The Easiest Way To Make Caramelized Onions

Caramelizing onions is famously time-consuming. It’s not especially difficult, but it does take patience, attention, and a bit of effort. That said, few things compare to the rich, sweetly nutty flavor of properly caramelized onions. They elevate everything from decadent pastas like onion ragu, to soups, pizzas, and even French onion soup-inspired grilled cheese.

Thankfully, there are easier methods—like using a slow cooker—that take some of the work out of the process. But what if you don’t have a Crock-Pot to do all the work for you?

One of the easiest techniques is using the oven—and it’s nearly stirless! It’s a slow-and-steady method that offers the best of both worlds: It’s slightly faster than using a slow cooker and requires far less babysitting than the stovetop method. It’s easily the most convenient way to achieve deep, jammy caramelized onions with minimal fuss.

The Easiest Low-Lift Way to Caramelize Onions

The oven method for caramelizing onions starts the same way as any other: by cutting a lot of onions—and we mean a lot. No matter the method, caramelizing reduces their volume by about three-quarters, and a solid quantity of onions helps the process of caramelization along with the oven method especially: the juices from the onions evaporate, steam, and mingle just enough to help the process along without as much stirring required.

Use a baking dish with tall sides, such as a Dutch oven, to help trap and reincorporate the onions’ juices during the early stages of cooking. This helps prevent the edges from burning or scalding. Since you won’t be stirring as frequently as you would on the stovetop, some slices may still cook faster than others. To slow things down and encourage even cooking, add a splash of water and stir occasionally.

How to Cook Caramelized Onions in the Oven

Caramelizing onions in the oven slows the cooking process down just enough to make it mostly hands-off—perfect for multitasking in the kitchen.

1. Slice the onions. While any onion variety will work, yellow onions and sweet onions contain the most natural sugars. They break down as they cook the easiest, and are most closely associated with that signature sweet, nutty flavor.
2. Place them in a tall-sided, oven-safe dish. Use a Dutch oven, roasting pan, or baking dish. Make sure the onions cover the bottom of the dish in a thick, even layer. The tall sides help retain moisture and promote even cooking.
3. Cook low and slow. Roast uncovered at 350°F, stirring occasionally. This process may take a few hours, depending on the quantity of onions. If the onions start to dry out or cook unevenly, stir in a splash of water (about 1/4 cup at a time).

Extra Ingredient Tips for Caramelizing Onions

It doesn’t hurt to keep a few tips and tricks in your back pocket—either to speed the process along or slow it down.

• Water: Keep a pyrex of tap water on hand—if you see that the onions are starting to brown a little bit too fast, adding a splash of water slows down the process without affecting the flavor.
• Baking Soda: Just a pinch of baking soda helps the browning along. This is because it speeds up the chemical “Maillard” reaction that causes the sugars within the onion to break down, change color, and get that quintessential caramelized onion flavor.

How to Use Caramelized Onions