If you do not have caramelized onion chutney in your life right now, I suggest you give this recipe a try. This dish is not only a fantastic addition to your Saturday night dinner party, but it also pairs well with some brie and French baguette.
This Caramelized Onion Chutney Is What You Were Looking For

To start making this dish, gather all your ingredients. Go with red onions, olive oil, red chili, bay leaves, light brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, and red wine vinegar. You can substitute some of these as needed, so try going with shallots, red pepper flakes, oregano flakes, pomegranate syrup, and sherry vinegar.
Red onions are perfect for this kind of chutney, because they tend to be milder and sweeter. You can use other onions, but you may have to add more sugar and cook them longer.
You can start by slicing the onions, which is always easier if you use a slicing attachment on your food processor. However, I have done it manually sometimes, and while it takes longer, still works.
Some people do not add balsamic vinegar, but I find this type of vinegar to go well with the final flavor of caramelized onions. Reducing balsamic vinegar will also give your meal a bit of nutty, sweet flavor that it would not have otherwise.
The total cooking time will be over two hours, but you may need more or less depending on how many onions you use. You can cook your chutney in an hour, but it will take a lot of mixing so there is no scorching.
Be sure to sterilize your jars ahead of time and have them ready for storing your caramelized onion chutney. While it is not necessary, I suggest you process them for a while and store them in a cool, dark place. Once opened, place your chutney in the fridge.
Caramelized Onion Chutney
Ingredients
3 1/2 lbs (1.5 kg) red onions. peeled, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cup (200 g) light brown sugar
3/4 cup (180 ml) red wine vinegar
3/4 cup (180 ml) balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 red chili, finely sliced
2 bay leaves
Directions
- Combine the chili and oil in a large pan.
- Cook over medium-high heat.
- Add the onions.
- Cook, stirring frequently for a few minutes until onions are softened.
- Add in the sugar, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and bay leaves. Stir well.
- Reduce heat to low and slow cook for 2 hours. Stir occasionally so the onion doesn’t stick to the pan.
- Once the onions are glossy and thick, remove the bay leaves and transfer them to pre-sterilized jars.
- Store in a clean, cool, and dark spot for up to 6 months.
Notes
- A food processor would be best for finely slicing the onions.
Looking to try another tasty chutney recipe? Check out this Summer Chutney!