butter.

You will need

:

• onion – 1 pc.;
• butter – 1 tbsp;
• granulated sugar – 1 tbsp.

How to cook

:

1. Cut the onion into half rings.
2. Melt the butter in a frying pan.
3. Add onion to oil and reduce heat.
4. Sprinkle the onions with sugar.
5. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring no more than once every 2-3 minutes.
6. The onion is ready when it has acquired an amber color and exudes a caramel aroma.

Calorie content

:

Calorie content per 100 g. product 223 Kcal.

If you have time, we suggest trying caramelized onions according to the recipe in the photo, which is prepared with the addition of balsamic vinegar or red wine. The dish turns out aromatic, but it will take an hour and a half to prepare.

You can caramelize the onions in halves.

You will need

:

• onions (preferably red) – 2 pcs.;
• olive oil – 1 tsp;
• butter – 1 tsp;
• salt - to taste;
• sugar – 1 tsp;
• balsamic vinegar (or red wine) – 0.5 tsp.

How to cook

:

1. Carefully cut off the roots with scissors. Without peeling the bulb, cut off the top tail (the one where the green arrows come from). Place the onion on the cut and cut into two parts. Place one part with the large cut side down and cut the onion into large slices so as not to touch the root tail. It will act as a fastener that will prevent the onion from falling apart during cooking. Carefully remove the peel. Do the same with your other half.
2. Grease the bottom of the pan with a mixture of butter or olive oil. Add the onions and stir gently to coat them with the oil mixture. Reduce heat to low. Stir only when there is a danger of burning.
3. After 10 minutes, salt the onion and sprinkle it with sugar.
4. Simmer the onions for another half hour to an hour. If the onion starts to stick to the walls, add 1 tsp. water or oil (butter or olive).
5. As soon as the onions turn a bright brown color, add vinegar or wine. Remove from heat after 2-3 minutes.

Calorie content

:

Calorie content per 100 g. product 162 Kcal.

Once you know how to caramelize onions in a frying pan, the hardest thing to resist is stirring them - the less often you do this, the better the result. But don’t let the onions burn!

If you like spices, then prepare caramelized onions with thyme and coriander.

You will need

:

• red onion – 8 pcs.;
• sprigs of fresh thyme – 3 pcs.;
• dry red wine – 1 tbsp.;
• olive oil – 100 ml;
• granulated sugar – 150 gr.;
• honey – 100 gr.;
• wine vinegar – 120 ml;
• ground black pepper - on the tip of a knife;
• coriander seeds – 1 tsp.

How to cook

:

• Peel the onion and cut into large half rings.
• Heat olive oil in a frying pan, add finely chopped thyme and coriander peas.
• Add the onion to the oil-spicy mixture. Turn down the heat. Fry for 20 minutes.
• Pour in the wine and vinegar, melted honey, and pepper. Fry over low heat for another 40 minutes. When the onion turns an amber-caramel color, add salt.

Calorie content

:

Calorie content per 100 g. product 143 Kcal.

For more information on how to caramelize onions, watch the video:

Once you've chosen the caramelized onion recipe that's right for you, check out these helpful tips

. They will help you prepare a dish that is perfect in taste and appearance:

• Red varieties are best, as are shallots. Chefs sometimes use leeks, but for beginners they can be difficult to cook because they contain too much water.
• Melted butter is ideal. From vegetable oils, you can use rapeseed or olive oil. In extreme cases, sunflower oil will do, but choose the highest quality refined one.
• Choose large onion heads - they have a higher sugar content.
• It is advisable to use a cast iron skillet, but any heavy-bottomed saucepan will do. Professional chefs do not recommend cooking in Teflon pans, as the onions will acquire an unpleasant taste.

What to remember

1. Once you've learned how to caramelize onions in a skillet, try one of our recipes. Be patient - you will have to cook for at least half an hour over low heat.
2. You can caramelize onions only with sugar, or you can add spices, honey, vinegar, and wine to the dish.
3. The best type of cookware is a cast iron frying pan with high sides.
4. Caramelized onions are good as a side dish for meat, served with cheese. Chefs recommend cooking some types of puree soups exclusively with it, and not with traditional fried onions.

Home-caramelized onions are a fairly common ingredient that chefs use to prepare a wide variety of dishes. It has a distinct unusual taste. Try replacing it with regular fried one - and the taste of the dish will be completely different.

You can make caramelized onions yourself, but the process will require some effort and quite a long time. However, there is nothing complicated in this matter. Now we will make sure of this.