How do I caramelize onions faster?
Add about 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda per two large sliced onions as soon as they hit the pan, then cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally. The higher pH speeds up browning, so onions often reach deep amber in about 12 to 15 minutes rather than 30-plus. Keep it small: excess makes them mushy and soapy.
How to do it
- Slice two large onions thinly and evenlyEven slices brown at the same rate, so no pieces burn while others stay raw.
- Heat a wide pan over medium heat with a little fatUse 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter or oil, add the onions and toss to coat. A wide pan gives the onions room to brown instead of steaming.
- Add 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda right awaySprinkle it evenly over the onions as soon as they hit the pan and stir it through. Don't add more: extra soda makes them mushy and soapy.
- Stir every minute or two and scrape the bottomLift the browned bits off the pan as you stir. If the bottom darkens faster than the onions, add a splash of water and turn the heat down a little.
- Stop when they are deep amber and jammyThat usually takes around 12 to 15 minutes. Taste, season with salt, and use them right away or refrigerate.
Questions that come up
Will the onions taste soapy?
At 1/8 teaspoon for two large onions, most people don't notice any off-flavor. The soapy taste and a mushy texture show up when you add more than that. If you overdo it, a few drops of vinegar or lemon juice can neutralize some of the soda and balance the taste, but the soft texture won't come back.
Does this work for French onion soup or burgers?
It works for both, but the soda breaks the onions down softer and jammier than usual. In soup that's usually welcome. For burgers or sandwiches where you want distinct strands, use a little less soda or stop cooking a bit earlier so the slices keep some shape.
Can I use baking powder instead?
Not really. Baking powder already contains an acid that cancels out most of its alkalinity, so it barely raises the pH and won't speed up browning the same way. Plain baking soda is the ingredient that does the work here.
Full transcript
A pinch of baking soda browns onions faster. Slice two large onions and add them to a medium-hot pan. Stir in one-eighth teaspoon of baking soda. More turns them mushy. Twelve minutes later, the soda pan is deep amber and jammy; the plain one's still pale.