Marinated Roasted Onions
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These slow roasted onions are easy to make for a simple, flavorful holiday side. Make this recipe to serve with your holiday ham, turkey, or beef roast.
This recipe is worth you taking a look at. Really. It’s not a typical holiday side dish like traditional French’s green bean casserole or roasted potatoes, but I bet you’ll love it just as much. The onions caramelize roasting in a bath of red wine vinegar, brown sugar and spices.
The result is a tender vegetable that’s soft and creamy on the inside and caramelized on the outside. The flavor is mellow and sweet, and it takes on the flavor of the marinade, making a memorable side on your holiday table.
These make it to our table more times than I can count because they don’t need a holiday reason to sing and are perfect with grilled meats when no holiday is the reason.
Roasted Onion – Choosing the Right Variety
- Best Onions for Roasting / Baking
Because this is a side dish recipe, the best option is to use an extra large variety of onion. You’ll be slicing them in half and leaving the skins on while they bake, so I recommend using a large, sweet variety like Vidalia or yellow. You could even use red onion, which also tastes fantastic caramelized!
- Choosing a variety based on the protein you’re serving.
- Poultry– If you’ll be serving the roasted onions with a roast turkey, I think yellow is your best option.
- Pork– The best option to serve with a holiday ham is definitely Vidalias. Their sweetness pairs perfectly with glazed ham, especially if you’ll be using a slightly spicy glaze like chipotle orange.
- Beef or Lamb– For boneless prime rib, lamb roast, or braised beef brisket, any type of onion works well. This is where making baked roasted red onions might be a great choice.
Video: Making Marinated Roasted Onions
The recipe is pretty simple and aside from the marinating, it’s really quick and easy to make. Watch the video in the recipe card to see the process from start to finish.
Planning Ahead
This roasted onions recipe is one you need to plan ahead for, as the onions need to sit and marinate overnight before roasting. While you’re at it, these Herb Roasted Potatoes could easily be made at the same time!
NOTE:
I’ve roasted onions without marinating, and they’re okay. But I feel the overnight soak really makes a difference. If you’re crunched for time and need to skip the overnight soak, at least let them marinate for an hour if you’re able to.
This is a rich and flavorful side dish, and it really does go well with nearly every protein you can think of. For a nice garnish and punch of flavor, I occasionally add fresh chopped rosemary during the last 5 minutes of baking time.
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This post, first published on Kevin Is Cooking November 2017, was last updated with new content on Sept. 11, 2021.
Marinated Roasted Onions
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp fresh rosemary chopped
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes optional
- 4 large onions (See Note 1)
Roasting
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary chopped
Instructions
- Blend marinade ingredients in small bowl and pour into a baking dish that will hold all 8 onion halves. I use 8×8″ baking pan or round 12″ baking stone (pictured) depending on size of onion.
- Trim the end of onions and cut horizontal (leaving skin on) and place cut side down in marinade. Marinate overnight covered in refrigerator.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Flip the onions over in the marinade, and lay on the flat bottom of each side. Top each onion with 1/2 tablespoon of butter and remaining teaspoon of rosemary.
- Roast uncovered in oven for 1 hour or until golden brown and tender, basting once or twice during roasting. Remove from heat, spoon reduced sauce over and sprinkle with parsley or more fresh chopped rosemary. Remove outer skins before eating and serve.
Video
Notes
- White, yellow, or red onion may be used. Trim ends off onions, slice in half horizontally, keeping the skin on to hold shape and protect the outside as it roasts. Just peel and discard the skins before serving.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Hello! Do you cook covered or uncovered?
You would roast these uncovered Shannon. Enjoy!
Can I use a different herb than Rosemary? They are not big fans of it in my house.
Thyme would be my next for sure Lisa. Let me know what you think. Cheers! 🙂
Question:
Can the sugar be omitted and still have good flavor?
I couldn’t truthfully answer that as I have never tried it that way Natalie. If you do try it that way I’d love to know how it turns out.
2(ish) questions:
1. I have to prepare these to a point where they only need about 30 minutes of cooking because our turkey takes up the whole oven. (It’s 20+ pounds and has to be perfectly centered or the rack collapses.) Once the turkey comes out, all of the sides–and ham–go in. I know it’s not ideal, but can I cook these most of the way?
2. I want to toss in a bunch of garlic cloves. Should I marinate them as well? (Why not?) Will they cook okay or might they burn on the outside and remain raw inside? If so, any tricks to avoid that?
I think that would be fine pre-cooked and then finished off later Jill. As for the garlic, that sounds like a great idea and I would roast them with the onions from the start.
Thanks, Kevin. It came out great. I doubled the recipe and used smaller onions to reduce cooking time. I used less vinegar as someone suggested. (My husband’s family prefers plain, boiled onions. Every year I try to make some changes–sometimes I go too far.)
The cooking method worked well. Creamy inside, indeed! I tossed in 2 1/2 bulbs of peeled garlic. They oddly turned purply blue, but they tasted fine. My husband ate the leftovers 4-5 hours after Thanksgiving dinner–literally sat down to a small bowl of the onions and garlic. I asked him if he liked it. He said it was good, “But I like my boiled onions.” Sheesh. Well, at least he’ll try almost anything.
So happy to hear this Jill and at least he tried them, right? Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know. 🙂
Have you made with sweet onions? Does it have a good flavor, or is it less appealing using this method?
I have and loved that as well Lise. Sweeter than savory, but quite tasty. 🙂
Have you ever roasted chicken, carrots or potatoes on top of the onions while they cook?
No, but that sounds like Sunday’s dinner! Thanks Mel. 🙂
Never cooked anything with onions as the main ingredients except fried onion rings. These onions seem so right for my flu right now 😅 – Natalie
Hope you’re feeling better and you enjoyed these Natalie!
Love roasted onions and your marinated ones sound wonderful…can’t wait to give them a try.
I rotate these year long, but they are always a hit around the holidays, too. Thanks Karen!
Made these tonight and they were a huge hit. We loved them! A new go to sude dish. Great flavors!
Excellent, love to read comments like this Danielle. It’s always a big hit around our place during the holidays for company, but we eat them year round. Thanks!
These onions look divine! The perfect side to so many mains!!