Adding a pinch of baking soda to onions before cooking cuts caramelisation time from an hour to just 20 minutes, while preserving their rich flavour. The alkaline ingredient raises the pH of the onions during cooking, allowing their natural sugars to brown much faster.
Why Baking Soda Speeds Up Caramelisation
Caramelised onions typically take upwards of an hour to prepare because the natural sugars in onions need considerable time to concentrate enough for caramelisation to occur. Baking soda, being alkaline, increases the pH level of the onions during cooking, which enables the sugars to cook substantially faster.
With this method, onions become tender, glossy and golden in just 20 minutes instead of an hour, while maintaining their rich taste. The technique requires no more than a small amount of bicarbonate of soda, an ingredient most people already have in their kitchen.
Quick Caramelised Onions Recipe
The method was developed through experimentation to find a simpler approach to making caramelised onions for soups, stews and pasta dishes. The result is a sticky, golden result in half the usual cooking time.
Ingredients:
- Two large onions
- One tablespoon of butter or olive oil
- Half a teaspoon of salt
- One eighth teaspoon of baking soda (a pinch)
- White wine or balsamic vinegar (optional)
Method:
Start by putting the butter or oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Slice the onions thinly and add them to the pan once it is heated through. Season with salt and cook for five minutes until the onions begin to look cooked and turn yellow, stirring from time to time to prevent them from catching on the base of the pan.
After five minutes, scatter the baking soda over the onions and mix thoroughly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking for 10 to 15 minutes, until the onions become golden-brown and reach a jammy consistency. If desired, add a dash of white wine or balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan and enhance the flavour.
The caramelised onions should be ready in just 20 minutes, providing a delicious ingredient to complement dinner without spending the entire evening at the hob.
