Onion Jam

Easy Onion Jam is a homemade gourmet spread used to amp up the flavor of your dishes. A quick & simple recipe with an amazing depth of flavor.

This amazing jam is an easy, sweet and savory Topping that goes with practically everything! Be sure to try my Easy Bacon Jam for similar flavors and Cherry Jalapeno Jam for another delicious spread.

Sabrina’s Onion Jam Recipe

Onion Jam is the kind of gourmet item you’d find at a specialty store or on a cheese board at a fancy restaurant. It has all the delicious buttery, caramel flavor of Caramelized Onions in a spreadable topping perfect for sandwiches, breakfast, meat recipes and more!

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About this Recipe

You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to make this recipe at home with just a handful of basic pantry ingredients. There is a little bit more hands on time than fruit jams, but the hardest part is just stirring it consistently so it doesn’t burn. Other than that, it’s just chopped onions, sugar, spices, oil, and vinegar for an addicting savory spread you’ll want to add to all you’re favorite dishes.

What is Onion Jam?

Onion jam is a sweet and savory spread with a similar consistency to fruit preserves. They start out similarly to caramelized onions, but instead of just butter and oil, you add vinegar and sugar so they break down as they cook. You keep cooking them until the mixture has a jammy texture, with bits of onions, just like a fruit jam. You add herbs and spices, or use different vinegar, to flavor the onion jam, but my recipe is a traditional onion jam with salt, pepper, oil, sugar, and red wine vinegar.

Ingredients

• Onions: You’ll need four large yellow onions for this recipe, diced into small pieces. The onions will brown during cooking, giving the jam a rich, dark color and amazing flavor. 
• Sugar: Adding ½ cup of sugar balances out the strong pungent onion flavor and helps caramelize them while they cook. You could use brown sugar instead of granulated sugar for a deeper caramelized flavor.
• Vegetable Oil: The oil keeps the sugar from burning, or turning into actual caramel sauce, while adding richness to the jam. You want to use an oil that can be at higher temperatures for a sustained time for the best flavor.
• Vinegar: The red wine vinegar adds a delicious tangy flavor that compliments the onion flavor. The acid in the vinegar also helps break the onions down to get that amazing jam texture.
• Salt and Pepper: To let the Onion flavor shine through, I only added a little salt and pepper for seasoning. However, you could add other herbs, spices, and seasonings too. See my Variations Section for ideas.

Can this be made ahead of time?

Yes, it’s actually better to cook this jam ahead of time and let it chill overnight. Not only does it thicken as it cools, but the flavors deepen as it chills. Bring it to room temperature to spread or add it chilled from the jar to recipes.

Serving Ideas

• Charcuterie Board: Add a small bowl of jam to your charcuterie board. Mild cheese like goat cheese, Brie cheese, Swiss cheese, and white cheddar would all pair great with jam. 
• Baked Brie: Take Baked Brie to the next level by swapping this onion relish for the raspberry preserves before wrapping the cheese and baking it.
• Sandwiches and Burgers: Instantly turn a regular Grilled Cheese Sandwich or Chicken Sandwich into a gourmet dish with some Onion Jam. The caramelized jam also tastes amazing on any burger recipe. I recommend it on a Bacon Cheeseburger!
• Dinner: This savory jam is a great way to turn a simple recipe like Baked Pork Chops or Ribeye Steak into an extra special dish. Stir a couple spoonfuls into your roasted veggies or Mashed Potatoes after they are cooked for a boost of flavor.
• Breakfast: This tasty spread isn’t just for dinner parties! Make quick fancy breakfast by topping a toasted onion bagel with cream cheese and a big smear of jam. It goes great on a Spinach Quiche too!
• Bruschetta: Swap the tomato topping with jam for a twist on Classic Bruschetta. Or make this easy “steak” bruschetta – top grilled baguette slices with cream cheese or soft blue cheese spread, then add thinly sliced Roast Beef and finish with the jam.

How to Store

• Serve: Jam will need to be stored after it’s cooled completely, and do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
• Store: Once the jam has cooled, you can transfer it to a glass jar or another airtight container to store in the fridge for 1-2 months.
• Freeze: If you want to use it as a spread or topping, I wouldn’t recommend freezing Onion Jam because it will lose its texture when it thaws. However you can keep it in the freezer for up to 4 months and add it as flavoring to recipes. 

Variations

• Sweetener: Instead of regular sugar, you can use brown sugar, maple syrup, coconut sugar, or other sweeteners. You can also add a little more or less sugar depending on how sweet you want the jam.
• Balsamic Onion Jam: To give the jam sweet and tangy balsamic notes, simply replace the red wine vinegar with balsamic vinegar. White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar also make suitable replacements.
• Seasonings: There are plenty of other ways you can experiment with your jam recipe. Try new spices like allspice leaves, paprika, fresh thyme, red pepper flakes, cumin, or garlic powder. You could also add a squeeze of lemon juice or add some fresh or roasted garlic cloves.
• Onion Bacon Jam: Combine two delicious spreads into one! First, cook the bacon strips in advance, and set them to the side on a paper towel-lined plate to cool. Continue with the recipe as but substitute 1-2 tablespoons of the oil with bacon grease. Break the bacon into small pieces and add it to the mixture at the same time you add the vinegar.

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