Veal Steaks With Caramelized Onions

Veal Steaks With Caramelized Onions

The Spruce / Julia Estrada

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 2 to 4 servings

Caramelized onions make these veal steaks extra special. The tender, delicate meat makes an excellent main dish for important occasions or anytime you find a good deal on veal at the butcher. This recipe is an easy way to dress them up and may become your new favorite method for cooking veal.

Cooking the veal strip steaks is actually quick and simple. They're seasoned with salt and pepper and rubbed with fresh cloves of garlic. You'll then pan-sear them in olive oil for just a few minutes per side to reach your desired doneness (145 F is the minimum recommended temperature). It takes much longer to caramelize the onions, which is why you'll want to cook those first. Nonetheless, the entire dish can be ready in about 45 minutes.

For both steps, be sure to use pure or light olive oil rather than extra-virgin olive oil, which has a low smoke point. It's an important consideration at these pan-fried temperatures because you don't want to fill your kitchen with smoke or impart a burnt taste to the expensive veal. Also, use unsalted butter—the olive oil will increase its smoke point slightly—to avoid an extra-crispy exterior. Alternatively, clarified butter is a good option because it can handle temps up to 450 F.

Use this simple recipe for veal chops or other fillet cuts that are about an inch thick. Serve the veal steaks with a tossed green salad and rice or baked potatoes for a great family meal.

Ingredients

  • 4 to 5 teaspoons olive oil, divided

  • 2 teaspoons unsalted butter

  • 2 medium yellow or sweet onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

  • 2 to 4 veal strip steaks, about 1 inch thick

  • 1 or 2 cloves garlic, cut in half

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Veal Steaks With Caramelized Onions ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  2. In a skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and the butter over medium heat.

    In a skillet, heat olive oil and butter

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  3. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until nicely browned—about 20 to 30 minutes.

    onions cooking in a skillet

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  4. Coat a grill pan or large skillet with the remaining 2 to 3 teaspoons of olive oil; place over medium-high heat.

    skillet with olive oil

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  5. Rub steaks with the cut sides of the garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

    Rub steaks with the cut sides of the garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  6. Cook the steaks for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until done as desired.

    cook veal steaks in a skillet

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  7. Serve veal on a thin bed of caramelized onions and sprinkle with more strands of the caramelized onions.

    Veal Steaks With Caramelized Onions in a skillet

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
676 Calories
27g Fat
70g Carbs
37g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 676
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27g 34%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 187mg 62%
Sodium 694mg 30%
Total Carbohydrate 70g 26%
Dietary Fiber 5g 16%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 37g
Vitamin C 7mg 34%
Calcium 159mg 12%
Iron 6mg 31%
Potassium 593mg 13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)