Balsamic Baked Red Onions - low carb & AIP

Whole New Mom - https://wholenewmom.com

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: AIP, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Keto, Low-Carb, Paleo, Vegan, whole30

Servings: onions

Calories: 218kcal

A cross between sweet and savory, these Balsamic Baked Red Onions are a gorgeous colorful side dish--perfect for every day or entertaining.

2 pounds red onions (small to medium)
1/4 cup avocado oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons smoked paprika (regular is OK too but smoked is nicer - see Recipe Notes for AIP)
2 tablespoons low carb sweetener
1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Wash onions.
Cut onions in half and place in a bowl.
Mix other ingredients and pour over onions.
Toss to coat.
Place onions flat side down in a baking dish and drizzle with any remaining spice mixture.
Bake in 450 oven for 30-40 minutes (40 makes them softer and easier to digest). Alternatively, bake at 350 for 1 hour or more to desired doneness.
Serve with the skins on and the extra balsamic liquid either drizzled on top or offered on the side.

Cutting the onions in half so that the stem is in the center of the cut half makes for a better presentation.
I recommend choosing an oil based on its smoke point, and avocado oil has a very high smoke point. Please choose your oil based on the oven temperature that you will be using.
Any sweetener can be substituted for the xylitol. Although xylitol works well for low carb, organic erythritol works as well. Organic maple syrup, honey, or organic coconut sugar are great AIP options. As noted in the recipe card, we also like Lakanto.

Special Diet Options

AIP: For AIP, use 1/8-1/4 teaspoon of both liquid smoke and this AIP Taco Seasoning for the paprika. Use organic maple syrup, honey, or organic coconut sugar for the sweetener.
Low-carb: Use 1 tablespoon organic apple cider vinegar or organic red wine vinegar plus 1/2 teaspoon xylitol instead of balsamic vinegar.