Your Oven Is The Secret Weapon For Caramelizing A Ton Of Onions At Once
Nothing is more enticing than caramelized onions' aroma, flavor, and texture. A choice topping that you'll want to throw on every savory dish, the slow-cooked process draws on the natural sugars from the onion to produce a tender and sweet ingredient that melts in your mouth.
While smaller batches call for the tedious method of standing over a stove and pan-searing onions for what seems like ages, there's an easier way to cook more caramelized onions all at once using something likely already in your kitchen.
According to Bon Appétit, one of the best tools to caramelize large batches of onions, or any allium, is the oven. While ovens might be the tool we resort to for more ambitious and complex meals, it is often overlooked when tackling basic cooking tasks. When cooking caramelized onions in bulk, the oven can save time and effort while producing the same delicious results as the stove top thanks to its controlled temperature and increased cooking space.
How to caramelize onions
Caramelization is a slow cooking process that occurs when sugar is introduced to heat. You might be familiar with the method of caramelizing in its most basic form: caramel. Caramel is created by cooking sugar over a period of time to produce the lush sauce we know and love. In a similar vein, caramelizing onions relies on the sugars naturally found in onions which, when cooked down, produce a brown color and a sweet, nutty flavor.
The art of cooking caramelized onions is thought to be a skill that every home cook should master. Traditionally, caramelized onions are cooked on a stovetop using a large saucepan with a wide base. This extra room allows water to evaporate as the onions cook, which means the onions caramelize instead of steam in the pan.
With this concept in mind, the oven makes sense to approach larger batches of caramelized onions given its ample space for onions to soften and caramelize. This convenient method also offers extra time to multitask while cooking, which might come in handy while meal prepping.
Make caramelized onions in the oven
Whether it's sweet, red, or yellow onions, choose what you have on hand and start chopping. Each variety of onion will produce a different level of sweetness and tang, so give your favorites a try for different recipes.
After chopping the onions into thinly sliced pieces, toss with your choice of oil (olive oil works best for most recipes) and arrange on a large sheet pan. You'll want enough onions to cover the entire sheet pan, being mindful to avoid overlap. Heat the oven to 400 degrees and cook until the onions appear brown, stirring every 10 minutes or so, per Bon Appétit.
When you're done, you'll have finally made enough caramelized onions to try out a range of recipes. Try it as a topping on burgers, pizza, and more. Consider the classic French Soup Au Gratin for a comforting warm bowl that will truly let the caramelized onions shine. For a decadent morning, try Sweet Chili Caramelized Onion Breakfast Tacos. For a savory and delicious meal, Mujadrah is an easy traditional Arabic dish for a filling lunch or dinner.