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Quick Caramelized Onions

Sweet and savory caramelized onions made in the glass Anyday dish, featuring thinly sliced onions cooked to golden brown perfection. This quick and easy microwave recipe delivers rich and flavorful onions, perfect for enhancing burgers, sandwiches, or as a topping for various dishes.
Quick Caramelized Onions
PT5M PT11M

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

11-12 mins

Free Time

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Believe the magic — make caramelized onions in the microwave! This recipe relies on a secret ingredient: baking soda. Cooking the onions with baking soda kickstarts the caramelization process, no constant stirring or babysitting required.

All of Anyday’s recipes are tested (and retested!) in many different microwave and home kitchens to make sure they work— and work well. Unless specified otherwise, all recipes should be cooked at full power.

Baking Soda, BBQ side dishes, Caramelized Onions, Vegetables, easy grilling sides, grill night sides, grilling, grilling sides, Kitchen Hacks, Onion, Onions, Deep Dish, Quick, Summer Recipes, summer sides, Thyme Vegetables

What You’ll Need

What You’ll Need

The Medium Deep Dish

The best dish for 1-2 portions of grains, veggies, mac and cheese, ramen, and more.

The Anyhand Mitts

Handle hot Anyday dishes with care with these microwave mitts that double as trivets!
Try Anyday

Select your serving size and microwave wattage in the dropdown. The recipe will change accordingly.

1-2
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Select your microwave wattage in the dropdown. The cook times in this recipe will automatically change accordingly.

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To find your microwave’s wattage, look at the front panel, the side of the door, in the back, in the user manual, or Google the model number. If both an input and output wattage are listed, use the output.

Wattage translates to how powerful the microwave is. The higher the wattage, the faster your food will cook. The lower the wattage, the longer the cook time.

When in doubt, start with less time — you can always add more.

1100w

Recommended 

Dish

The Medium Deep Dish

Ingredients

  • 3 cups (300g) thinly sliced white onion
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • Sprig of fresh thyme (optional)

Preparation

  1. Toss onions, baking soda, butter, and thyme (if using) in the Anyday dish.
  2. Cook uncovered for 11-12 minutes, or until the onions have turned a medium golden brown, or until the onions have achieved the desired shade.
  3. Note that some liquid will bubble up. This is normal, and it is due to the release of juices during the cooking process. As the onion cooks down, the bubbling will stop.
  4. Enjoy caramelized onions warm, or store them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Serving suggestions & tips

  • This recipe can be made vegan by substituting olive oil for butter.
  • Top a burger or hot dog for a quick, pub-inspired dinner.
  • Finely chop caramelized onions and add them to mac and cheese for an extra flavorful dish.
  • Use these onions to make French onion soup.

Recipe notes

  • Note: It is important to use a Deep Dish for this recipe! A Shallow Dish will spread out the onions and liquid, forcing it to evaporate too quickly in the microwave. Too little liquid can result in scorched onions!
  • Microwave ovens vary, even with the same wattages. Adjust cooking times as needed.