Learn how to make sauteed onions without burning them! All you need are fresh yellow or white onions, a little oil, salt and about 15 minutes (includes the time to cut the onions) to make some.
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Ingredients
You only need 3 ingredients to make sautéed onions. First off, you’ll need your onions.
OLIVE OIL: If possible, using a high-quality olive will astronomically improve the taste of these onions. With a recipe this simple, the quality of the ingredients is super important.
Don’t have any olive oil on hand? Use butter or ghee in its place. Both are delicious substitutions.
KOSHER SALT: Salt helps to break down the onions so that they’ll release their flavorful juices. Feel free to adjust the measurement to suit your own taste.
How to Sauté Onions
These step-by-step photos show how to caramelize onions fast, but be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and detailed instructions. Skip to the → Sauteed Onions Recipe
1. Peel and slice the onions into thin slivers
A French cut works best here since it helps the onions cook down evenly.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat
Once the oil starts shimmering, add the onions and sprinkle with salt.
PRO TIP: Lemme show you my go-to French cut, boos. Slice off the ends, then cut it in half. This makes it easier to remove the paper and outer layer of the onion. Place the onion flat side down and cut parallel to the root. You’e basically just following the curve of the onion. Repeat with the second half. It’s that simple! Keep in mind that this is just how I like to do it, you can totally cut your onions anyway you’d like!
3. Stir the onions frequently as they cook down
Keep sautéing so they soften evenly.
4. Cook the onions until soft and golden brown
They should have caramelized spots and tons of flavor by the end.
PRO TIP: Onions lose a lot of their volume when they’re cooked. They’ll probably be about half their size once they’re done, so keep that in mind when deciding how much to make.
Full Sauteed Onions Recipe
Sauteed Onions Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 medium yellow onions
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Peel and slice the onions. See detailed instructions in the How to Cut an Onion section above.
- Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick pan set over medium heat for about 2 minutes, or until shiny and sizzling.
- Add the sliced onions to the pan, then sprinkle the salt over the top. Mix to combine.
- Continue to cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Once the onions are soft, golden-brown, and slightly tender, remove them from the pan.
- Taste for doneness, adding more salt or some ground black pepper to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
What Kind of Onion are Best for Sautéing?
- Yellow onions are your go-to. As these onions cook they mellow out, becoming sweet and flavorful. Yellow onions also hold up to heat really well which makes them great for sautéing, roasting, and caramelizing.
- White onions are sweeter and cleaner in flavor. When you’re in a pinch, you can use these in place of yellow onions for cooking.
- Sweet onions have a high sugar content, making them much sweeter than other varieties. These onions are great for sautéing and caramelizing. Just be sure to use them when you’re looking for a sweeter touch.
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Sautéed Onions Vs. Caramelized Onions
If you’ve ever had the two, you’ll know just how different they are from each other. Sautéed onions don’t spend as much time on the heat; they brown quite a bit and soften but they still retain their sharp bite. These onions only take a few minutes to make.
On the other hand, caramelized onions are cooked on a low heat for a very long time. The result is a much sweeter, softer onion.
Both varieties are super delicious! Keep a lookout for a how-to on my signature caramelized onions!
Tips
- USE A NON-STICK SKILLET. I find that this recipe works best if you’re using a large non-stick pan. Cleaning up is easiest that way and the onions get a great, even cook.
- DON’T COVER THE PAN. Some folks will throw a lid on in the hopes that it’ll speed up the process but you’d actually be adding moisture and preventing that crisp browning from forming. Be sure to stir the onions frequently.
- USE MEDIUM HEAT. It might be tempting to crank up the heat but that’ll just result in unevenly cooked (and maybe slightly burnt) onions. Sauteed onions thrive when cooked at a steady medium heat, so be patient.
How To Serve
Sautéed onions have so many uses! I love using these bad boys as a topping to any steak, burger, or sandwich. It’s straight up addictive!
You can also throw them onto a taco, add them to any omelet or frittata, or even toss them into your favorite pasta dish.
Let me know how you served ‘em up in the comments below!
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I like to put my sauted sweet onions in my Ramen noodle soup. It adds some flavor.
Sounds so delish to me
Very helpful! Thank you so so much, only ever caramelized was needing some for my ChilI, worked perfectly!
Yay! So happy to hear that, Nolan!
very informative!
Thank you, Patti!
So many great and amazing tips! Made these to go on our patty melts, because well, patty melts!
Thanks for all the great tips to make the perfect sauteed onions!
This is something that everyone should know how to do. perfect with hot dogs.
Thank you for this post! I’ve always wanted to know how best to saute onions since they can be such a great addition to so many meals!
Very informative about the different onions and your suggestions on how to eat them.