7 Tips To Caramelise Onion To Perfection

By Krati Purwar

June 14, 2024

Caramelising onions is a simple but essential process to infuse your dish with subtle sweetness and do away with the raw flavour of the vegetable. Here are a few tips to help you achieve the perfect texture and notes of onions for a savoury dish.

Slice Evenly

Do not add uneven-sized onions to the pan. When caramelising, each slice should be of the same size for even cooking.

Add Fat

You cannot caramelise onions without adding butter or oil to the pan. It enhances the flavour and makes the process easy.

Go Slow

Caramelising is a time-consuming process. You have to keep the heat low and occasionally store onions until you achieve the desired texture.

Deglaze Pan

If the pan starts burning onions, you need to add a few splashes of water. It will deglaze the pan and keep the onions soft.

Use A Heavy Pan

Since you need to expose onions to heat for a long time, you need to use a heavy bottom pan that can ensure an even distribution of heat.

Stir Occasionally

Stirring occasionally is essential to caramelising onions. It ensures the slices are neither sticking to the bottom of the pan nor are they turning brown.

Add Seasoning

Unlike a curry, caramelising needs a small amount of seasoning. A pinch of salt will do the trick of keeping the slices soft.