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Home » Super Easy Red Onion Marmalade/Chutney (+ video!)

Super Easy Red Onion Marmalade/Chutney (+ video!)

By Karon Grieve 2 Comments

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I’m amazed I haven’t shared my red onion marmalade recipe with you before now. It’s something I make all the time as it is just so damn useful and tastes amazing too.

red onion marmalade

Red Onion Marmalade/Chutney

So is this red onion preserve a marmalade or a chutney? It’s a wee bit confusing really name-wise. A marmalade is normally considered something to do with citrus fruit.

But this looks much more like a chutney and there is no citrus at all. Actually no fruit at all either.

Whether you want to call this a marmalade or a chutney you will have to agree on one thing, it’s delicious!

close up of oatcakes with marmalade

Onion relish

This is one of those savoury preserves that just ticks all the boxes for me. It is super easy to make. It just takes a little time. But not much real hands-on effort.

This onion marmalade is sticky and rich. It packs a hefty punch of flavour yet is sweetly soft in the mouth.

There are grown-up flavours here that make you want to break into a packet of crackers and reach for your finest cheese.

ingredients

Ingredients for Red Onion Marmalade

Red onions, olive oil, some salt and soft brown sugar.

Now for those all-important extras that make this onion jam so special; red wine, balsamic vinegar and some red currant jelly.

The red currant jelly is purely optional.

larder link

I often use my own Cumberland Red Currant Jelly or my Rowan and Red Currant Jelly for this recipe.

sliced onions

Onions

Can you use brown onions for this recipe? Yes, of course, you can. There will be a difference in the flavour but you will still have a rich and luxurious onion marmalade.

So just use whatever onions you have to hand.

Slicing onions

You want to finely slice your onions for this onion chutney. Either use a mandoline (please be careful and either use a guard when grating on a mandoline cutter or use one of those mandoline gloves.

cooking onions

Carmelised onion jam

You want to carmelise those onions. That means making them sweet and oh so tender by slow and low cooking.

The onions will be all melty and sweet, almost toffee-like. To get this effect I like to cook my onions in olive oil with the salt for about an hour.

Cover the onions with a piece of scrunched up and slightly dampened baking paper. This helps to make the onions sweat down.

onion jam

Once my onions are all soft and gooey and seriously sweet I add my other ingredients to the pan.

First comes the sugar. Stirred in and allowed to melt into nothing. Raise the temperature and get the jam to boil.

Then add the red wine and balsamic vinegar. Finally, that spoonful of jelly if you are using it.

jars of marmalade

How do you know when onion jam is ready?

The onion marmalade is rich and thick when it cooks. Once you can drag your wooden spoon through the mixture and leave a clear trail on the bottom of the pan your onion marmalade is ready.

Carefully ladle the hot preserve into sterilised jars.

larder links

New to this whole preserving lark? Then don’t worry I’ve got you covered. Just check out these quick articles and I’ll take you from zero to preserving hero in no time at all!

How to sterilise jars and bottles

My favourite preserving kit

How to make great chutney and relish

serving the jam on oatcakes with cheese

How long does onion marmalade keep?

This savoury preserve will keep for up to a year in a cool dark place. Once opened store the jar in the fridge and use within a month.

Can you water bath can this?

Yes, once you have covered all the steps mentioned above for making this luxurious red onion marmalade simply do your usual water bath canning for 10 minutes.

jar with spoon over the top

How to use onion marmalade

This rich and almost creamy sweet and savoury onion preserve is incredibly useful. Yes, it is totally addictive to folks like me who can eat it straight from the jar and forgo the crackers completely.

However, served with a cheeseboard this onion marmalade is a revelation.

As part of the great British Ploughman’s lunch instead of the standard pickle. Think outside the jar my friends!

Spoon a little of your onion jam into simple soups like tomato or potato. It will give an extra dimension of taste and texture.

In a melted cheese toasted sandwich. Just oozing out of the sides.

spoon beside jar with onions behind

Onion marmalade for the perfect gravy

But my favourite way of using my red onion marmalade is when I’m making gravy. This is particularly true at Christmas.

Using your carmelised onion marmalade stirred into your homemade gravy gives all that amazingly rich sweetness of the onions without having to do the work.

The onion jam will do the work for you, making your turkey gravy deeply flavoured, rich and aromatic. It will have far more character and have your family and friends asking for more every time.

I use mine in all my gravies from beef to turkey, chicken to pork.

top down shot of oatcakes

How much does this onion jam recipe make?

You will get one big 500ml jar from this amount of onions. Or a selection of smaller jars. I like to make smaller jars as this luxurious carmelised onion jam makes the perfect wee foodie gift to add to my Christmas hampers.

larder links

Looking for more super savoury preserves to make? Then check these out before you go;

Spiced apricot and almond chutney

Cranberry and apricot relilsh

French style leek confit

Super easy pineapple chutney

Rhubarb and raisin relish

Gorgeous Guinness chutney

Refined sugar free cranberry relish

PIN ME FOR LATER

red onion marmalade pin image

Finally, if you do try this red onion marmalade/chutney recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/rating below. I love hearing from readers and respond to everyone as soon as I can. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook and sign up for my newsletter too of course.

red onion marmalade

Red Onion Marmalade/Chutney

Karon
This super tasty red onion marmalade is perfect with a cheeseboard, in sandwiches and makes the best turkey gravy ever!
0 from 0 votes
Print Recipe Leave Comment Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 1 hr 20 mins
Course preserves
Cuisine British
Servings 1 500ml jar

Ingredients
 

  • 500 g red onions (or any onions) finely sliced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 90 g soft brown sugar
  • 75 ml red wine
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp red currant jelly (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Gently heat the onions with salt in the olive oil in a heavy-based pan and cover the onions with some scrunched up dampened baking paper and a lid on top and cook for 1 hour till onions are carmelised and soft
  • Remove lid and paper and add the sugar, once dissolved raise the heat and keep stirring as the onions turn deep brown.
  • Add the red wine, balsamic vinegar and red currant jelly
  • The onion marmalade should be thick and you will get a clear trail if you drag your spoon through the mixture
  • ladle into sterilised jars

Video

Keyword onions
Tried this recipe?Mention @LarderLove or tag #LarderLove

 

Filed Under: ALL RECIPES, Chutney and Relish

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Comments

  1. GlesgaQuine says

    December 9, 2020 at 4:48 pm

    Quite delicious – especially with oatcakes and cheese.
    I had to let it cook for a lot longer to reduce the amount of liquid, but the end result was good.
    I made double the recipe 2 weeks ago and we are almost down to the last jar – no chance of it lasting up to a year!

    Reply
    • Karon Grieve says

      December 9, 2020 at 5:11 pm

      Glad you like this one so much. The cooking times are always approximate, all depends on cooker etc. It really is such moreish stuff isn’t it. I keep having to make more every month!
      K

      Reply

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