Our Favorite Sweet Onion Jam Recipe and How to Use It! - California Grown (2024)

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Onions don’t get enough credit, in our opinion, which is why we plan to give them top billing on all future cheeseboards, crostini, and burgers with this recipe for Sweet Onion Jam. Equal parts sweet and savory, this onion-based condiment is the perfect way to use up lots of onions at one time.

Our Favorite Sweet Onion Jam Recipe and How to Use It! - California Grown (1)

What types of onions can be used in this Sweet Onion Jam recipe.

Not all onions are created equal, especially when it comes to recipes like this one. While white onions are great for salsa and red onions are perfect for grilling, sweet onions are where it is at when it comes to making recipes like this jam, caramelized onions, and onion rings.

Our Favorite Sweet Onion Jam Recipe and How to Use It! - California Grown (2)

Here are the types of onion that will work in this Sweet Onion Jam recipe and why:

Yellow Onions

Yellow onions are typically called for the most in recipes since they aren’t as strong aswhite onions. They do havea sharp, astringent flavor similar to white onions, just not as intense. Yellow onions have a subtle sweetness that makes them a perfect choice for both savory and sweet recipes like this jam.

When cooked, yellow onions lose their sharpness and become sweeter which makes them perfect for making recipes like caramelized onions. They are the perfect onion for soups and sauces since they have a robust, deep flavor.

Sweet Onions

These onions are very similar to yellow onions. They are very sweet without being pungent. They are great for deep frying and roasting as well as for other popular onion recipes.

What are sweet onions used for? Sweet onions are used in popular dishes like the Blooming Onion and French Onion Soup.

What are the different types of sweet onion? Maui, Vidalia, Bermuda, Texas, and Walla Walla Sweets, just to name a few. Sweet varieties of onions lack the sulfuric kick of white or red onions and won’t make you cry when you cut them either! Sweet onions are the best onions for burgers. You just can’t beat a slice of raw, sweet onion on top of a juicy burger.

Spanish Onions

Often confused with yellow onions,Spanish Onionsaresweet and havea lower water content than many onions, making them the best onion for making onion rings!

How to make Sweet Onion Jam

This recipe is so easy that even a beginner could make it. It requires very minimal ingredients and can be swapped up based on what ingredients you happen to have on hand. No white wine vinegar? Use white balsamic. No rosemary? Use more thyme. Have allspice leaves? Swap them out for the bay leaf. The sky is the limit here, be sure to go for it!

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Gather and prep the ingredients.

You don’t need much to make this onion recipe; sweet or yellow onions, olive oil, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, and white wine vinegar.

It is important to get everything completely prepared before you start cooking, as it all happens pretty quickly once you get going.

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Cook to soften and season.

In a large pot, cook the onions in hot oil over moderately high heat until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Bundle the herbs together with kitchen twine and add them in with the cooked onions, stirring until fragrant.

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Smother it in sugar

This step will seem weird. I’m not even going to lie about it. Sprinkle the sugar entirely over the top of the cooked onions, reduce the heat to low, and don’t touch it.

Don’t stir, don’t shake, don’t even poke! Leave those onions alone until the sugar has all been melted and is a bubbling liquid.

Now crank the heat to high and watch the sugar caramelize right before your eyes!

Stir in the vinegar and let everything “jam” up over low heat, literally.

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Take a trip to flavor town!

Once this glorious Sweet Onion Jam has cooled, you are ready to do just about whatever your heart desires with it. Just remove the herb bundle and discard it first. No one needs to be chomping down on that!

What are some different ways to eat Sweet Onion Jam?

If you haven’t had onion jam before, you may be curious how the heck to use it. Sweet onion jam has a time and a place where it truly shines and below, we have listed a few of our favorites.

  • Place a small bowl on a cheeseboard for topping crackers and crostini.
  • Slather over a bagel with Provolone cheese.
  • Use it as a topping for smoked or grilled chicken.
  • Sprinkled over a salad for a burst of sweetness.
  • Use as an unexpected topping for a hamburger.
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Looking for more sweet onion recipes?! Keep on scrolling!

Onions are one of those ingredients that have a way of stockpiling on you and before you know it you have an entire bowl full of them just begging to be cooked into something. Good thing we have a few recipes that we really love that use up LOTS of onions.

Juicy Burgers with Prune Onion Jam

Dripping with fresh melted blue cheese and loaded with ourCalifornia PruneOnion Jam, this burger is hard to beat during the summer months

Our Favorite Sweet Onion Jam Recipe and How to Use It! - California Grown (9)

Caramelized Onions

Whether you are topping toast, a salad, or a loaded sweet potato G Free Foodie’s Caramelized Onions are the best way we know how to add LOTS of flavor with very little effort.

Our Favorite Sweet Onion Jam Recipe and How to Use It! - California Grown (10)

Spinach & Onion Quiche with Hashbrown Crust

This quiche recipe from This Mess is Ours is a real show stopper with its mile-high crispy hash brown sides and silky smooth spinach and onion laced quiche interior.

Share your sweet onion creations with us by snapping a pic and tagging us on social using #CAGROWN.

Craving more CA Grown goodness? Follow us onPinterestfor fresh and fabulous recipe inspiration!

Sweet Onion Jam

Meg van der Kruik

This delicious Sweet Onion Jam is great on cheeseboards and with roasted or grilled meats. Its sweet-savory flavor is practically irresisitble.

3.81 from 149 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 2 cups

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup California extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 large sweet or yellow onions cut into a 1/4-inch dice
  • 2 large thyme sprigs
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 rosemary sprig
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
  • coarse salt to taste

Instructions

  • In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.

  • Add the onions and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown. About 15 minutes.

  • Tie the herbs together with kitchen twine and add the bundle to the onions. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

  • Sprinkle the sugar over the top of the onions and cook, without stirring or shaking the pot, until the sugar melts. About 5 minutes.

  • Once the sugar is melted increase the heat to high and cook without stirring until it becomes an amber-colored caramel. This should take 4-6 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the vinegar and simmer until the jam is thick, about 5 more minutes.

  • Discard the herb bundle and season the onion jam with salt to taste. Let cool before serving.

Notes

Sweet onion jam can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Keyword bay leaf, sweet onion, sweet onion jam, thyme, yellow onion

Tried this recipe?Mention @cagrownofficial or tag #CAGROWN!

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How to dice an onion.

You don’t need fancy knife skills (or a fancy knife) to easily dice an onion using this method. Plus, in this cooking video, our friend Jerry James Stone explains the difference between a large chop, medium chop, and small chop.

What is the best way to store onions?

Stored properly, onions can last for months…six months. In this video, Jerry James Stone goes over how to store them, where to and not to store onions, and what types of produce to not store them next to.

Our Favorite Sweet Onion Jam Recipe and How to Use It! - California Grown (2024)

FAQs

What does putting onions in vinegar do? ›

Then you just have to wait long enough for the vinegar to do its job, rinsing away the harsh sulfurous compounds, softening the onion, and giving it a pleasantly tart pop of flavor. If you use red wine vinegar, my personal favorite, the onions also turn an amazing hot-pink color.

Are Vidalia onions the same as sweet onions? ›

A Vidalia onion is a type of sweet onion. It has a mild flavor, a uniquely flat shape, and a relatively high sugar content. The soil in Vidalia, Georgia has an unusually low amount of sulfur — that's why this variety is more sweet than sharp.

Where did onion jam originate? ›

Onion jams are a traditional French dish, it is a rather beautiful condiment composed of sweet, onions slow-cooked over low to medium fire and then seasoned with some salt to balance the caramelized sweetness.

What is the difference between onion chutney and onion jam? ›

Both a jam and a chutney will contain sugar, although a jam would be much sweeter, with the chutney having a more acidic, tangy flavour from the addition of vinegar. To preserve a chutney a combination of vinegar and sugar are used, whilst in a jam it is the sugar alone which acts as the preserving agent.

What is the difference between onion jam and onion marmalade? ›

This is the main difference between jam and marmalade. Marmalade therefore has a different structure than jam and a bittersweet taste. Due to the absence of pectin, the mixture also boils down a lot longer than jam to obtain the right thickness.

Why do you put onions in the bathroom? ›

According to many other users who were already familiar with the concept of shower onions, keeping these veggies in your bathroom actually helps to neutralize any unwanted odors. That's because onions act as a natural deodorizer, meaning they can basically absorb smells, unpleasant and otherwise.

What does baking soda do to onions? ›

Baking soda makes the onions more alkaline, which speeds up the browning reactions necessary for properly caramelized onions. But it also weakens the pectin that holds the onion's cells together, turning what should be soft but distinct pieces of browned onion into a nauseating stew of pea-green mush.

Does lemon juice make onions taste better? ›

Another flavorful option is to make a quick pickle of sliced onions in vinegar, fresh lime, or lemon juice with salt. Even just a few minutes in an acidic brine will tone down its intensity considerably while boosting flavor and transforming into a delicious topping for sandwiches, wraps, salads, and more.

What state is known for sweet onions? ›

In 1997, the House of Representatives officially commemorated the Texas 1015. “The 75th Legislature of the State of Texas,” the House resolution announced, “designates the Texas sweet onion as the Official State Vegetable of Texas and recognizes the historic and cultural significance of this native herb.”

Are Vidalia onions grown in California? ›

It was originally grown around Vidalia, GA and is now grown in 13 counties and parts of 7 others all in Georgia. The sweetness is attributed to the very low sulfur content of the soil in this area of Georgia.

What is the sweetest onion in the world? ›

Vidalia Onions have developed an international reputation as the “world's sweetest onion.” Their mild flavor is due to the unique combination of soils and climate found in the 20 county production area. Through Federal regulation, the Vidalia Onion growers developed Federal Marketing Order No.

How did they make jam in the old days? ›

The first European sugar preserves made use of that seemingly magical substance, honey. The earliest fruit preserves would be made by mixing fruit pulp with honey and allowing it to dry in the sun, creating a texture more like that of a jellied sweet.

Why is my onion jam runny? ›

If the onion jam is too runny: This may be the case if you've reduced or substituted the sugar. You could add some cornstarch slurry or pectin if preferred. For more flavor: For a more “caramelized onion” jam, I recommend fully caramelizing the onions before adding the herbs and sugar and continuing with the recipe.

Who invented the Vidalia onion? ›

The Vidalia sweet onion, declared the official state vegetable in 1990, is perhaps the greatest agricultural success story in Georgia's history. Mose Coleman, a Toombs County farmer, is believed to have been the first grower of the now popular commodity.

Is onion marmalade the same as caramelized onion? ›

This is unfortunately not a caramelized onion chutney, which contains vinegar so is a little too sour, but is often sold as caramelized onion marmalade. In the UK there are a few companies that produce onion marmalade (see links below) and it can be bought on-line and in some supermarkets or delicatessens.

What is onion jam made of? ›

Saute onion in hot oil until soft and caramelized, 10 to 12 minutes. Add water, balsamic vinegar, and brown sugar; stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture is simmering. Reduce heat to low and cook until mixture thickens and reaches desired consistency, about 30 minutes.

How do you eat onion chutney? ›

It is a quick, delicious and hot side that goes well with most Indian Breakfasts & Snacks. This onion chutney tastes hot and sour with hints of sweetness. So it can be served with many different foods. Try it out with Idli, Dosa, Pesarattu, Parathas, Sandwiches, Pakora & Cutlets.

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