Here are a few of my favorite ways for using caramelized onions to give color, flavor and depth to all sorts of recipes.
One of my favorite ways to cook onions is to caramelize them to release a lovely sweet flavor and brown color. It takes time but is so worth the effort. Now that you have a pile of these tasty morsels, what do you do with them? 
Just about any dish tastes better with caramelized onions in it, but some really move to the top of the line when it comes to flavor and appeal.
These sweet, creamy and beautifully brown onions are the result of time in the kitchen spent stirring them over a medium heat to coax out the flavor.
They can’t be rushed and are pay dividends in the taste department for your efforts. These ideas for using them will make that time spent so worth while!
How to use Caramelized onions
Once you have the onions perfectly caramelized, you can use them in many ways. Here are a fewcooking tips to give you some ideas.
Philly Cheese steaks
Load up a hoagie roll with layers of roast beef, add the caramelized onions. some cheese and cooked peppers, and heat until the cheese melts for the ultimate Philly Cheese steak sandwich.
In Fajitas
Instead of caramelizing just the onions, add in some sweet peppers to give a colorful and super tasty topping for your Mexican fajitas.
Steak Toppings
It’s grilling time! BBQ your favorite steak to perfection and top it with a knob of herb seasoned butter and some caramelized onions.
Your family will love it and want you to make steak this way every time.
In your Favorite Recipes
Using caramelized onions in my main course recipes is my favorite way to get the most out of them.. These tender, sugar sweet onions that still have a savory taste will turn any recipe into a gourmet meal.
This recipe for Mexican chori pollo has layers of cooked chicken, topped with chorizo sausage and an extra layer of the sweet onions. It’s baked to perfection and makes a fabulous meal that is gluten free and low carb.
On your Best Burgers
There is nothing like a thick and juicy burger piled high with your favorite burger toppings and then loaded with onions that have been caramelized. The only problem will be how on earth to eat this beauty.
In gourmet sandwiches
Gourmet sandwiches often have a lovely crusty bread, and fillings that are on the more esoteric side. Why not add a layer of caramelized onions to make your sandwich a trendy café style lunch?
Toppings for a pizza
Many pizzas have onions on them for toppings, but even after cooking they can have a tart taste.
Caramelize the onions almost to the browned stage first and then add them to your pizza and cook for a pizza that will be off the charts in flavor and taste.
Appetizer Toppings
Cook your onions ahead of time so that you have them to use later. They keep well in the fridge.
Just before the party, lay out your favorite crackers and top them with a piece of sharp cheddar cheese, add a pecan, a few caramelized onions and some fresh thyme and a sprinkle of feta cheese and you will have a tasty appetizer in just minutes.
French Onion Soup
Fill a bowl of creamy, hot onion soup just brimming with caramelized onions and top it with cheese for a match made in home made soup heaven. There is nothing quite like the sweetness of a French onion soup! It’s one of my favorites.
In Omelettes
Caramelized onions give a ton of flavor to any omelette recipe. This caramelized onion and mushroom omelette recipe is amazing!
In Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.
Melting cheese between two pieces of bread is yummy enough, but adding caramelized onions adds a whole new level of flavor.
This caramelized onion grilled cheese sandwich from Dukes and duch*esses shows just how tasty a grilled cheese can be!
Recipe ideas for using caramelized onions.
The options are limitless, really. Any place you can use cooked onions, you can also use caramelized onions. Here a few more suggestions:
What ways do you have for using caramelized onions? I’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments below.
FAQs
Add them to pizza, pastas, plant-based burgers, soups, dips, and more! I could grab a fork and eat these sweet caramelized onions right from the pan!
Do onions caramelize better with butter or oil? ›
Our Test Kitchen likes to use butter when caramelizing onions, as it offers the richest flavor. If you avoid dairy or don't have butter, you can caramelize onions in other fat such as margarine or olive oil. Add the onion slices. It's okay if they overlap a bit here because they'll shrink as they cook down.
Are caramelized onions still healthy? ›
While this cooking method may slightly reduce the water content of the onions, the overall nutrient content remains relatively unchanged. However, it's worth noting that adding other ingredients like oil or butter during the caramelization process can affect the dish's overall nutritional profile.
What is the difference between caramelized onions and sauteed onions? ›
Sautéing vs caramelizing
Sautéing is about softening and lightly flavoring the onions, while caramelizing is about developing a rich, sweet complexity. Unfortunately, you can't swap one out for the other without changing the flavor profile of your dish.
Should you add butter to caramelized onions? ›
You can use either oil or butter to caramelize onions — but ideally, you use a combination of both! I like to use olive oil, and this cooking fat tolerates heat particularly well. Meanwhile, butter adds a distinctly rich flavor to the caramelized onions.
Can you eat too many caramelized onions? ›
Caramelized onions can add flavor and nutrition to a variety of dishes, such as soups, stews, sandwiches, and omelets. It's also important to remember that it's okay to enjoy caramelized onions in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
Why add vinegar to caramelize onions? ›
Tip: use apple cider vinegar for white and yellow onions and balsamic vinegar for red onions. Tip: the vinegar serves to deglaze the pan, adds acidity, and brings this recipe together by boosting the tangy and savory flavors of the caramelized onions. If the onions stick to the pan, that's fine.
Why do you add baking soda to caramelize onions? ›
When you add baking soda during cooking it changes the pH which increases the Maillard reaction causing 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.
Why do you add sugar to caramelize onions? ›
If you need to caramelize onions quickly, adding sugar or a pinch of baking soda (to raise the pH level and help them brown quicker) can help to speed up the caramelization process but truly they aren't a dish that cooks up quickly. If using baking soda I'd suggest about 1/4 tsp per pound of raw onions.
Does onions raise blood sugar? ›
Eating onions may help regulate blood sugar levels, which is significant for people with diabetes or prediabetes. A small 2010 study in 84 people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes found that eating 100 g of raw red onion significantly reduced fasting blood sugar levels after 4 hours.
Nutritional benefits
Onions contain antioxidants and compounds that fight inflammation, decrease triglycerides, and reduce cholesterol levels — all of which may lower heart disease risk. Onions are also rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Copper, Potassium and Manganese.
Why do caramelized onions upset my stomach? ›
Onions are hard to digest largely because they contain fructans, which are not absorbed well in the small intestine. In fact, as fructans ferment, they can cause a great deal of digestive distress in the form of bloating, gas and diarrhea.
What is the secret to caramelize onions? ›
How to Caramelize Onions Fast
- Add sugar: some cooks swear by adding a pinch of sugar to enhance the onions' sugar content and help them caramelize faster.
- Add baking soda: dissolve a 1/8 teaspoon baking soda in 1 tablespoon of water and add the mixture to the onions toward the end of cooking (about 15 to 20 minutes in).
Yellow cooking onions, the hot when raw ones have the most sugar in them and thus caramelize the best and have the sweetest flavor. Red onions also will cook up sweet but because of their purple color will not brown when caramelized (they do brown but it looks different than with yellow or white onions).
Why are my caramelized onions soggy? ›
You may be cooking them on too high a heat, leading them to caramelize before all the liquid they release has evaporated. Try lowering the heat and giving them more time. Some onions are wetter than others, so you need to keep an eye on them and see how much liquid they release.
What's better for caramelized onions? ›
You can caramelize any kind of onion, but yellow or Spanish onions tend to offer the most balanced-sweet-savory flavor profile and are the most versatile for different dishes. Sweet onions, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla work too, but keep in mind that their flavor will become even sweeter once caramelized.
Can you burn caramelized onions? ›
It takes time, probably a solid 45 minutes, for the onions' sugars to caramelize. If your heat is too high, the onions will burn.
Can you eat burnt caramelized onions? ›
Consuming burnt onions is generally not harmful to most people, but it may not be very pleasant to eat as the burnt taste can be bitter and unpleasant.
Can you heat up caramelized onions? ›
The best way to reheat caramelized onions is to utilize that fat and reheat them in a pot over low heat. You shouldn't need to add any extra oil or butter and should only take about five minutes. If you're in a pinch, you can microwave them, but the microwave does have the potential to unevenly overcook them.
