Cipollini Onion Agrodolce (& Crostini!)

June 27, 2026By American Vinegar Works

Cipollini onion agrodolce in a bowl, with bottle of Quince and Chardonnay Vinegar in background.

Cipollini Onion Agrodolce & Crostini Recipe

Name: Cipollini Onion Agrodolce (& Crostini!)
Ingredients: ½ stick unsalted butter; ¾ pound cipollini onions, peeled and trimmed; ⅛ teaspoon sea salt; 1 ½ tablespoons dark brown sugar; 1 lemon, finely grated (zest only) — orange zest also works beautifully!; ½ cup American Vinegar Works Quince Chardonnay Vinegar; About ¾ cup water (plus more if needed); 1 French baguette, in thin angled sliced; Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled or thinly sliced; Fresh mint leaves, chopped for garnish

This week, we are sharing an agrodolce of Cipollini onion recipe made using our Quince & Chardonnay Wine Vinegar, opens in a new tab created by one of our customers.

If you aren't familiar with agrodolce, it’s a traditional Italian sweet-and-sour condiment. Susan's version beautifully balances the natural sweetness of Cipollini onions with rich butter, brown sugar, and the bright, fruit-forward notes of our small-batch wine vinegar.

These "sweet & sour" onions are incredibly versatile. They make a wonderful side dish for savory meals like roast pork, but they are just as perfect piled onto crostini for a casual snack, served to company with a pre-dinner drink, or added to a weekend charcuterie board.

Bonus: You can easily make them ahead of time and keep them in the refrigerator. When company arrives, serving and assembly is a completely low-stress breeze.

Recipe by Susan Anne MacDowell of Cestari TableTalk, adapted by American Vinegar Works, signup.cestarikitchen.com/tabletalk, opens in a new tab

Which vinegar to use, and why

Agrodolce is sweet and sour by definition. A quince chardonnay vinegar supplies part of the sweetness itself, so you need less sugar. We use Quince & Chardonnay Wine Vinegar here. It is slow-fermented and aged in oak at our mill in Worcester, Massachusetts, which is why it seasons the dish rather than just souring it.

Make it ahead and keep it

Agrodolce keeps for a week in the fridge and improves after a day.

What to cook next

Try Sage & Parmesan Giant Beans, or browse all our vinegar recipes. If you have not cooked with craft vinegar before, a mini bottle sampler set lets you taste across the range before committing to a full-size bottle. Orders over $85 ship free within the contiguous US.

Cipollini Onion Agrodolce (& Crostini!)

American Vinegar Works

Ingredients

Onion Agrodolce

½ stick unsalted butter
¾ pound cipollini onions, peeled and trimmed
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
1 ½ tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 lemon, finely grated (zest only) — orange zest also works beautifully!
½ cup American Vinegar Works Quince Chardonnay Vinegar
About ¾ cup water (plus more if needed)

Optional for Crostini Serving:

1 French baguette, in thin angled sliced
Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled or thinly sliced
Fresh mint leaves, chopped for garnish

Directions

Agrodolce Onions

Peel and trim the onions
Melt butter in a medium-sized saucepan. You want a pan that is large enough to allow you to spread the onions in a single layer, but not so large that they won't stay in contact with the sauce during cooking.
Add the onions to the pan in a single layer.
Spread the sugar and salt over the onions and finely grate the full rind of one lemon (you can also try this with an orange instead).
Sauté the onions for about 13 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the onions to caramelize and turn a beautiful golden brown.
Add the Quince Chardonnay Vinegar and water. The liquid should just cover the onions—if it does not, add a little more water. Stir gently and turn up the temperature to bring the liquid to a boil.
Cook at a boil for another 10 minutes or so while stirring more actively. You are boiling and stirring until the liquid largely evaporates and the onions are coated in a nice, thick glaze. Be especially careful toward the end of the cook, as the final liquid can evaporate quickly and the sugars can burn.
Take the back of a wooden spoon and gently push against the cooked onions. You will see that they will softly come apart in layers and mix right in with the rich glaze.
The onions are now ready! You can use them warm as a side dish or refrigerate them for later use.

Optional Serving Suggestion: Crostini

Pre-heat your oven (or toaster oven) to 375°F.
Take the back of a wooden spoon and gently push against the cooked onions. You will see that they will softly come apart in layers and mix right in with the rich glaze.
Thinly slice a baguette and layer the slices on a baking sheet.
Top with the broken apart glazed onions and crumbled gorgonzola.
Cook for about 12 minutes until the cheese melts
Top with freshly chopped mint and serve warm