How long do Instant Pot caramelized onions take?

This method is A LOT quicker than the traditional stovetop version. - Pressure cook for five minutes on high (plus the time it takes to come up to pressure). - Sauté for five to ten minutes to finish. So the actual cook time is roughly 20 minutes , compared to at least an hour on the stovetop.

Do I need to add sugar or baking soda?

You don't! The process of caramelizing onions makes them sweet enough without adding sugar. Baking soda is sometimes added when caramelizing onions to speed up the process, but I find it affects the texture and flavor, so skip it.

Can I make caramelized onions ahead of time?

You sure can! I always recommend making a big batch because they are brilliant to have on hand and keep well: - Store them in the fridge for up to one week. - Freeze them for up to 3 months. I love freezing them in small portions, so they're easy to throw into things - storing them in ice cube molds is a great way to do this.

Fast, Instant Pot Caramelized Onions

Name: Fast, Instant Pot Caramelized Onions
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 1 lb (500g) onions (yellow, brown, white, or red onions); 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; 1 teaspoon salt; Black pepper

Description

If you love caramelized onions, but not the hours of constant stirring, these Instant Pot caramelized onions are the shortcut you need. Ready in less than 30 minutes, they’re soft, jammy, deeply golden, and a magic ingredient to have in your fridge.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 lb (500g) onions (yellow, brown, white, or red onions)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
Black pepper

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Instructions

Prep the onions. Peel and thinly slice the onions. I like to cut them in half, peel them, then slice them. You want them roughly 3mm thick.
Add the onions to your Instant Pot. Add your sliced onions to your Instant Pot, along with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a very good grind of black pepper. Toss very well to combine and coat the onions in the seasoning.
Pressure cook the onions. Secure the lid on your Instant Pot and set the valve to ‘sealing’. Cook on high pressure for five minutes.
Release the pressure. After five minutes, carefully quick-release the pressure, then take the lid off. The onions should look super soft and lightly browned.
Sauté the onions. Set your Instant Pot to sauté mode, then cook the onions, stirring occasionally, for about five minutes.
Deglaze and finish caramelizing the onions. Pour about ⅓ cup of water into the Instant Pot, then use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot (this is flavor!) Continue cooking for another five minutes, until the water evaporates and your onions are deeply golden, sticky, and jammy.
Store your caramelized onions. Use the onions right away, or store them for later.

Notes

INGREDIENT NOTES: Use any onions here – yellow, brown, red, or white onions all work well. You could use butter instead of olive oil if you prefer.

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: The caramelized onions will keep for one week in the fridge, and you can freeze them for up to 3 months. I like freezing them in smaller portions so they’re easy to defrost, and you can throw them straight into sauces. Freezing them in an ice cube mold is great for this.

Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 20
Category: instant pot
Method: pressure cook
Cuisine: american

Nutrition

Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
Calories: 33
Sugar: 2.4g
Sodium: 233mg
Fat: 1.4g
Saturated Fat: 0.2g
Unsaturated Fat: 1.2g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 4.9g
Fiber: 0.9g
Protein: 0.6g
Cholesterol: 0mg