Caramelized Onions (How to Caramelize Onions)

By Becky Hardin

Updated Feb 16, 2026

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Learning how to caramelize onions has changed the cooking game for me! They’re so perfectly sweet and savory, and they improve every dish I add them to. Plus, they’re surprisingly easy to make. All you need is a little patience. Caramelized onions are my secret ingredient for insanely flavorful dips, dinners, and more!

Easy Caramelized Onions

Before I show you how to caramelize onions, let’s talk about what it means to caramelize something. It’s the same process that’s used to make caramel, but you can “caramelize” lots of things that contain natural sugars, including onions. What you’re doing is bringing out the natural sugars within the onion while cooking so that you can really taste the sweetness. These caramelized onions are a total flavor game-changer.

I highly recommend making caramelized onions in big batches ahead of time and storing them in the refrigerator. This process can take some time, so having them ready in the fridge will speed up all your weeknight recipes. This is something you could do during your weekly meal prep.

Tips for Beginners

• Onions will cook down significantly. So what looks like a lot in the beginning will yield much less in the end.
• Use a large pan/skillet. You don’t want to overcrowd the onions.
• Let the butter melt fully. Coat the pan as it melts before you add in the onions.
• Add a splash of water to the pan. If the onions start to stick or burn a splash of water will help loosen them up.
• I don’t recommend adding sugar to the pan. Adding sugar to the pan will speed up the process, but I have found that it makes the onions too sweet, so I don’t recommend it.
• Be patient. You can get great results in about 20-25 minutes of cooking, but you can also continue longer for even sweeter, softer, darker onions.

Recipe Card

How to Caramelize Onions

4.69 from 70 votes

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 people

Author: Becky Hardin

Print Rate Pin

Learn how to caramelize onions perfectly every time. This basic cooking skill is easy, and caramelized onions add so much flavor to recipes.

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• ▢ 2 tbsp unsalted butter (¼ stick)
• ▢ 1 lb. yellow onions* peeled and thinly sliced
• ▢ 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• ▢ ¼ tsp kosher salt
• ▢ ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Video

Instructions 

• Add the oil and butter to a medium-large skillet set over medium-high heat.
  1½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• Once the butter is melted, add the onion, thyme, salt, and black pepper.
  1 lb. yellow onions*, 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, ¼ tsp kosher salt, ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Cook until the onions start to turn brown in spots, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Turn the heat down to low, cover the skillet, and cook 15 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water as necessary if the onions start to stick to the pan or if the pan starts to get too dark.

Becky’s Tips

*You can use any onion, but I prefer yellow onions because they have the best flavor balance. Sweeter onion varieties generally caramelize best because they have a higher sugar content, but again, any onion will work (including red onions).

Serving: 0.25poundsCalories: 143kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 1gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 151mgPotassium: 171mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 201IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 0.4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

Add the onions: Once the butter is melted, add 1 lb. peeled, thinly sliced yellow onions, 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, ¼ tsp kosher salt, and ⅛ tsp ground black pepper.

Cook the onions: Cook until the onions begin to turn brown in spots, stirring frequently. This usually takes me about 5 minutes.

Continue to cook and stir: Lower the heat to a low setting, cover the skillet, and cook 15 minutes more, stirring occasionally. If necessary, add a splash of water if the onions start to stick to the pan or if the pan starts to get too dark.

Store or serve: Once the onions are nicely browned, transfer to a storage container or serve.

How to Store

Store leftover caramelized onions in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze them flat in resealable bags or in small portions in ice trays for up to 3 months. Simply add the onions to a dish and allow them to reheat as the dish cooks, or reheat them in the microwave in 30-second bursts until warmed through.

Serving Suggestions

Caramelized onions are my secret weapon. They add a complex, sweet yet savory flavor to any dish. They’re a staple for the ultimate onion flavor in French onion soup. I like to throw them into soup, pasta, and top my smashburgers with them as they really take an everyday recipe over the top.

They can also be the real hero in recipes like this cold and creamy caramelized onion bacon dip, or our hot onion soufflé dip.

More Onion Recipes We’re Devouring

• In this How to Cut an Onion post, I outline all the ways you can cut an onion, so you can learn this basic cooking skill.
• My homemade Baked Blooming Onion is my take on a popular restaurant appetizer that everybody loves.
• These Pickled Red Onions are sweet, tangy, and are the best topping for sandwiches, salads, tacos, and more.

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