I’ve posted photos of these onions on Instagram a few times and people seem to love it! If you’ve read other recipes and posts of mine, you’ll know that Alessi Pear Infused White Balsamic Vinegar is my all-time favorite! It’s an ingredient I picked up from cooking in my MIL’s kitchen when they had the lake house up in Michigan. I miss it so much. She always had a bottle or two in the pantry. It’s like regular balsamic but sweeter and a bit milder, with a kiss of pear flavor. If Alessi ever stops making this, I’ll have to infuse my own white balsamic!

I really love these onions but roasting onions seems to take a while to get them nice and tender. So I recently started pre-cooking them for just a couple minutes in the microwave to speed up the process. The onions get tender much quicker. The glaze gets plenty thick, but I’d imagine you could use a spatula and remove the onions and set them aside and let the glaze reduce further on high heat for a few minutes. Just be careful! Burnt sugar and vinegar is terribly bitter!

When you make these, resist the urge to add more vinegar or omit the water. If you use too much vinegar, they get really sour. I find the splash of water, and a combination of balsamic and white vinegar together is perfect!

As for the onion, I just tried this recipe with a slice of red onion. OMG, I highly recommend it! Serve up a slice of each, red onion and a sweet white onion or Vidalia. The red doesn’t get quite as sweet, but served next to the Vidalia onion and wow… I can’t even…

Pear Infused White Balsamic Glazed Roasted Onions

These tangy caramelized sweet buttery onions can be roasted on the grill or in the oven, or you can use my cheater method and get them on the table in about a half-hour! You can use regular balsamic or your favorite vinegar, but this Alessi pear infused white balsamic vinegar is amazing! You can reduce the butter or replace with olive oil, but the butter really makes them shiny and luscious!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 8

Calories 110 kcal

Equipment

• Roasting pan. If you want these on the table in a half-hour use a microwave-safe pan and a *disposable roasting pan, or evan make a tray out of foil. I highly recommend a disposable roasting pan for easy cleanup when roasting. Balsamic & brown sugar together make for a sticky cleanup!
• Small bowl – for marinade.
• Oven, broiler or grill.
• Microwave, optional.

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 Vidalia onions Red onions with Vidalia is an amazing combo! Yellow onions will work, but sweet onions are ideal.
• 4 tbsp butter Olive oil can be used, butter is best!
• 4 tbsp Alessi Pear Infused White Balsamic Vinegar Alessi Pear infused is best, but regular balsamic, red or cider vinegar is fine also. White balsalmic looks best, in my opionion.
• 2 tbsp white vinegar Any vinegar lighter than balsamic, like seasoned rice wine vinegar.
• 2 tbsp water
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• ⅛ tsp pepper black or white pepper, to taste.
• ⅛ tsp salt
• ½ tsp herbs Optional- rosemary and/or thyme are perfect!
• ½ tbsp olive oil Optional – drizzle additional over onions when serving.

Instructions

 

• Use one tbsp of butter, grease the pan you are roasting these in entirely, sides and bottom.

  Preheat your oven to 450° (or broiler.) (I use my gas grill.)
• Combine water, both vinegars, seasoning, olive oil, and sugar in a small bowl. Stir to combine.
  
• Slice onions in even slices, about 1/2 inch thick. (Thinner will cook faster, but fall apart more.)
• Add onions in a single layer to the pan and spoon marinade over them or flip the onions to coat. If microwaving to speed up cooking, also butter the bottom of the microwavable dish, (they can overlap a bit) and pour some marinade over. Photos shown are for a half a batch.
  
• If you are using fresh herbs, reserve some for garnish and sprinkle some on the onions.
  
• These can marinate overnight or be cooked right away. If you are in a hurry, microwave the onions for two minutes. If they haven't softened any, use a spoon and spoon the marinade from the bottom of the pan over the tops of the onion slices. Microwave for another minute or until they start to soften a bit.
  
• Once they are soft(ish) but not mushy or if you do not intend to microwave them, place in a single layer in the roasting pan. Slice the remaining butter so that each onion slice has a dab of butter on top. (You can omit butter and drizzle more olive oil, but butter is definately worth it!)
  
• Roast the onions in a 450° oven until they are soft and the marinade has thickend to a shiny glaze. From raw, they will probably take a good half hour or so, keep an eye on them because if the sauce burns it will get bitter. Be careful, the sauce will be hot like lava!

  Be sure to check and spoon over the marinade periodically.

  From a precooked in the microwave, they will take about fifteen minutes. The sauce/glaze will thicken some as it cool a bit. Be careful, its as hot as lava!
  

Notes

*I usually cook these with the odds and ends of onions in the fridge. So the photos are shown with about five or six slices.

*Resist the urge to add more vinegar and/or less water. If you only use vinegar, or omit the water, they will come out very vinegary and sour.

Nutrition

Calories: 110kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 1gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 97mgPotassium: 113mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 184IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg

Keyword balsamic, balsamic vinegar, glazed onions, onions, side dish, unique veggie dish, vinegar, white pear balsamic vinegar

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

I haven’t tried this recipe with all white vinegar and white sugar, but I bet it would be really good too. Maybe with a drizzle of honey? Maybe a pinch of Parmesan to finish?

If you try the recipe please rate it to support my blog! Or comment and let me know how you liked it!