Sweet Caramelized Onions with Sherry

Caramelized onions with herbs on a blue plate beside sliced roast beef and rosemary on a wooden board.

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Sweet Caramelized Onions with Sherry

These sweet caramelized onions with sherry will be your new favorite side with any beef recipe, or as a flavorful addition to dips or sandwiches. This simple method guarantees perfectly caramelized onions every time with an incredible depth of flavor from the fresh herbs and sweetness from the sherry.

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Total Time50

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Southern

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: servings (about ¼ cup each)

Author: Jenny DeRemer

Ingredients

3 pounds sweet onions such as Vidalia, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons salted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
¾ cup sherry wine

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Melt the butter and olive oil in a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-low heat.
3 tablespoons salted butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil
Add the onions, salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Stir well to coat.
3 pounds sweet onions, 1 teaspon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 3 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 sprig fresh rosemary, 1 bay leaf
Cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the onions have softened.
Uncover and keep cooking over medium-low heat for 25 to 35 minutes, stirring every few minutes and scraping the pan often, until the onions are deep golden and very soft.
Pour in the sherry and stir, scraping up any browned bits. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes more, until the liquid is mostly reduced and the onions are glossy and jammy.
¾ cup sherry wine
Remove and discard the thyme stems, rosemary, and bay leaf. Serve warm.

Notes

The butter-and-oil combination is there for a reason: it gives the dish a wonderful depth of flavor rather than using just one fat alone.
Add the sherry late in the cooking process, after the onions have already taken on color. That is the part that keeps the flavor rich instead of just sweet.

Nutrition