This Smoky Balsamic Onion Jam is easy to whip up and brings so much flavor to any dish or appetizer! Try it on burgers, crackers, or even sandwiches. It’s great to keep in the fridge to bring a sweet and smoky flavor to any meal.
Caramelized onions and balsamic vinegar have become two of my absolute favorite ingredients over the years! Sometimes when I am in a time pinch but want sweet and tender onions, I add a splash of balsamic vinegar to them and they come out perfect. This recipe came about by wanting to have those onions available all the time for a quick burger topping or appetizer. So easy and flavorful, I hope you enjoy them!
Let’s Get Cooking Some Onion Jam!
You will need:
- 1 large sweet onion
- olive oil or even better, butter
- garlic
- maple syrup
- coconut sugar or brown sugar
- balsamic vinegar
- liquid smoke
- worcestershire sauce
Make sure you pick a large sweet onion because, like spinach, onions shrink significantly when caramelized. I like to slice my onions using their natural layers to do the hard work for me. Just cut the onion in half vertically from root to tip, lay flat, and slice once again from root to tip, but this time horizontally. The onions will be nice strips that naturally fall apart. If you want to fully caramelize your onions, check out my Caramelized Onion & Hawaiian Sweet Bread Stuffing for a full walkthrough. They are SO YUMMY!
Ok back to cooking our Smoky Balsamic Onion Jam.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil or butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add your sliced onions and a pinch of salt, bring the heat down to medium-low and saute for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. When they are just about done, add in 2 minced cloves of garlic and stir until fragrant.
Once your onions are looking nice and golden brown and the garlic is smelling amazing, add in 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons maple syrup (to give it a jammy texture), 2 tablespoons coconut or brown sugar, and a few dashes of liquid smoke & Worcestershire sauce. Stir all of this together until the sugar has dissolved.
Turn the heat to high to come to a boil and then turn to medium and simmer until it begins to thicken, about 10-15 minutes. Be sure to taste throughout the cooking process and adjust to your liking. This can be as sweet, tangy, or smoky as you prefer!
Storing and Serving Ideas
Once cooled, I store this in a sealed jar in my fridge for about a week. Don’t worry if the butter or oil starts to congeal in the fridge. Just take it out and let it come to room temperature before serving.
My favorite way to serve this is on a hearty black bean burger (recipe coming soon!) with my Truffle Fry & Burger Sauce. The sweet and tangy combo takes a burger to the next level! My next creation is going to be on a grilled cheese. 😋
For a quick and tasty appetizer, put some cream or goat cheese on a crostini or cracker and top with the Smoky Balsamic Onion Jam…DONE! If you are dairy-free, I love the Kitehill Chive Cream Cheese and even used it for this recipe. It turned out so good!
Enjoy!
I hope you love this Smoky Balsamic Onion Jam and always keep a jar on hand, as I do!
If you make one of my recipes, please tag me (IG @homemade_haley) or use the hashtag #homemadehaleyrecipes in your post or stories! I can’t wait to see how it turned out.
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Thank you so much for your support. From my home to yours,
xo Haley
Smoky Balsamic Onion Jam [meat-free]
Equipment
- Large frying pan
- Jar for storage
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet onion sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar or brown sugar
- A few dashes liquid smoke
- A few dashes worcestershire sauce vegan if need be
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil or butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add your sliced onions and a pinch of salt, bring the heat down to medium-low and saute for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. When they are just about done, add in minced garlic and stir until fragrant.
- Once onions are looking golden brown, add in balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, coconut or brown sugar, liquid smoke, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir all of this together until the sugar is dissolved.
- Turn the heat to high to come to a boil and then turn to medium and simmer until it begins to thicken, about 10-15 minutes. Be sure to taste throughout the cooking process and adjust to your liking. This can be as sweet, tangy, or smoky as you prefer!
- Once cooled, I store this in a sealed jar in my fridge for about a week. Don't worry if the butter or oil starts to congeal in the fridge. Just take it out and let it come to room temperature before serving.
Notes
Save Now, Make Later!
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