I love a caramelized onion. It’s great in a dip, on burgers, in soup, and with countless other things. And somehow, I like these caramelized onions and fennel even more. The fennel contributes a sweet, nutty depth of flavor that complements the onion perfectly. Plus it incorporates another veggie, which I’m always here for! Anyway, I don’t necessarily expect you to make these caramelized onions and fennel alone. Oh no – I have another recipe that uses it to share soon, and there will definitely be more to come. So it simply had to be a standalone recipe. Sorry.
How do I make these caramelized onions and fennel?
While caramelizing onions and fennel is easy, it is unfortunately not quick. It requires only a few ingredients (olive oil, onions, fennel, salt and pepper) and a lot of stirring. Basically, slice your onions and fennel (I prefer to slice mine thinly using a mandoline, but you can go thicker if that’s your preference), then sautè them in olive oil until they’re caramelized. This will take anywhere from 1-2 hours depending on things like the thickness of your veggies, the size of your pan, and the heat of your stove.
You’ll really need to babysit it and stir semi-frequently. I recommend starting the process, then unloading your dishwasher (while of course taking breaks to stir). Once that’s done, load it back up again with whatever’s chilling in your sink (continuing to take your stir breaks). That should leave you without too much idle time at the stove, and you’ll have a clean kitchen. You’re welcome.
How do I store this?
This caramelized onions and fennel dish is a labor of love, so I don’t really expect you to go and use it immediately. That’s why I labeled it “make-ahead”. So you have two options here. You can either refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to a week, or freeze it in a covered ice tray (I love using Souper Cubes for this) for up to 3 months.
Are there any tricks to speed up this process?
Sure, there are loads of tips and tricks you can use to speed up the process of caramelizing! This post isn’t really a deep dive into that, but this one by Serious Eats might have what you’re looking for.
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Make-Ahead Caramelized Onions and Fennel
Equipment
- Mandoline optional
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp Olive oil
- 2 Yellow onions Thinly sliced
- 2 Fennel bulbs Thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
Instructions
- Add 5 tbsp olive oil to a large pan and cook on medium high heat. Then add your sliced onions and fennel, along with the salt and black pepper and cook until soft, stirring occasionally. This should take around 5 minutes.
- Once soft, reduce the temperature to medium low and continue to cook, stirring more often at this point. You want to let it cook until it's a deep golden brown hue, but you also don't want to burn, hence the low heat and frequent stirring. If you start to notice bits getting stuck to the pan, deglaze with about a tbsp of water or balsamic vinegar. (And if this becomes a recurring problem, deglaze and also reduce the temperature a little bit.) I let mine cook for about and hour and a half, but it can take anywhere from 1-2 hours. You'll know when it's done when it's nicely browned and tastes sweet and caramelized. If necessary, add more salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!
Like I said, this recipe is easy but very time consuming. That’s ok in my book – good things are worth waiting for. I hope you agree, and also that you enjoy this as much as I did. Be sure to let me know your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram.
Looking for more flavor building recipes? Try my veggie stock recipe, which uses vegetable scraps collected in the freezer! Or maybe my roasted elephant garlic, which is a lot less hands on.
