Quick-Browned Sautéed Onion Recipe

Quick sautéed browned onions
Svitlana Pavelko / EyeEm / Getty Images
  • 14 mins
  • Prep: 2 mins,
  • Cook: 12 mins
  • Yield: 2 cups (4 servings)
Ratings (37)

By Janet A. Zimmerman

Updated 03/31/18

While these onions are deeply browned and very flavorful, they differ from slow-browned onions in texture. They retain their shape and do not soften completely. Because they aren't cooked as long, they also keep a stronger onion flavor, which I think is preferable for sandwiches or on top of steaks or chops.

Choose yellow onions for this recipe. A lower moisture content is best for this cooking method; if your onions are high in moisture, make sure to choose a large pan and don't crowd the onions, so that the moisture can evaporate quickly and the onions can start to brown right away. If necessary, work in batches.

It's interesting to know the differences between white and yellow onions. Most Americans will automatically go toward a yellow onion. In fact, nearly 90 percent of onions grown in the US are yellow. This recipe can be used with almost any onion and it could be fun to discover how each variety tastes once they are quick-browned. 

What You'll Need

  • 2 to 3 onions (large, about 1 pound)
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons butter (or oil)Kosher salt
  • Optional: 2 to 3 tablespoons sherry (dry, optional but highly recommended)

How to Make It

  1. Slice the onions into thin half-moons (or dice, if desired).
  2. Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, and add the butter or oil. If using butter, heat just until the butter stops foaming. If using oil, heat until the oil shimmers and flows easily. You want a heavy coat of butter or oil in the pan, so add more if necessary.
  3. Add the onions. Sprinkle with salt and stir to coat the onions with the butter and distribute the salt.
  1. Cook, the onions for a minute or two without stirring, until they start to brown. Stir the onions so that more of them are exposed to the pan and let sit for another minute to promote more browning. Stir the onions once or twice more, getting as much browning as possible without burning them. When they're thoroughly browned but still slightly firm (usually about 10 minutes), deglaze the pan with the sherry, if using. Scrape up any browned bits from the pan and let the sherry evaporate almost completely.

Quick-browned onions are great on sandwiches like the patty melt or in French onion soup.

Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
Calories 45
Total Fat 0 g
Saturated Fat 0 g
Unsaturated Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 79 mg
Carbohydrates 11 g
Dietary Fiber 2 g
Protein 1 g
(The nutrition information on our recipes is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. Individual results may vary.)