Perfect Grilled Onions Hack!
Make the most perfect grilled onions every single time with my amazing grilled onion hack! The perfect addition to so many meals!
Onions Grilled to Perfection, Every Single Time!
It still blows my mind that onions, such a strong-tasting vegetable, can cook down into something so sweet and caramelized. The flavor is completely transformed and you end up with tender, delicious onions! They are so versatile, delicious, and go with just about everything!
I love grilled onions for burgers, pizzas, sandwiches, breakfast, and even on my salads, but they have to be cooked just right. The first few times I made them it was a complete disaster. As in, the smoke detector went off and I was left with a pan full of charred remnants of what used to be an onion.
So to help you avoid the same mistakes, here is exactly how I make onions, grilled perfectly in my cast iron pan, every single time!
How to Make Grilled Onions
All you need are four ingredients to make these caramelized onions: onion, salt, and butter… and my absolutely amazing hack: water. I know it sounds weird, but trust me, it’s the best hack!
Simply slice your onions like the photo below (about 3/8″ thick), warm up your skillet over medium heat, add the butter, onions, and kosher salt, and cook, stirring every few minutes.
My Amazing Grilled Onion Hack
WATER! As soon as the onions start to look a little dry, add in a few tablespoons of water. This will prevent the onions from drying out and keep them juicy and cooking at an even temperature. The water will evaporate as it cooks, leaving you with perfectly juicy onions, grilled to absolute perfection.Â
Which Onions Are Best for Grilling?
This recipe will work with yellow onions, white onions, red onions, sweet onions, etc! Basically, whatever flavor profile you’re looking for, choose that onion and grill it!
Red Onion: great for steak, burgers, sandwiches, and salads!
Yellow Onion: milder in flavor, great with burgers, stir fry, fajitas, casseroles, and other Mexican-inspired dishes.
Sweet Onion: a mild flavor with a hint of sweetness, great with pizza, pasta, and sauces.
Ways to Serve Grilled Onions
Grilled onions are great for:
casseroles
sauces
pizza
pasta
tacos
Pro Tips
Dairy Free/Vegan: If you need these to be dairy free, you can use coconut oil in place of butter or ghee.
Storing: Leftovers will keep in an airtight container refrigerated for at least 5 days, or frozen for at least 6 months. You can enjoy cold out of the fridge, or rewarm in the microwave or skillet.
Common Reader Questions
Is grilling onions keto-friendly?
Yes! Onions are super low in carbs and make for a great, flavorful addition to any keto-friendly meal. Grilling them with butter only makes the fat content higher, helping you reach your daily macros!
Can I freeze grilled onions?
Yes! They can be frozen for at least 6 months. You can enjoy them thawed and cold out of the fridge, or reheat in the microwave or skillet.
Are these grilled onions Whole30 compliant?
Use ghee or coconut oil to grill these onions with Whole30 friendly ingredients.
Perfect Grilled Onions Hack!
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow onion sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter or ghee
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- water
Equipment
Instructions
- Heat your cast iron skillet over medium heat.
- Add the butter, onions and kosher salt. Cook stirring every few minutes.1 large yellow onion, 2 tablespoons butter or ghee, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- As soon as the onions start to look a little dry, add in a few tablespoons of water. This will both prevent the onions from drying out and keep them juicy and cooking at an even temperature. The water will evaporate as it cooks, leaving you with perfectly juicy onions. I usually add water twice during the cooking process.
- Continue to cook the onions uncovered until they are soft and golden brown. About 30 minutes.
- Serve warm or cold.
- See the Recipe Notes below for more tips, FAQ's and recipe substitutions.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are calculated as a courtesy and not guaranteed.
23 Comments on “Perfect Grilled Onions Hack!”
For me these were a game changer. Once I tried this recipe I never looked back. The onions turn out perfectly every time. Thank you so much.Â
I LOVE this! Totally made my day. Thank you Sybil!
Natalie can you make ahead of time and reheat?
Yes you can make the grilled onions in advance and reheat them John. They will keep in the fridge for 10 days. You can either reheat them in the microwave or in a skillet. I sure hope this answers your question and you like them!
Wow! I just made this recipe using a large white onion. The taste was out of this world. I can’t wait to try it with a yellow onion. Thank you for sharing.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you James!
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I love caramelized onions! This is such an awesome tutorial Natalie and yours look perfect and so tasty:)
Just catching up on blog life. Whew! It’s been awhile. :)
Caramelized onions are the perfect addition to a lot of recipes. Love the flavor! Great idea to do a post just about them! Simple and delicious!
Thank you for this great tutorial, Natalie! Love caramelized onions and yours look so sweet and buttery.
C
Awesome step by step tutorial. :)
LOVE grilled and caramelized onions. I’ll gladly eat them out of the pan :)
Thanks for this detailed tutorial! I love carmelized onions, they are so fantastic on burgers!
Oh Yum! I love caramelized onions. We make them at least once a week but I’ve never had a real method, so sometimes they’re great and sometimes they’re…well you know how that goes! I’m definitely going to try this out!!
Great instructions Natalie, I love caramelized onions and only tried making them once, it wasn’t pretty.
Have I ever explained my love for onions? Oh so good. I wish I could smell them now.
Have a beautiful Wednesday!
One of my very favorite things on earth… I could eat them on anything. Great tip about the butter!
I’m convinced! I usually caramelise mine for 20 minutes, but this 90 minute grilling method looks insane! I am in love with the sweet taste onions get after being cooked down, I just did it on Monday. I’m going to try this out – thanks Natalie!
Thanks for this useful little snippet, Natalie! I didn’t know that the onions needed 90 mins … I bet they are so beautifully sweet after all that buttery pan treatment!
What a great technique and thing to know! Slow cooked, grilled, carmalized onions are so worth the time! Glad you showed the best method to make them. They really are that addition to any dish that makes it something more! I think sometimes people try and speed up the process of something that is meant to cook slow, which is definitely these onions. Thanks for sharing ;)
And then you pretty much just eat them like jam over anything. Haha. I’m a weirdo like that. LOVE LOVE LOVE caramelized onions.
I love caramelized onions! This is an awesome tutorial, Natalie. I will definitely be trying this next time I make caramelized onions! — They’re so good piled high on hamburgers— Yum!
A great tutorial!