Caramelised Onion Chutney Recipe – With Red Onions

I love recipes that you can make from scratch and homemade chutneys are not only a great way to preserve ingredients, making them last longer, but there are so many variations of flavours you can try.

This caramelised onion chutney uses simple ingredients you can find at most supermarkets or grocery stores and with a little patience, it’s quite easy to make. Making your own chutney means that you know exactly what has gone into your food and the flavour is also much better.

Equipment Needed:

• Large Saucepan or Heavy-Bottomed Pot: Choose one that will fit all the ingredients in comfortably without them spilling over the sides. A pan with a heavy base is best as it will cook the chutney more evenly and helps to prevent the onion chutney from burning as it cooks.
• Wooden spoon or Heat-Resistant Spatula: My preference is a spatula, as you can scrape the base of the pan when stirring so nothing sticks.
• Sharp Knife and Chopping Board: For prepping the ingredients. You can also use a Mandoline slicer to get a really fine, even cut with the red onions. Alternatively, you can use a food processor with a slicing blade to cut your onions. Just be sure not to puree them, you want your caramelised onions to remain somewhat chunky.
• Grater: To grate the ginger before adding to the mixture.
• Measuring Equipment: For best results always measure your ingredients accurately.
• Sterilised Jars With Lids: This onion chutney recipe yields about 700-800ml so you’ll need approximately 2-3 medium-sized jars for storage. To help prevent mould, lids with rubber seals and waxed discs also come in handy.
• Funnel (optional): You can use a funnel when jarring the chutney for ease or a just large spoon.

Ingredients:

• Red Onions: I wouldn’t recommend using any other type of onion such as yellow onions or white onions as the flavour of a red onion is much milder than it’s counterparts. The onion flavour will be too strong and won’t taste sweet.
• Olive Oil: Just a splash of oil helps the onions to cook.
• Dark Muscovado Sugar: Using this dark sugar really helps give the chutney a rich flavour and deep colour.
• Balsamic Vinegar: Use a good quality balsamic vinegar for the best results. Do not use balsamic glaze.
• White Wine Vinegar: Not only does this help to preserve the onion chutney, meaning you can store it for much longer, but it balances out the sweetness of the sugar
• Dark Brown Soft Sugar: Sweetens the chutney and helps thicken it to a jam-like consistency.
• Salt: For seasoning to enhance the flavours.
• Garlic: Use fresh garlic and grate or crush the cloves for better consistency. You can also use garlic puree
• Fresh Ginger: Use fresh, peeled ginger and grate it finely. You can also use lazy ginger but do not use stem ginger.

Substitutions and Additions:

Wondering if you can substitute or add an ingredient? Here, I will tell you if that’s possible.

Substitutions:

• Dark Muscovado Sugar: Replace with more dark brown sugar. However, keep in mind muscovado has a richer, molasses-like flavour, so the end result might have a slightly different flavour. I wouldn’t recommend using white sugar.
• White Wine Vinegar: Substitute with apple cider vinegar if needed.
• Olive Oil: Use any neutral oil like vegetable or sunflower oil if needed or even a knob of butter.

Additions:

• Thyme or Rosemary: Fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary can add an aromatic, earthy note to the chutney.
• Bay Leaves: Another good addition for extra flavouring.
• Black Pepper: You can add some crushed black pepper if you wish, for extra seasoning.
• Chilli Flakes: If you like things spicy, add some chilli flakes or a finely chopped, deseeded red chilli pepper to the mixture.
• Cinnamon Stick: A small cinnamon stick simmered in the chutney can provide a subtle warmth and festive flavour.