Name: Sweet and Tangy Pearl Onions
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: ItalianEurope
Ingredients: 4 cups frozen pearl onions; ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon water; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2½ tablespoons sugar; ¾ teaspoon salt; Pinch red pepper flakes; ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Why This Recipe Works

Choosing fresh cipollini onions for the traditional sweet-and-sour glazed onions—cipolline in agrodolce—may be more common, but we found frozen pearl onions to be just as delicious when we employed the right cooking technique and added a balanced sauce. We started with a small amount of liquid and covered the skillet to blanch the onions before uncovering it to hasten browning, thereby consolidating two cooking methods into one and leaving fewer dishes to wash. Adding sugar and butter to the blanching liquid gave the onions a slightly sweeter flavor and balanced the tartness of the balsamic vinegar. The added fat also helped jump-start the browning once the liquid evaporated.

Before You Begin

These onions are great as a stand-alone side dish, but they can also be served as a flavorful condiment for beef or pork roasts. Do not thaw the onions before cooking them. You will need about 32 ounces of frozen pearl onions to equal 4 cups.

Instructions

Combine onions, ½ cup water, 1 tablespoon butter, 1½ teaspoons sugar, salt, and pepper flakes in 12‑inch nonstick skillet. Bring to boil over medium-high heat; cover and cook until water is nearly evaporated, about 10 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.

Uncover skillet and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are deeply browned, about 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in vinegar, remaining 1 tablespoon water, and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and continue to cook until liquid has thickened and completely coats onions, about 3 minutes longer. Off heat, stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle with basil and serve.