Crockpot Chickpea Stew Recipe with Balsamic Caramelized Onions (2024)

FAQs

Do onions caramelize faster with a lid? ›

The first phase of the process is softening the onions so that they collapse into a tender mass while releasing a good deal of their liquid. If you cover the pan, you'll trap steam, which will speed up their softening, heat them more quickly, and help release their liquid more quickly.

For this recipe, you'll need garlic cloves, a yellow onion, extra-virgin olive oil, a can of diced tomatoes, a drained can of chickpeas, and vegetable stock. As for seasoning, this recipe keeps it simple but flavorful with cumin, ginger, and cinnamon.

You can use either oil or butter to caramelize onions — but ideally, you use a combination of both! I like to use olive oil, and this cooking fat tolerates heat particularly well. Meanwhile, butter adds a distinctly rich flavor to the caramelized onions.

It's called aquafaba, and it's (basically) free! When we refer to aquafaba (as we often do in our cookbook on vegan cooking, Vegan for Everybody), we're talking about the liquid in a can of chickpeas. (We're not talking about the liquid in a can of any other beans.

Chickpea Flour as a Thickener

When sifted and whisked into hot soup or a sauce, it absorbs liquids without clumping and melts into the liquid completely without leaving a gritty texture behind. It also lends a light buttery, nutty flavor to the soup or sauce.

We're talking about that thick, cloudy liquid that typically gets dumped down the drain when chickpeas are strained. Yep–you read that right. It's called aquafaba, and it might just be the ingredient your baked goods and co*cktails are missing.

Also you can cover them which greatly speeds up the process. I always put a lid on mine for the first 20 minutes or so, especially if I'm doing a big batch. The lid allows the steam to cook the onions down to translucency, which speeds up the point at which you can start working on caramelization.

Sautéing uses a small amount of fat, and it's done in an uncovered pan. As fat reaches higher temperatures than water, cooking usually occurs quickly, and you can easily see the onions become translucent as they move from raw to cooked.

butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions. Cook, covered, for 13 to 15 minutes or until the onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Uncover the skillet; cook and stir over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes more or until onions are golden.