This homemade roasted applesauce recipe is a sophisticated take on an apple compote/applesauce with the addition of onion and thyme.

the inspiration behind this roasted applesauce
This adapted from the roasted applesauce recipe from the Food52 book Genius Recipes! I'm calling this a roasted apple compote instead of a roasted applesauce because it goes a little in to savory land with the addition of onion and thyme. This roasted apple compote has serious Thanksgiving side dish vibes. I also definitely just ate this plain with a spoon for breakfast. (Side note: i'm laughing a little at this picture above because it is quite literally an herb and a spoon.)
how to make roasted applesauce
What you're gonna do to make this roasted apple compote is peel and quarter about 2 lbs of apples, but you can really scale up or down the apple amount based on how much you want to make. Chop onions and add a sprig of thyme, and dot the mixture with 2 tsps of butter. (if you're increasing the recipe, the ratio is 1 teaspoon butter : 1 lb of apple). roast in an oven first with a tin foil cover on top, then take the tin foil off; and then just stir it with a fork for it to mash and all combine.
YUM!
📖 Recipe

Roasted Applesauce
Ingredients
- 2 lbs apples - tart apples like honeycrisp
- ½ onion - thinly sliced in half-rounds
- 2 sprigs of thyme - stripped
- 2 teaspoon of butter or ghee - cubed
- 1 tablespoon sherry or apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F.
- Peel and quarter apples and onions throw them into a casserole dish. Dot with butter and a pinch of salt. Sprinkle thyme leaves on top. Cover with foil and bake until the apples are softened and have given off some liquid, about 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and let the apples get browned and golden - another 10 minutes in the oven.
- Take the dish out of the oven and splash a little vinegar on top. Using a big slotted spoon, gently mash the apples into a rough texture.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if you see fit - a sprinkle of sugar if too tart, or a pinch of cinnamon - whatever you want!