Caramelized onions without the oil? Friends, we tried it and it’s more than possible! These tender, caramelized bites of goodness are incredibly versatile and perfect for adding sweet-savory flavor to a variety of dishes.
Just 1 pan and 1 ingredient required. Let us show you how it’s done!
First, let’s talk about the science of caramelized onions. The process of cooking the onions for a long time breaks down and releases the natural sugars from the onion. This causes browning and increases their sweetness.
Oil is usually added to jumpstart the browning process, but we found it’s not essential (which is great for those of you looking to reduce or omit oil from your cooking!).
The secrets to oil-free caramelized onions?
- Add a little water at a time
- Keep the pan covered (this helps them cook more evenly and brown!)
- Have a little patience (that goes for traditional recipes with oil, too)!
Soon you’ll have perfectly caramelized onions. And since they don’t need much babysitting, you can use the time to make other recipes or check out our guide on How to Cook with Less Oil.
We hope you LOVE these caramelized onions! They’re:
Sweet
Savory
Comforting
Quick & easy
Versatile
& Delicious!
They’re perfect for any time you want a little natural sweetness in a savory dish, such as on salads, sandwiches, wraps, bowls, and more! Or try in our Vegan Caramelized Onion Mac n Cheese, Goat Cheese & Caramelized Onion Pizza, Creamy Eggplant & Caramelized Onion Dip, or Simple French Onion Soup.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Easy Caramelized Onions (Oil-Free!)
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow or white onion, sliced into thin rounds (for evenly sliced, thinner onions, use a mandolin)
- 3-4 Tbsp water (plus more as needed)
- 1 pinch sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a rimmed stainless steel or nonstick pan (like the Always Pan) over medium heat (it should be large enough to easily accommodate your onions in a semi-even layer — the slices shouldn’t be piled high in the pan, or they’ll take longer to caramelize).
- Add a little water to the pan — start with 3 Tbsp (as original recipe is written).
- Add sliced onions and stir. Then cover.
- Cook for a total of 30-40 minutes, opening the lid and stirring every 5 minutes. Be sure to cover again with lid after stirring — this helps them cook more evenly without the use of oil. Add 1 Tbsp (15 ml) water more at a time as needed to prevent sticking/ burning.
- Once they start browning slightly, turn heat to low. How long you cook them depends on how deeply you want them caramelized. We found 30 minutes to produce a light golden brown color and sweet flavor, and 35-40 minutes to yield a deeper brown color and richer caramelized flavor. Be careful not to burn by keeping heat on low and adding more water only as needed to prevent sticking. NOTE: For reference, we added 1.5 Tbsp water and turned to medium/low at 9 minutes, added 1 more Tbsp water at 12 minutes (they were already golden brown), and turned heat to low. And we added 1/2 Tbsp more water and a pinch of sea salt at 21 minutes. Our onions cooked for a total of 35 minutes.
- Near the end of cooking, add a pinch of salt and stir to enhance the sweet, caramelized flavor (optional). Stir, taste, and add more to taste as needed.
- Use immediately on salads, sandwiches, wraps, bowls, and more! We include a few ideas above. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days (though best when fresh). If storing for later, freeze into ice cube molds. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe container and store for up to 1 month (sometimes longer).
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
Andrea says
I had some extra sliced onions from a different recipe and found this after a google search and I am so glad that I did! They were delicious. I actually ate them alone but they would be great on a pizza, burger, etc. It sounded like a lot of work but I was multi tasking in the kitchen so it didn’t seem like a lot to do and it was worth it.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Andrea. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Jacob says
I made this recipe with yellow onions, and I enjoyed it. It seemed to me that it was more flavorful the next day.
Still, I found it a bit bland, in comparison to fried onions. Putting a dash of salt on it helped.
Also, I was a little uncertain about how to use it. When I sautee onions, my goal is typically to add flavor to other ingredients, not so much to make onions that taste good in themselves.
You might say that this seems great as a topping on a soup or other dish, but I am not sure how well it works to flavor beans or vegetables. I was wondering if there is a way to use these onions (or adapt this technique) for that goal.
Does anyone have suggestions?
Hi Jacob, thank you for sharing! These are a bit different than fried onions. We love caramelized onions in soups, such as our French Onion Soup. They also work on salads, sandwiches, wraps, and bowls. If serving with beans and vegetables, adding a sauce would be nice.
Danielle says
I am making Mujadara and I would like caramelized, but crispy, onions made with little to no oil. How can I get the caramelized onions to be crispy?
Hi Danielle, we have this recipe that includes crispy shallots. Perhaps that method would be closer to what you want? Let us know how it goes!
Erin Neu says
I have a great trick for this….baking soda! When you add baking soda during cooking it changes the pH which increases the Maillard reaction causing the onions to brown more quickly. The higher pH also causes the onions to soften more quickly. I use a couple pinches per pound…so go for 1/8-1/4 teaspoon.
This may make them a bit yellowish but they still taste great!
Interesting! Thanks for sharing, Erin!
Erin Neu says
My pleasure! Science is delicious =)
Melissa K. says
This is an excellent idea. I also want to point out that I can make a huge amount of caramelized onions at the same time in my electric multi cooker. Pretty much the same way: sliced onions, some water, and TIME! I slow cook overnight on low, and when the onions have cooked down I turn the temp to high and then check it periodically until it is as dark as I want it. The best part is the amount and the hands off process. For those like me who use these onions a lot, it’s great.
Amazing! Thanks for sharing, Melissa!
Joëlle says
Did it yesterday! Actually, it didn’t take longer than with oil or butter. It was delicious! I added at the end soy sauce for the colour and the taste. No fat at all, that’s just perfect. Thank you!!
Right?~! Thanks for sharing, Joelle!
Angelina says
Hi – thank you for this, I can’t wait to try. I’m wondering if a cast iron skillet would work as well as the skillets you list here?
Thank you for your ALWAYS amazing recipes. ♥️
That should work, too! Let us know if you try!
Joëlle says
It does work, even in a standard pan, no problem!
Amazing! Thanks for sharing, Joëlle!
S. J. Pajonas says
Water has been my trick for caramelized onions for years! They’re so yummy, I can’t go without them. :)
So good!
Nick says
Link to subscribe does not work.
Hi Nick! Where were you trying to subscribe? To the blog or to comments on this post? We’d love to help troubleshoot.
June says
I’ve been trying so hard to eliminate oil so this will be great practice for me. Thanks so much for posting. More like this, please!
Hope you enjoy it, June!
Urvi Dalal says
I love carmelized onions, they add a delicious dimension to simple foods.
Thank you for sharing a new way to make them.
xo!
Renee says
Oh my word!! I was wondering *this morning* how to make caramelized onions without oil! I feel like this is my day!! I’m so excited!! Thank you! Making these right now!!!
Amazing! Let us know how it goes!