Sometimes, the simplest ingredients come together to make something truly magical, and that’s exactly the case with this caramelized onion jam. Slow-cooked with warm spices, tangy rice wine vinegar, and a touch of soy sauce, these onions turn meltingly soft and deeply flavorful—sweet, savory, and just a little bit smoky. It’s hard to improve upon caramelized onions, but these are next level. This is the kind of condiment that instantly upgrades whatever you put it on. Spoon it over grilled meats or fried eggs, pile it onto a rice bowl, upgrade your avocado toast, swirl it into noodles, or sneak it into a sandwich for an extra layer of rich, jammy goodness. And the best part? It keeps beautifully in the fridge, ready to elevate your meals with minimal effort. Let’s get into it!
This recipe is a little different from a classic caramelized onion, where low and slow cooking caramelizes the sugars in the onions which you repeatedly fold back into the jammy onions. I would say this is a cousin of caramelized onion or maybe the happy baby between caramelized onion and onion chutney. Onion relatives aside, this Onion Jam is soft but still retains a little bite (the vinegar keeps it from become a mush) and it has a tangy savoriness that’s perfect for adding some oomph to basic foods. And while it’s not a speedy recipe, it’s mostly hands-off. Just have to let the alchemy of time plus heat work its magic.
For this onion jam, the process is made even better with the addition of warm spices like cumin and coriander, plus a hit of acidity from rice wine vinegar. The soy sauce and brown sugar take it over the top, creating a perfectly balanced blend of sweet, savory, and tangy flavors. Unlike traditional French-style caramelized onions, which rely on their natural sugars for browning, this version has that little extra help, making it even more luscious.
I start making my onion jam by trimming and prepping the onions.
I peel them, trim the ends, and cut in half. Then I slice them:
Now that I have a nice pile of onion strips it’s time to cook them. This is the time to pull out your heaviest dutch oven type pot. A heavy bottom will help to cook the onions evenly and slowly. I add the oil and bloom the cumin and coriander seeds; this helps to release the fragrance and creates a nice toasty flavor.
As soon as they start to get really fragrant I add the onion slices.
Then I add the salt and pepper:
Next I add the rice vinegar, bring to a simmer and cover the pot and let the onions begin cooking down. I give it a good stir now and then again to make sure they are getting evenly cooked.
After about 15 minutes, I take off the lid and add the brown sugar and soy sauce.
Then I put the lid back on and cook for about an hour. I check every so often to see how golden the onions are getting. They are a nice golden brown here but I like to cook them down until almost all of the liquid has cooked off.
And give them a good stir:
When the onions are syrupy and a deep brown they are done:
This is such a useful condiment to have on hand. Use it to add some oomph to soup, dollop on top of burgers for that fancy restaurant quality, add with shredded cheese to an omelet…I can’t wait to hear how you use them, and don’t forget to tag us in your photos– we love hearing from you!
Onion Jam
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 75 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 1/2 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 2 Large Yellow onions
- 4 Tablespoons neutral oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
- ½ cup rice wine vinegar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Trim the onions, peel them and cut them into quarters. Next, slice them into ¼ inch pieces.
- Add the oil, cumin seeds, and coriander seeds to a heavy medium sized pot. Turn the heat to medium low and cook the spices for a couple of minutes, pushing them around with a wooden spoon, until fragrant.
- Add the onions, rice wine vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Bring the pot to a simmer over high heat and then lower the heat to medium, cover with a lid and let simmer for 15 mins, stirring occasionally.
- Uncover and add the sugar and soy sauce. Stir the onions, lower the heat to medium low and cover with a lid. Cook for about an hour until the onions are soft and syrupy.
- Use onion jam immediately or store in the fridge until ready to use. You can use these as a condiment for grilled meats, a topping for rice bowls or noodles, or as a great sandwich addition.
Notes
*This onion jam stores very well in the fridge. Be sure to use a clean utensil when scooping it out and keep it in an airtight container. This jam keeps for a couple of weeks.
Keywords: onion jam, condiments, jammy,
