Learn how to sauté onions for use in your favorite savory recipes. This method of cooking onions results in tender, sweet pieces of onion that are an excellent addition to sandwiches, salads, meat dishes, and more. 

How to Sauté Onions: Easy Sautéed Onions Recipe and Tips

While these two types of pan-cooked onions may appear similar, some key distinctions exist between them. [Caramelized onions](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-making-caramelized-onions-plus-easy-caramelized-onions-recipe) are soft, sweet, deep golden-brown onions cooked over low heat for an extended period (from 45 minutes to multiple hours). 

The slow cooking process [caramelizes](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/learn-how-to-caramelize-11-caramelizing-recipes) the natural sugars in the onions, creating a sweet flavor and very tender texture. Some chefs and home cooks add a little sugar to enhance the onions’ natural sweetness or water to prevent the pan from drying out during the long cook time. These are the kind of onions found in caramelized onion dip and French onion soup. 

Alternatively, sautéed onions are slightly soft, somewhat brown, and sweeter than raw ones, but they have a more sharp flavor than sweet caramelized onions. Instead of cooking the onions slowly over low heat, [sautéing](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-sauteing-how-to-master-the-saute-cooking-technique) involves cooking food quickly over high heat. 
There is no shortage of delectable ways to use these tasty cooked vegetables. Some of the most popular uses of sautéed onions include:

1. __Dips__: Stir sautéed onions into French onion dip or your favorite creamy dip recipe.
2. __Grilled meats__: Use sautéed onions as a tasty vegetable topping to garnish grilled meats, like [steak](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/steak-recipes) and chicken. 
3. __Pasta dishes__: Stir sautéed onions into pasta sauce, like vodka sauce or [brown butter](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-brown-butter) sage sauce.
4. __Salads and grain bowls__: Keep sautéed onions on hand as a quick and easy salad topping option. 
5. __Sandwiches__: Add depth to any sandwich—like a grilled cheese, Philly cheesesteak, or patty melt—with tender pan-fried onions. 
6. __Soups and stews__: Sautéing onions is often the first step to building a flavor base for soups and stews. Once you’ve sautéed the onions, add other vegetables and then deglaze the pan with broth or stock.
7. __Toasts__: Upgrade your toasts and crostinis by adding a layer of sautéed onions to a base of [avocado](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/the-best-healthy-avocado-recipes), cream cheese, or other savory spread. 

These tips will help you make the most of this simple dish: 

1. __Choose your onions wisely__. While you can use any type of thinly sliced onion for sautéed onions, milder [yellow onions](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/white-onions-vs-yellow-onions)—which have a lower moisture content—or white onions are your best bet. More pungent varieties, like red onions, will retain some of their sharpness after sautéeing. 
2. __Experiment with additions__. Depending on the intended use of your sautéed onions, feel free to work in the flavors of your choice, like dried herbs and spicy ground peppers. Add [balsamic vinegar](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-balsamic-vinegar-balsamic-vs-other-vinegars-and-how-to-use-balsamic-vinegar) to your onions for additional sweetness or red wine vinegar to build on the ingredient’s complexity. 
3. __Store sautéed onions properly__. Once cooked and cooled, store sautéed onions in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days for easy access when assembling sandwiches, salads, and more. 
Learn how to sauté onions for use in your favorite savory recipes. This method of cooking onions results in tender, sweet pieces of onion that are an excellent addition to sandwiches, salads, meat dishes, and more. 

While these two types of pan-cooked onions may appear similar, some key distinctions exist between them. <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-making-caramelized-onions-plus-easy-caramelized-onions-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-making-caramelized-onions-plus-easy-caramelized-onions-recipe","linkCopy":"Caramelized onions","category":null}'>Caramelized onions</a> are soft, sweet, deep golden-brown onions cooked over low heat for an extended period (from 45 minutes to multiple hours). The slow cooking process <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/learn-how-to-caramelize-11-caramelizing-recipes' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/learn-how-to-caramelize-11-caramelizing-recipes","linkCopy":"caramelizes","category":null}'>caramelizes</a> the natural sugars in the onions, creating a sweet flavor and very tender texture. Some chefs and home cooks add a little sugar to enhance the onions’ natural sweetness or water to prevent the pan from drying out during the long cook time. These are the kind of onions found in caramelized onion dip and French onion soup. Alternatively, sautéed onions are slightly soft, somewhat brown, and sweeter than raw ones, but they have a more sharp flavor than sweet caramelized onions. Instead of cooking the onions slowly over low heat, <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-sauteing-how-to-master-the-saute-cooking-technique' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-sauteing-how-to-master-the-saute-cooking-technique","linkCopy":"sautéing","category":null}'>sautéing</a> involves cooking food quickly over high heat.

What Is the Difference Between Caramelized and Sautéed Onions?

There is no shortage of delectable ways to use these tasty cooked vegetables. Some of the most popular uses of sautéed onions include:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Dips: Stir sautéed onions into French onion dip or your favorite creamy dip recipe. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Grilled meats: Use sautéed onions as a tasty vegetable topping to garnish grilled meats, like <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/steak-recipes' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/steak-recipes","linkCopy":"steak","category":null}'>steak</a> and chicken. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Pasta dishes: Stir sautéed onions into pasta sauce, like vodka sauce or <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-brown-butter' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-brown-butter","linkCopy":"brown butter","category":null}'>brown butter</a> sage sauce. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Salads and grain bowls: Keep sautéed onions on hand as a quick and easy salad topping option. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 5. Sandwiches: Add depth to any sandwich—like a grilled cheese, Philly cheesesteak, or patty melt—with tender pan-fried onions. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 6. Soups and stews: Sautéing onions is often the first step to building a flavor base for soups and stews. Once you’ve sautéed the onions, add other vegetables and then deglaze the pan with broth or stock. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 7. Toasts: Upgrade your toasts and crostinis by adding a layer of sautéed onions to a base of <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/the-best-healthy-avocado-recipes' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/the-best-healthy-avocado-recipes","linkCopy":"avocado","category":null}'>avocado</a>, cream cheese, or other savory spread. </li></ol>

7 Ways to Serve Sautéed Onions

These tips will help you make the most of this simple dish: <ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Choose your onions wisely. While you can use any type of thinly sliced onion for sautéed onions, milder <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/white-onions-vs-yellow-onions' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/white-onions-vs-yellow-onions","linkCopy":"yellow onions","category":null}'>yellow onions</a>—which have a lower moisture content—or white onions are your best bet. More pungent varieties, like red onions, will retain some of their sharpness after sautéeing. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Experiment with additions. Depending on the intended use of your sautéed onions, feel free to work in the flavors of your choice, like dried herbs and spicy ground peppers. Add <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-balsamic-vinegar-balsamic-vs-other-vinegars-and-how-to-use-balsamic-vinegar' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-balsamic-vinegar-balsamic-vs-other-vinegars-and-how-to-use-balsamic-vinegar","linkCopy":"balsamic vinegar","category":null}'>balsamic vinegar</a> to your onions for additional sweetness or red wine vinegar to build on the ingredient’s complexity. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Store sautéed onions properly. Once cooked and cooled, store sautéed onions in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days for easy access when assembling sandwiches, salads, and more. </li></ol>

3 Tips for Sautéing Onions

Easy Sautéed Onions Recipe

Learn how to sauté onions for use in your favorite savory recipes. This method of cooking onions results in tender, sweet pieces of onion that are an excellent addition to sandwiches, salads, meat dishes, and more.

Learn how to sauté onions for use in your favorite savory recipes. This method of cooking onions results in tender, sweet pieces of onion that are an excellent addition to sandwiches, salads, meat dishes, and more. 
