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Fried apples and onions infuse their contrasting flavors into a sweet and savory side for everything from pork to winter squash.
Pairing fruits and vegetables brings out the savory and sweet on both sides, and the combination of fried apples and onions is no exception. Onions have a sharp bite when crisp and raw, but become exceptionally soft and sweet when heated (just one of the reasons why we love caramelized onions). And when you bake apples, their roasted juices sometimes take on savory notes. Together, apples and onions balance each other in an easy, versatile side dish.
Slicing the ingredients is what takes the most effort in this apples and onions recipe. Once in the pan with butter, sugar and spices, they cook mostly undisturbed. If you don’t need the recipe’s full 12 servings, minimize the prep time by cutting up fewer apples and onions—although the leftovers keep well and taste just as yummy. With brown sugar and paprika keeping that sweet-savory balance, these fried apples and onions taste great with pork loin recipes, grilled cheese sandwiches and everything in between.
Ingredients for Fried Apples and Onions
- Yellow onions: We like yellow onions for this recipe, although other types of onions like big Walla Wallas will soften just as well.
- Butter: Cooking oils are often preferred when frying food, but this recipe for apples and onions makes an exception and calls for butter. You’ll clearly taste its richness in the finished product.
- Apples: Tart apples usually have firm, crisp flesh and hold some of their shape when cooked. Reddish heirloom apple varieties like Braeburn, Cortland, Northern Spy and Cripp’s Pink (sometimes sold as Pink Lady) all fry up beautifully without mushiness.
- Brown sugar: Brown sugar sweetens the dish and thickens the juices released during cooking. The molasses notes accentuate the cooked flavors, making it a better choice than white granulated sugar; use light or dark brown sugar, depending on what you have.
- Seasonings: Paprika and nutmeg balance the flavors with warm spiciness. Salt actually makes fruit taste sweeter.
Directions
Step 1: Saute the onions
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Heat the butter in a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet.
Shailesh kumar for taste of Home
Add the sliced onions and saute them until they’re tender.
Shailesh kumar for taste of Home
Place the apple slices on top of the onions.
Shailesh kumar for taste of Home
Combine the brown sugar, salt, paprika and nutmeg.
Shailesh kumar for taste of Home
Sprinkle the mixture over the apples.
Editor’s Tip: If you immediately stir the sugar mixture into the onions and apples, it risks burning when it makes contact with the pan’s bottom. Once you uncover the pan, the apples will have released enough juices that you can stir the contents occasionally to disperse the spices and thicken the liquid.