These flavourful roasted shallots are all at once so incredibly simple and amazingly elegant. Glazed shallots are roasted until soft, tender and sweet and great alongside roast meats or in salad.
- Sweet, tangy and caramelised.
- Impossibly tender and melt-in-the-mouth good.
- Loaded with flavour, yet delicate and elegant.
- Easy to make ahead as they reheat well.
- The perfect side dish for the holidays.
I am completely addicted to these roasted shallots. Beautifully caramelised, they have a great oniony umami flavour but sweetness too.
These are so much more than just a side dish, in fact they’re magical. Baked shallots go just as wonderfully in a salad as they do alongside roast chicken or steak. I promise you, they’re irresistible and a gorgeous dish to serve at a dinner party or on your holiday table.
Want to try pickling your shallots? Try this pink pickled onions recipe.
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Ingredients you’ll need
With so few ingredients, there’s no excuse not to add these roasted shallots to your next roast dinner.
Detailed quantities and instructions in the recipe card below.
- French shallots: Also known as eschalots, French shallots are from the same family as onions, chives and garlic. They have a more delicate and sweeter flavour than onion which makes them perfect for roasting.
- Oil: Use a light flavoured extra virgin olive oil for these or another neutral flavoured vegetable oil.
- Worcestershire sauce: Worcestershire sauce adds umami and tang plus a little sweetness. It has a flavour all of it’s own and works beautifully with onions but if you can’t find it or you’re trying to work with what you have on hand, balsamic vinegar or even apple cider vinegar will still give a good results.
- Maple syrup: To add a little extra sweetness and make these extra luxurious just a little maple syrup works a treat.
- Thyme: Fresh thyme leaves add an earthy cosiness to these baked shallots. You can swap it for sprigs of rosemary, oregano or some sage leaves.
I don’t add salt and pepper to these. The Worcestershire already has some salt and they are flavourful enough without any extra added. As always though, you do what works for you. If you feel like a pinch of salt and sprinkle of black pepper, go for it.
How to make roast shallots (step-by-step)
From the 5 minutes preparation time to being able to make these ahead, there’s still no excuse no to add these to your next meal or dinner party.
Detailed quantities and instructions in the recipe card below.
- Prep the shallots: Cut the ends off the shallots, then peel away the papery skin. Slice the shallots in half. Place them into a baking dish, baking sheet or large skillet (like I have here with my new absolute favourite skillet ever!).
- Make the glaze: Combine oil, Worcestershire sauce and maple syrup and mix it really well until combined. You can also put it in a small jar with a tight lid and shake it up.
- Glaze the shallots: Pour the glaze over the shallots and give them a good mix up with your hands until they’re evenly coated. Turn them all so they’re cut side down.
- Roast: Scatter over the fresh thyme leaves then roast until tender and falling apart.
- Serve: Some of the shallots may stick to the pan if you haven’t lined it but don’t worry because it gets so sticky and caramelised, it’s worth it. Use a fork to gently lift them away from the pan and carefully turn them, so the caramelised underneath is now showing on top. Stunning, mouth-watering and elegant!
Note: You can roast shallots whole and they’ll still turn out soft and tender. I like to slice them in half because the juice along those cut edges ends up creating this soft and sticky caramelisation. Whole shallots tend to get a single dry outer layer once roasted that, while caramelised, is not as pleasant to eat. The dry part can be peeled away though and inside is tender.
If your shallots are very small, it’s probably best to leave them whole.
Variations
Being milder and sweeter than regular onions, roasted shallots are actually wonderful roasted with just a drizzle of oil. That being said, they take on flavour so well, why not?!
While I love the richness and tang of Worcestershire sauce, a great substitute is balsamic vinegar, although I’d leave out the maple syrup if using balsamic. Using balsamic will also make this flavorful side dish both vegan and gluten-free. Apple cider vinegar has a great flavour too and it’s worth keeping the maple syrup in this case for it’s sweet, sticky deliciousness. Sherry vinegar is another great option.
Other herbs work well too – rosemary sprigs, sage, oregano, marjoram. These are all lovely but best used fresh. Also a little mustard powder or wholegrain mustard thrown in with the glaze is delicious.
Try swapping some of the oil for melted butter which will add a wonderful richness.
Making it ahead
Another reason this is a wonderful entertaining dish is the ability to prepare it ahead of time. From just peeling the shallots to dressing them and even cooking them through, there are options for all your needs.
Peeling the shallots
You can peel the shallots ahead and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. It’s best to cut them in half right before you dress and roast them though as the edges may dry out in the fridge otherwise.
Dressing the shallots
You can prepare them completely, peeled and cut in half, right down to glazing them then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 24 hours. The glaze will protect them from drying out. If you store them in the fridge in the casserole dish, let it come to room temperature before baking as glass or ceramic can crack from extreme temperature changes.
Roasting the shallots ahead
These caramelised shallots are best when fresh out of the oven, so I would only suggest roasting them ahead of time if you absolutely have to get ahead. They would still need to be warmed up anyway in the oven for about 20 minutes or you could use the microwave if you’re in a pinch.
What to serve with roasted shallots
From this lovely slow cooker turkey breast to a whole roast chicken or crispy pork belly, roasted shallots are absolutely perfect alongside roast meats. They’re lovely in a salad too – you can swap the roasted beetroot in this salad to these baked shallots and be just as happy.
You can also puree your shallots and use them as a spread on sandwiches – try them on a grilled cheese and you won’t be sorry. The puree is also great for stuffing inside of meats – try it with a little cheese stuffed into chicken breasts, then baked. Definitely try them on top of pizza either as they are or pureed and used as the sauce base.
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Ingredients
- 12 medium-large shallots (roughly 1 ¼ pounds / 600g)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (notes 1)
- 3 teaspoons maple syrup
- 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan) / 400F.
- Trim off the ends, then peel the shallots. Cut in half lengthwise.
- Place them on a baking sheet or into an oven-safe skillet.
- In a small cup, combine the oil, Worcestershire sauce and maple syrup then pour over the shallots and give it a toss to coat them evenly.
- Turn all the shallots so they are cut side down. Scatter over the thyme sprigs.
- Roast for 30-40 minutes until softened and caramelised underneath.
- To serve: Some of the shallots may stick to the pan if you haven’t lined it but don’t worry because it gets so sticky and caramelised, it’s worth it. Use a fork to gently lift them away from the pan and carefully turn them, so the caramelised underneath is now showing on top.
- Please take a moment to leave a comment & rating. It's appreciated and so helpful.
Notes
- Tablespoons: I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (equal to 4 teaspoons). Many other countries use a 15ml tablespoon, so check first.
- Can be made ahead: You can peel the shallots and store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. Or go an extra step and glaze them – they can be store in the fridge for 24 hours. One step more and roast them then chill until required (for 2-3 days) – reheat in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 180C/350F.
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4 Comments on “Roasted Shallots”
Roasted Shallots…OMG, fabulous
So happy you love them, Bobbi. Thanks so much for dropping back to leave a review 🙂
Really cool! Really enjoyed the prep and the eating 😁
So happy you love them, Jeremy.