Caramelize Onions Way Faster With An Easy Steaming Technique

Caramelized onions are a tasty topping that adds a rich sweetness and savory umami depth to any dish. Whether on top of a burger or sandwich, tossed into a salad, or spread over a pizza, caramelized onions are an instant flavor boost.

The problem with caramelized onions, though, is the time they take to prepare. But you can caramelize onions way faster with an easy steaming technique. It might sound counterintuitive, but adding water to the pan can cut your caramelization time in half or more, to right around 30 minutes.

To properly caramelize, you need to cook your onions slowly in a hot pan with plenty of oil or butter. This allows the sugars to caramelize and the Maillard reaction to do its thing, turning the onions from translucent to golden to brown. But sometimes you don't have an hour or more to babysit your pan (and just FYI, that popular baking soda shortcut to speed up the process doesn't work). This steaming trick is the perfect way to pull off caramelized onions in a pinch.

This easy technique is great because it speeds up the process without sacrificing flavor. It works by creating steam that softens the raw onions much more quickly than the hot pan alone would. This allows them to move on to the browning process much faster. Simply add a small amount of water to the skillet with the onions and cover the skillet with a lid to trap the steam. Bring the water to a boil and cook until it has mostly evaporated.

At that point, you can remove the lid and lower the heat. Grab a spatula and press the onions down into an even layer to maximize contact with the hot pan. Let them brown for about 30 seconds before stirring and flipping over and around. Repeat the press-down process for 15 to 20 minutes and you'll have perfectly caramelized onions.

It helps, too, to use the proper hardware. The best pan for caramelizing onions is the good ole cast iron skillet. It retains heat well and distributes it evenly, and it's an ideal surface on which to build a flavorful base. Caramelizing onions in your cast iron is also a low-effort way to clean the pan. Win-win!

We have come to expect caramelized onions as a burger topping or the star of French onion soup, but here are a few inspired uses for those beautifully (and speedily) caramelized onions. The subtle sweetness is a nice complement to the fatty richness of creamy pastas like Carbonara or Alfredo. Either garnish your finished dish with a spoonful or stir them into the finished product.

The sweetness is also a complementary pop to especially savory meals like pizzas, omelets, or even risotto. For pizza, you can sprinkle the onions on as a topping or incorporate them right into your dough before cooking. The flavor profile pairs especially well with goat cheese, so consider that as an additional topping.

You can also put a gourmet spin on dip or hummus by adding caramelized onions. Stir them into your spread for additional savory flavor and notes of umami.