Sauteed Onions That Cook PERFECTLY Every Time

These sauteed onions have the most perfect caramelized golden brown edges. They're a little sweet, and a little savory, and they make an amazing topping for steaks, burgers, pork chops, and more. Best of all though, these sauteed onions are incredibly easy to make. In fact, you only need 3 ingredients and 15 minutes to whip 'em up!

The Best Sauteed Onions 

If you've been wanting to learn how to make sauteed onions, look no further! This recipe is as simple as it gets but yields the most decadent and flavorful sauteed onions you'll ever make.

These sauteed onions are perfectly sweet and tender, with slightly crisp edges that are just so damn addictive.

Plus, I can't stress how quick and easy they are to make. Literally, all you have to do is slice up the onions and toss them in a hot pan with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper until they're perfectly caramelized. And getting them to that point should take you no longer than 10-15 minutes. 

Also, since the onions cook up so fast, you'll have plenty of time to make a tasty main to serve with 'em. A few of my favorite things to serve with sauteed onions are these thick cut pork chops, this bottom round roast recipe, these steak tips, and this skirt steak recipe!

Ingredients

The ingredients for this sauteed onions recipe really couldn't be simpler. All you need are 3 pantry staple ingredients, and I'm willing to bet you have them all in your kitchen already!

Anyway, here's everything you'll need for these sautéed onions:

• 3 medium onions
• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and black, to taste

Simple stuff, right?!

By the way, if you want another recipe featuring these sauteed onions, this chicken livers recipe does just that. If you have all these ingredients, you already have half of what you need to make that delicious dinner recipe!

Ingredient Suggestions and Substitutions

As far as the kind of onions to use for this recipe, I used yellow onions, which are perfect for sauteing.

That being said, this recipe also works great with sweet onions and red onions. Sweet onions - as the name implies - will come out a lot sweeter, while red onions will have a little more of a savory flair to them.

As for additional ingredients, I like to keep my sauteed onions simple since the natural sugars of the browned onions already pack so much flavor. But for an extra touch of umami, you can add a splash of balsamic vinegar while you cook the onions. The heat will evaporate the vinegar and leave behind a vibrant, tangy note that'll balance out the sweetness of the onions.

How To Make Sautéed Onions

Now it's time to make some sauteed onions!

And, as I've mentioned a couple of times now, sauteeing onions is incredibly quick and easy. You basically just slice up the onions, toss them in the pan, and cook 'em up!

Anyway, let's stop wasting time and get cooking!

Step 1: Prepare The Onions

First, you'll want to wash and peel your onions before slicing them into thin rounds. Then, you can separate the onion slices into rings and set them aside.

Step 2: Sauté Onions

After you've prepared your onions, you can add your olive oil to a pan - or cast iron skillet - and heat it over medium heat.

As soon as the oil is sizzling, you can add in the sliced onions and sprinkle them with some salt. Then, you can toss the onions to coat them with the oil and let them onions cook for 10 minutes.

Just make sure you stir the onions frequently as the cook so they cook evenly on both sides.

Step 3: Season and Serve The Onions

Once the onions are soft and golden brown, you can transfer them to a plate. Then, you can give them a taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.

Finally, when you're happy with the taste of your sauteed onions, you can serve them however you like.

Enjoy!

How To Store Cooked Onions

This recipe for sauteed onions makes enough for 6 servings as a side dish, so it's perfect for a big family dinner! If you're lucky you might even end up with some leftovers.

Speaking of leftovers, you can store your cooked onions in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. However, if you want to keep them for even longer, you can freeze your sauteed onions in a freezer-safe container - or bag - for up to 12 months.

How To Reheat Sauteed Onions

When you're ready to enjoy your sauteed onions again, they'll definitely taste best reheated.

So, to do that, just warm them up in a pan over low heat with a little oil or butter and stir them frequently until they're heated through.

Alternatively, to heat them up even quicker, you can pop them into a covered microwave-safe bowl and microwave 'em in 10-second increments - stirring between each - until they're warmed through.

FAQs About These Sauteed Onions

Should onions be sauteed in oil or butter?

Both oil and butter can be used to sauté onions, it just depends on your personal preference.

With that said, butter has a lower smoke point compared to most oils. So, if you're planning on sauteeing your onions over high heat I recommend using oil to sautee your onions since you'll be less likely to burn them. 

What is the difference between caramelized onions and sauteed onions?

Caramelized onions are cooked over low heat for a long period of time to break down the onion's natural sugars and turn them sweet and jammy.

Sauteed onions, on the other hand, are cooked over medium-high heat just until the onions are softened and browned but not completely caramelized. They taste slightly sweet with a more pronounced onion flavor.

How long does it take to saute onions?

It will take around 10-15 minutes to sauté onions over medium-high heat. You'll just want to check on the onions at around the 10-minute mark to see how they're cooking.

Wrapping It All Up

Well, that's how to make sauteed onions!

The savory, slightly sweet flavor and silky texture of these sauteed onions are a heavenly combination with all sorts of meat dishes and are a really easy way to take your meal to the next level.

These delicious onions have become one of our favorite side dishes at home to pair with steak, pork chops, chicken - you name it! I hope you enjoy this sauteed onions recipe as much as I/we do.

As always, if you give this recipe a try, don't forget to leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts!

More Sauteed Recipes

If you liked this sauteed onions recipe and are looking for more easy side dishes like it, I have a bunch on the blog you can check out next!

Here are some reader favorites:

• Sauteed bok choy
• Sauteed zucchini
• Sauteed shiitake mushrooms
• Sauteed broccoli
• Sauteed asparagus
• Sauteed shrimp
• Sauteed potatoes

Oh, and be sure to give my Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok pages a look for more delicious recipes! I post new easy and healthy recipes on 'em all the time.