This rich and boozy onion marmalade is made extra-special with the onions braised in red wine. Perfect with a vegan cheeseboard or in jars as a homemade gift.
🍴Why you will love this recipe
There's nothing lovelier than a homemade gift, and edible presents are the best of the lot. This gorgeously rich and glossy red onion marmalade is such a great gift, and perfect as a festive condiment.
Onion marmalade is similar to a rich onion chutney. It is delicious in all sorts of sandwiches, wraps and toasties, a luxurious topping for veggie sausages and mash, a pizza topping, or even stirred through veggie gravy to give it an extra special twist.
What will you do with yours?
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📝 What you need
Red onions The key to a good texture for your marmalade is to slice the onions as thinly as possible. I find it easier to do this with bigger onions. If I have time I sometimes use a mandoline, but otherwise a sharp knife will do the job well.
Red wine vinegar adds even more of the rich, red colour to this lovely onion marmalade, but you can use white wine vinegar or cider vinegar instead if you don't have any to hand.
Balsamic vinegar gives a dark richness to the marmalade.
Red wine gives a lovely boozy, festive hit. You can use port instead for even more of a punch, or substitute it with cranberry juice if you prefer to make it alcohol-free.
👩🏽🍳 How to make your onion marmalade
For a full, printable recipe with ingredients and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this page 👇🏼.
Peel and slice the onions as finely as you can. Put the onions, margarine, sugar and thyme in a saucepan and cook over a low heat for 20 minutes until completely soft.
Add the red wine, both vinegars and cranberry sauce and cook for a further 20 minutes until thick and glossy. Spoon into sterilised jars and store for up to 3 months in the fridge.
🔪 Top Tips and FAQs
You will need to keep an eye on the onion marmalade as it cooks, and adjust the temperature if necessary. If it is cooking too quickly just turn the heat down. If it has got a little dry, add a splash of water or red wine to loosen it. This is best cooked low and slow.
To get back its glossy shine if it has been in the fridge (which makes it look a little dull), just microwave it for 30 seconds or reheat in a small pan.
If have properly sterilised your jars, this marmalade will keep in the fridge for up to 3 months. Here's a handy video from the BBC showing how to sterilise jars.
Yes, if you've made too much marmalade it freezes well. I freeze mine in small portions then defrost and keep in the fridge until needed.
This is delicious in sandwiches, wraps or toasties, or served alongside a vegan cheeseboard. It is also lovely as a condiment for hot meals - a topping for vegan sausages and mash,
Yes, just swap the red wine for cranberry juice instead.
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📖 Recipe
Onion Marmalade with red wine
Ingredients
- 500 g red onions
- 25 g dairy-free margarine
- 100 g caster sugar
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 80 ml red wine (or port - check it is vegan)
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or white wine or cider vinegar)
- 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoon cranberry sauce optional
Instructions
- Peel the onions and slice them as finely as possible.
- Heat the margarine in a large saucepan or heavy-bottomed pan, then add the onions and sugar.
- Strip the leaves from the thyme, adding them to the pan as you go. Season well with salt and black pepper.
- Cook over a low heat for about 20 minutes, until the onions are completely soft.
- Add the red wine, both vinegars and cranberry sauce, then continue to cook for a further 20 minutes until the mixture has turned thick and syrupy.
- Remove from the heat, then when the mixture has cooled, spoon into clean, sterilised jars. The marmalade will keep in the fridge for up to 3 months.
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Kate says
Made this onion marmalade and it tastes amazing! Plus it goes well with so many dishes. Thank you!
Jessica Formicola says
I looooove me some onion, so this marmalade is right up my alley! I can't wait to try it!
Kathryn says
I love the sweet and savory flavors of this marmalade. I added this to our burgers the other night and it was so perfect and delicious!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
This is absolutely delicious! I love that it’s such a crowd pleaser for the whole family
Heather Perine says
I used butter to make this (it's what I had) and it's fantastic.. going to add to a charcuterie board..and I'm thinking on top of some pizza this weekend! YUM!
Laura Bradley says
What size of jars do you mean when you say 'large' and 'small'. I want to make this for christmas and want to make sure I make enought!
thevegspace says
Hi Laura, I just used old jam jars so not sure exactly what size they were, but I would call say a pasta sauce jar 'large' and a fairly small jar of jam 'small'. Sorry not to be more precise! Kate x
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
That is one perfect fancy holiday appetizer to have out for the family and friends!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
This would make such a fabulous Christmas present - homemade is always best. Looks yummy!
Choclette says
Using Merlot is a fab idea. I bet it makes the onion marmalade even more rich and delicious. It's a fab colour too. I use it in just the same way as chutney.