• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Peter's Food Adventures
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Travel
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • recipes
  • about
  • travel
  • Follow and Share!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • recipes
    • about
    • travel
  • Follow and Share!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Sauces Recipes

    Caramelized Onion Jam

    Author: Peter Kolesnichenko · Published: Aug 28, 2022

    Jump to Recipe

    This caramelized Onion Jam is just what you need to elevate your meals and parties! Savory with a touch of sweet tang from Balsamic Vinegar, your tastebuds will thank you! So easy to make, save money by making it at home!

    onion jam in a bowl beside bread

    Have you ever heard of Onion Jam? It's not typical sweet jam that you eat on toast, but more of a savory condiment. I make it every year when onions are in season, and are cheap and plentiful in the grocery store.

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    Onions are the undeniable flavor base of so many foods we make. The versatile dish can be used as a spread or dip. Easy to make and a budget friendly way to make your meals a bit more fancy.

    Onion Relish vs Onion Jam

    There really is little difference from Onion Relish or Onion Jam, it can be used interchangeably. Depending on where you live in the world dictates what you call it. Here in Australia, Onion Relish seems more popular, compared to the USA where Onion Jam is more popular.

    Recipe Ingredients

    • Onions - sweet Vidalia, red onions or yellow onions can all be used
    • White Vinegar - for a clean, crisp strong taste
    • Balsamic Vinegar - adds a bold, complex taste that lingers
    • Brown Sugar - balances out vinegar by adding a subtle, sweet caramel flavor
    • Oil - Extra Virgin Oil give that extra Mediterranean flavor
    • Spices - Allspice, Celery Seed, Clove, Bay Leaf and Salt
    caramelizing onions in a frying pan

    How To Make Onion Jam

    This recipe only uses 5 cups of sliced onions, but I recommend to double the recipe and give some away! It may seem like a lot of onions, but as they cook and turn into jam, they reduce significantly.  

    You need to use a non-reactive pan when making Onion Jam. A pan that won't react with the acidic ingredients. Think of stainless steel pans, glass pans or ones made from enamel. Avoid aluminum and copper pans.

    • Quarter and thinly slice onions - need about 5-6 onions (depending on size)
    • Saute in oil until it starts to caramelize - about 10 minutes
    • Mix in vinegars, brown sugar, and spices
    • Reduce and simmer for 15-20 minutes until it thickens and reduces
    • Allow to cool and keep refrigerated

    Recipe Variations

    • Spices - I love the flavors Allspice and Celery Seeds add, but you can add fresh Rosemary or your favorite fresh herbs or dried spices
    • Bacon - a popular addition to Make Bacon Onion Jam - just fry the bacon until crispy. Leave enough bacon fat to fry the onions until caramelized. Add vinegars, balsamic, spices and bacon to the onions and cook until reduced
    • Tomato - Onion Jam with Tomatoes is a popular variation - when simmering the caramelized onions, add diced tomatoes (de-seeded if possible) to your mix.
    • Maple Syrup - change the sweetness by adding Maple Syrup! Reduce brown sugar amount by the same amount of Maple you mix in. I recommend to use ½ cup brown sugar with ¼ cup Maple Syrup

    How Long Will Onion Jam Keep?

    If you use a water canning method to seal it, then it should keep for about a year unopened in your pantry. Just follow government canning guidelines. It's easiest to skip the canning method and keep it refrigerated in a glass jar. I find that it last for a few months in the fridge, if I don't eat it first!

    onion jam in a bowl beside bread

    How to Use Onion Jam

    • Spread - add the caramelized onion jam in your sandwich for a flavor kick
    • Appetizers - spread cream cheese on a cracker or baguette and top with onion jam
    • Pizza Sauce - mix it through your pizza sauce when making homemade pizzas
    • Condiment - perfect alongside grilled meats, sausages, hot dogs or hamburgers
    • Mashed Potatoes - mix it through your Mashed Potatoes for flavor that blows your socks off!
    • Dip - perfect for a charcuterie board or a dip with crackers

    Recipes You'll Love

    • French Onion Dip Made From Scratch
    • Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes
    • Bread Bowl Spinach Dip
    • Hot Crab and Artichoke Dip

    Once you make this recipe, you can't get enough of it! You're gonna love the savory, sweet and tangy flavors. It will become your favorite condiment that's so easy to make! Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!

    onion jam in a bowl beside bread

    Caramelized Onion Jam

    Perfect to make during onion harvest! Onion Jam is not a sweet breakfast jam but a savory condiment. Balsamic Vinegar and spices perfectly balance the flavors together. I love eating it alongside grilled meats, on hot dogs, hamburgers or in sandwiches.
    5 from 31 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Course: Condiment, Sauce
    Cuisine: American, Continental
    Keyword: caramelized onion jam, Onion Jam, onion relish
    Servings: 8 people

    Equipment

    • non-reactive pan

    Ingredients

    • 5 cups onions quartered and sliced
    • ½ cup white vinegar
    • ½ cup balsamic vinegar
    • ¾ cup brown sugar
    • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
    • 1 tablespoon celery seed
    • 1 whole clove
    • 1 bayleaf
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    Instructions

    • In a non-reactive pan, saute the onions in oil for about 10 minutes until they are golden brown.
    • Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes until the onion jam reduces and thickens. Keep refrigerated.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @petersfoodadventures or tag #petersfoodadventures!

    ©PetersFoodAdventures.com

    onion jam in a bowl beside bread
    onion jam in a bowl beside bread
    onion jam in a bowl beside bread

    More Sauces Recipes

    • coleslaw dressing in a jar
      KFC Coleslaw Dressing
    • This Chili Mango Sauce is the perfect blend of sweet and spicy sauce. Delicious with seafood, chicken or pork, or as a dipping sauce. Easy to make with an explosion of tropical flavor, packs the perfect punch, extra spicy if you use habaneros! Not too spicy, not too sweet but just right!
      Mango Sauce
    • Diane Sauce is a creamy brandy steak sauce or mushroom gravy, with an easy to follow recipe. A classic American flambéed steak sauce, a flavor showstopper. A retro recipe popular in the 1950's.
      Steak Diane Sauce
    • sour cream in a bowl with a loaf of bread
      Homemade Sour Cream

    Primary Sidebar

    Peter's Food Adventures - where you'll find Russian recipes, Slavic and International favorites with some fun travel and cooking videos. A Russian Food Blogger.

    Hi, I'm Peter!

    Are you looking for a little inspiration in the kitchen? Let me show you how to create tasty meals for your family!

    Food is the ingredient that brings people together. I love authentic foods, and have a very multicultural food background. I am genuinely happy to share the recipes of foods that make me and my family happy. And hopefully yours too. 

    Learn more about me →

    As Featured On

    As Featured On various magazine brands

    Popular Recipes

    • A Hungarian classic summer dish - paprika peppers with with ground beef, rice and paprika spice. Cooked in a delicious tomato passata sauce. Summer comfort food - Hungarian Stuffed Peppers (töltött paprika)
      Hungarian Stuffed Peppers (töltött paprika)
    • Greek Meze Plates
    • pineapple fried rice served inside pineapples
      Thai Pineapple Fried Rice
    • black caviar on a plate served with blinis
      How to Eat Caviar

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Intellectual Property

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Peter's Food Adventures

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    1257 shares
    • 680