• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Free Email Series!

5 Time and Stress Saving Cooking Secrets

Free email series of my best tips!

Visit my other Site: Pancake Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Free Email Series!

    5 Time and Stress Saving Cooking Secrets

    Free email series of my best tips!

  • Visit my other Site: Pancake Recipes

Rachel Cooks®

Easy Healthy-ish Recipes

  • Recipe Index
  • Popular
    • Instant Pot Pinto Beans
    • Green Beans with Bacon
    • Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
    • Roasted Sugar Snap Peas
    • Beef Stew Seasoning
    • Chili Seasoning Recipe
    • Thousand Island Dressing
    • Poppy Seed Dressing
    • Copycat Panera Squash Soup
    • Chocolate Chip Blondies
    • Instant Pot Pork Loin Roast
    • Frosé
    • Best Chocolate Cake
    • Dill Vegetable Dip
    • Instant Pot Jasmine Rice
    • Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
  • Learn to Cook
    • All The Basics
    • Crostini
    • Delicata Squash
    • Butternut Squash
    • Kabocha Squash
    • Spaghetti Squash
    • Guacamole
    • Croutons
    • Snap Peas
    • Baked Potatoes
    • Baked Bacon
    • Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
    • Simple Syrup
    • Pickled Red Onions Recipe
    • Toasted Pine Nuts
    • Roasted bone-in Chicken Breasts
    • Poached Chicken
    • Roasted Whole Chicken
    • Easy Cheese Sauce

Dinner Made Easy:

Slow Cooker

5 Ingredients

Grilling

Make Ahead

Sheet Pan

Tacos

Pizza

Home Recipes by Cooking Method Slow Cooker
GF Gluten-Free VG Vegetarian SC Slow Cooker

Slow Cooker Caramelized Onions

5
/5
15 hrs 10 mins
9 Comments
Jump to Recipe
By: Rachel GurkPosted: 05/23/2016Updated: 06/15/2021

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Slow cooker caramelized onions - for those times when you don't want to spend an hour caramelizing them on the stovetop - these cook while you sleep! Get the easy recipe on RachelCooks.com!

Slow cooker caramelized onions – for those times when you don’t want to spend an hour caramelizing them on the stovetop – these cook while you sleep!

Slow cooker caramelized onions - for those times when you don't want to spend an hour caramelizing them on the stovetop - these cook while you sleep! Get the easy recipe on RachelCooks.com!

I’m head-over-heels in love with caramelized onions. If I’m at a new restaurant and I see a menu item with caramelized onions, there’s a very good chance that’s what I’ll be ordering. They’re like candy, so sweet and flavorful.

But when it comes to making my own caramelized onions, I’m often hindered by the fact that they take a good 45 minutes to an hour to prepare, with some amount of babysitting and monitoring.

My neighbor and I were sitting outside discussing this the other day and we decided I would try making them in the slow cooker. Same idea, right? Low, slow, gradual process.

Onions in Slow Cooker Image

So I turned on my slow cooker before I went to bed and woke up to the smell of onions. (Possibly one drawback of this method, but I was okay with the smell.)

I also woke up to caramelized onion….soup. Okay so, we’re almost there. One of two things can happen next:

  • Continue to cook for 3-5 hours with the lid ajar to evaporate some of the liquid.

OR

  • Drain them and be done with it.

Slow cooker caramelized onions - for those times when you don't want to spend an hour caramelizing them on the stovetop - these cook while you sleep! Get the easy recipe on RachelCooks.com!

I continued to cook my slow cooker caramelized onions for about 5 hours more to achieve a nice thick consistency, almost jam-like. I’m really super happy with the result! They’re not 100% the same, so if you’re a purist, this recipe might not be for you.

I used these onions for baked chimichangas and you can’t tell the difference one bit. They are delicious topping this homemade French onion dip. 

Used in this recipe: 

  • 6-qt slow cooker – I have a KitchenAid

Slow cooker caramelized onions - for those times when you don't want to spend an hour caramelizing them on the stovetop - these cook while you sleep! Get the easy recipe on RachelCooks.com!

Have an abundance of onions?

I love it when onions play a starring role in a recipe, don’t you? Here’s a few more recipes that you might like:

 

  • Vidalia onion tart with bacon, kale, and feta
  • How to pickle red onions (so easy!)
  • Homemade onion soup mix

 

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Slow cooker caramelized onions - for those times when you don't want to spend an hour caramelizing them on the stovetop - these cook while you sleep! Get the easy recipe on RachelCooks.com!
Recipe

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Caramelized Onions

5 from 1 vote
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 15 hrs
Total Time: 15 hrs 10 mins
Print Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Slow cooker caramelized onions – for those times when you don’t want to spend an hour caramelizing them on the stovetop – these cook while you sleep!

Ingredients

  • 8-10 onions, sliced in half moons
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 10 hours (I do it overnight).
  • If desired, cook for another 3-5 hours with the lid ajar to evaporate the extra liquid and thicken the onions. This will also result in a darker, sweeter onion. If you’re in a rush, drain the extra liquid from the onions.
  • Store covered in fridge for 4-5 days or freeze for up to 4 months.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1/4 cup, Calories: 46kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 4mg, Sodium: 2mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Author: Rachel Gurk
Did You Make This?Be sure to upload a photo & tag me at @RachelCooksBlog. I love seeing what you made!
Share A Photo! Tag on Insta Rate It
Verdict: I was super happy with how these turned out. I’m not giving up the traditional way of preparing them, but this is a fantastic alternative (especially if you want to make a large batch).
Husband’s take: He had these slow cooker caramelized onions in the baked chimichangas and I heard no complaints. He’s picky about his onions too, so it’s a good test.
Changes I would make: None!
Difficulty: Easy.

PS: Try the caramelized onions in this pumpkin macaroni and cheese!

Free email series

5 Time & Stress Saving Cooking Secrets

Free email series of my best tips!

FREE BONUS!

You May Also Like...

  • Large scoop of crockpot mac and cheese.
    Crockpot Mac and Cheese
  • Overhead view of crockpot stuffing in black slow cooker.
    Easy Crockpot Stuffing - perfect every time!
  • 100+ Slow Cooker Recipes
  • A white plate, containing corned beef slices, 2 carrots, red skinned potato cut in half, and cabbage. Included in the image is oval platter with remaining sliced corned beef, vegetables, with serving utensils. Also in the image is a text overlay that reads " corned beef & cabbage."
    Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
If you haven't made a quiche with a sweet potato crust, it's time to give it a try! This bacon cheddar quiche is a healthier alternative to a traditional quiche, plus it packs more flavor! Get the fun breakfast or brunch recipe on RachelCooks.com!
Previous Post
Bacon Cheddar Quiche with Sweet Potato Crust
Overhead of stuffed chicken breast on plate.
Next Post
BBQ Bourbon Grilled Chicken Stuffed with Peppers and Onions

Reader Interactions

Leave a Review Cancel reply

Recipe Rating




The maximum upload file size: 1 MB. You can upload: image. Drop files here

  1. Highwaygirl YYZ says

    August 30, 2018 at 4:01 pm

    Wow, great idea! Going to definitely try this one.
    I have an auto heat feature on my slow cooker that cooks on high for a few hours and then switches to low heat. Wondering if this may help cut down on cooking time (start them in the morning for use that night)…

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      September 1, 2018 at 9:08 am

      I think that would work well! I don’t have a setting for that, but I do that often with slow cooker recipes.

      Reply
  2. Christine @ WRY TOAST says

    May 24, 2016 at 9:10 am

    are caramelized onions not the total best!?! love this low-maintainence way of preparing them, this is a keeper Rach! xo

    Reply
  3. DessertForTwo says

    May 23, 2016 at 9:59 pm

    This is GENIUS. Where has this been my whole life?

    Reply
  4. Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says

    May 23, 2016 at 9:23 pm

    ahhhh how I loooove caramelized onions!!!!!

    Reply
  5. Medha says

    May 23, 2016 at 4:14 pm

    These look amazing! Such a hands-off way to get great flavor :)

    Reply
  6. denise says

    May 23, 2016 at 1:46 pm

    sounds great

    Reply
  7. JessB says

    May 23, 2016 at 9:43 am

    Good idea! I love them too but never go to the work of making them-problem solved.

    Reply
  8. Alicia J. says

    May 23, 2016 at 9:42 am

    This recipe couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. I just received a 50 pound bag of fresh from the Georgia ground Vidalia onions. I had no idea how I was going to use the last 25 pounds I wasn’t able to hand out to my family. I know what I’m doing with them now. Thank you so much for this recipe. I can’t wait to get them cooked.

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

Hi, I'm Rachel! Life can be complicated, cooking shouldn't be! I believe that you can put a delicious meal on the table without stressing. It's possible, and I'm here to help. Have a seat at my table...let's chat, eat, and have fun! Read more...

Air Fryer Instant Pot 30 Minutes One Pan Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Slow Cooker Vegetarian 5 Ingredients

Trending

Cooked salmon fillet on a grey-toned plate with cooked asparagus spears. The salmon is being flaked with a fork.

Air Fryer Salmon – easy and delicious!

Pizza pasta being scooped from a pan with a wooden spoon.

Pizza Pasta – 1 pan, 20 minutes

Image of a giant bowl of spaghetti with turkey meatballs.

Baked Turkey Meatballs

Asparagus Panzanella Salad

Seasonal

Beef and vegetable stir fry in a black wok.

Beef Stir Fry With Vegetables

Hot honey chicken sheet pan dinner with honey being drizzled on.

Hot Honey Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner

Sweet and sour shrimp lettuce wrap garnished with green onion.

Sweet and Sour Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

BBQ Chicken burrito bowl with avocado and sour cream.

BBQ Chicken Bowl

Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window
Free Bonus!

5 Cooking Secrets to Save Time & Stress

Free email series of my best tips and recipes!

Featured On:

Back to Top
  • About
  • Contact
  • Press
  • Work with Me
  • Privacy
  • Accessibility
© 2023 Rachel Cooks®
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled