35 Onion Recipes That Prove They Deserve To Be Front And Center (2024)

35 Onion Recipes That Prove They Deserve To Be Front And Center (1)

Not all onions are one size fits all, but all are incredibly delicious. Whether you've got shallots, scallions, or any variety of red or yellow onions, we've got you covered on recipes perfect for the onion-obsessed. Want tips on how to choose the best onion for your meal? We've got a handy guide to choosing the right onion types for any dish.

Caramelized, pickled, or fried, onions are some of our favorite ingredients to add to any dish. They lend brightness, spice, zip, and a sweet savoriness that's basically impossible to mimic. Having a jar of pickled red onions or caramelized onions on hand is a must in our kitchens, especially when it comes to topping tacos and burgers.

Onions are often stealing the show in our favorite meals. We could write entire poems about French onion soup and all the ways we love to eat this rich, umami-packed classic. Instead, we developed tons of ways to add the traditional flavor to appetizers, casseroles, even burgers. Our French onion mac and cheese, French onion chicken meatballs, and French onion chicken are sure to be some of your new favorite weeknight meals.

Green onions (a.k.a. scallions) are essentially immature onions that have yet to form a bulb. They are so much more than a garnish to our favorite Asian dishes or roasts, especially in scallion pancakes, tteokbokki, and pork and shrimp dumplings.

We can't even bring up onions without including mention of the crispy, crunchy bloomin' onion! Whether you prefer one that's baked or an air-fried bloomin' onions (or even bloomin' onion bites), you gotta make our take on Outback's sauce for endless dipping.

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1

Easy French Onion Soup

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Our version of the classic swaps in white wine (instead of red wine or sherry) and uses a combination of chicken and beef stock. The result? A slightly sweeter, but just as cozy spin on the rich, umami-packed soup.

Get the Easy French Onion Soup recipe.

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2

Fried Onions

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If green bean casserole is your favorite dish at Thanksgiving for its crunchy fried onions, we feel you. Top these easy fried onions on burgers, tacos—or eat them on their own. You might never buy the store-bought kind again.

Get the Fried Onions recipe.

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3

Sour Cream & Onion Dip

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Letting the onions caramelize properly is key to the flavor of this dip. Going low and slow lets them develop color while breaking down and becoming sweet and jammy. It will stay good in the fridge for a few days so it's great to make ahead of time!

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4

Baked Bloomin' Onion

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Pro tip: We recommend buying the biggest onions you can find to make this stunner. It will make your job of separating the layers easier. When pulling the slices apart, don't fret too much if some fall out. Just roast them alongside (or stick them back in!)

Get the Baked Bloomin' Onion recipe.

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5

French Onion Chicken Meatballs

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We think everything can be improved by just adding meatballs. Here, they turn a soup into a legit meal, and don't worry, we added even more cheese. Gruyère goes into the meatballs and then the whole thing gets topped with another layer before serving. And of course, there's plenty of caramelized onions.

Get the French Onion Chicken Meatballs recipe.

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6

Buttermilk Onion Rings

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Any kind of onions will work here, but we use Vidalia for a sweeter ring. Because salt can draw out water from the onions and make them sweat, we save salting for after the fry is done; this helps keep the batter stick to the onion versus your pot.

Get the Buttermilk Onion Rings recipe.

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7

Hamburger Steaks

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Hamburger steak is similar to Salisbury steak in that both are smothered in an onion and mushroom gravy. The main distinction? We keep the patty mixture simply seasoned and skip tomato paste and ketchup for a beefier bite.

Get the Hamburger Steaks recipe.

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8

Scallion Pancakes

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Scallion pancakes might be one of our favorite appetizers ever. Crispy, flaky, and with the *slightest* bit of chew, it's easy to polish off a whole plate in minutes.

Get the Scallion Pancakes recipe.

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9

Pickled Red Onions

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Meet one of our favorite staples. These couldn't be easier to make, and they instantly brighten up any meal (we love them on salads and tacos). Besides being incredibly crunchy, their beautiful pink color adds a visual pop to any bowl it graces.

Get the Pickled Red Onions recipe.

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10

French Onion Chicken

This recipe comes together in one skillet and in less than an hour, meaning it's way faster than French Onion Soup. Dunking good crusty bread into the extra pan sauce is highly encouraged.

Get the French Onion Chicken recipe.

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11

Savory Matzo Brei

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There are many things you can do with matzo, but matzo brei— matzo fried with eggs—is at the top of our list. Here, sweet and savory sautéed onions take this classic Passover breakfast up a notch with minimal effort.

Get the Savory Matzo Brei recipe.

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12

Caramelized Onions

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Caramelized onions are cooked low and slow until they're deeply golden and sweet. The onions will get jammy and become so addicting you'll be snacking right out of the pan before you top them on your burgers.

Get the Caramelized Onions recipe.

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13

Air Fryer Blooming Onion

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We know we've already made a baked Blooming Onion, but we couldn't resist trying it out in the air fryer too. Even after skipping the deep fry, this monster still comes out as endlessly dippable as ever.

Get the Air Fryer Blooming Onion recipe.

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14

Potato Kugel

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Think of this savory variety of a sweet noodle kugel as a giant latke. Grated onion and potato are combined to create a crispy, slightly sweet dish that's great on its own, but even better with a dollop of sour cream and/or applesauce.

Get the Potato Kugel recipe.

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15

Classic Green Bean Casserole

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To us, green bean casserole just might be better than turkey at the Thanksgiving table. Especially when it means loading on as many fried onions as we choose.

Get the Classic Green Bean Casserole recipe.

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16

French Dip Squares

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Turns out you don't need fancy ingredients to make the best party appetizer ever. These easy French dip squares are loaded with complex flavors (thanks caramelized onions!) AND will feed a hungry crowd. The perfect shortcut to a French dip sandwich, we'll be making these over and over and over again.

Get the French Dip Squares recipe.

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17

French Onion Rice

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Caramelized onions, buttery basmati rice, and melty Gruyère—what's not to like about this French onion rice dish? Serve it as a side alongside proteins like air fryer pork chops or creamy Tuscan chicken, or as a main all on its own.

Get the French Onion Rice recipe.

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18

Sheet-Pan Pork Chops With Apples

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Pork chops pair perfectly with apples and onions, a savory sweet combination that balances out the meat's richness. Glazed with a mustard-balsamic mixture, this will become your new favorite sheet-pan dinner.

Get the Sheet-Pan Pork Chops With Apples recipe.

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19

Baked Cream Cheese Pasta

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The famous Baked Feta Pasta is honestly perfect as-is, but we couldn't resist the urge to swap in cream cheese, and add bacon and onions. Just don't forget to save some pasta water before draining. That starchy water will bring the sauce together and help it stick to your noodles!

Get the Baked Cream Cheese Pasta recipe.

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20

Sausage & Peppers

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This dish is great on it's own, but it's even better in a hoagie roll, or on top of pasta with some marinara. Don't feel like turning on the oven? Check out these .

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35 Onion Recipes That Prove They Deserve To Be Front And Center (2024)

FAQs

Which is an onion based dish answer? ›

From crispy onion rings, pakodas to zingy chutneys, relishes, curries, sandwiches, soups, salads and much more - there is just so much that can be done with this humble ingredient.

What is the best onion to cook with? ›

Yellow Onions: The general cooking onion. Usually relatively cheap and plentiful, they're the go-to onion when cooks get cooking. The flavour is strong but mild, with an onion flavour that isn't overpowering. They often have a bit of sweetness to them, they caramelize nicely and they hold up well when cooked.

What foods are onions used in? ›

They mix well with almost any type of food. Raw onions are great in salads and on sand- wiches and hamburgers. Cooked onions are used to season everything from soups, stews, meats, beans, potatoes to other vegetable dishes.

What are the uses of onions in cooking? ›

Use Onions to Spice Up Your Own Dishes. Onions taste great, and they look great, too. Their versatility allows them to add flavor and texture to soups, salsas, curries, and sauces. They can also act as toppers for entrees like chili, hot dogs, and red meat.

What are 5 examples of the onion family? ›

In fact, they are commonly referred to as “the stinking lilies” for their distinctive aromatic properties. There is a wide range of species within the genus Allium. They include: onions, leeks, garlic, chives, and shallots.

Which onion is tastiest? ›

Vidalia, Walla Walla, Cipollini varieties are inherently sweet onions. These varieties have become extremely popular and for good reason. They are good cooked but they are very mild and are excellent eaten raw. These varieties of onion have a thinner husk and therefore don't store as well as wintering onions.

What onion has the strongest flavor? ›

White onions are probably the strongest-tasting onion on this list. They're typically used in Asian and Mexican dishes, as well as potato and macaroni salads. You can also sauté them, making them ideal for French onion soup or any other food in which you want to add sweet or sour flavor.

Which onion has better flavor? ›

A yellow onion is sweet and meaty and is generally used for cooking. It offers the most flavor, which generally becomes sweeter and more mild the more it is cooked.

Which onion is sweet? ›

Sweet Onions – Walla Walla and Vidalia are the most common kinds of sweet onions. These onions lack the sharp, astringent taste of other onions and really do taste sweet.

What organ benefits from eating onions? ›

Onions have fructooligosaccharides, substances that act as prebiotics (food for your gut's healthy bacteria), which can help with digestion. They pass through the small intestine and feed the healthy bacteria in the large intestine.

What onion is for soup? ›

When you are sauteing onions to build flavor as a base for your dish (soup, tomato sauce, you name it), the yellow onion is your friend. That being said, white onions are a totally acceptable substitute for yellow, especially if you're cooking them.

What to do with half an onion? ›

Six ways to use up leftover onions
  1. French onion soup. Low and slow is the key to a brilliant French onion soup. ...
  2. Onion gravy. Give your roast dinners a boost by mastering a classic onion gravy recipe. ...
  3. Bhajis. Are onion bhajis a staple of your Indian takeaway order? ...
  4. Star of the show. ...
  5. Caramelised. ...
  6. Chutneys and relishes.

What does boiling onions do? ›

Boiling onions is as simple as peeling them, adding them to a pan with boiling water with a bit of salt and leave them for around 10 minutes. Drain them, and they are ready to go! Boiling onions will get rid of their bitterness while still retaining a subtle onion flavour.

Why do people put onions in water? ›

Onions - soaking in cold water to soften the flavor

When preparing raw onions, soak in cold water before hand to remove some of the pungency and soften the flavor. However since soaking too long will dilute the flavor, soaking in cold water for 5 to 10 minutes is recommended.

What is the onion based on? ›

The Onion's articles cover current events, both real and fictional, parodying the tone and format of traditional news organizations with stories, editorials, and man-on-the-street interviews using a traditional news website layout and an editorial voice modeled after that of the Associated Press.

What products are made from onions? ›

Minimally processed ready to use or ready to cook fresh onions, onion paste, dehydrated onion flakes, onion powder, onion oil, onion vinegar, onion sauce, pickled onion, onion wine and beverage etc.

What is onion answer? ›

Onion (Allium cepa) is a plant that is grown worldwide. The onion bulb is commonly eaten as food. Onion bulb and extract are also used to make medicine.

Why are onions in every dish? ›

They're the go-to for cooking, as their flavor develops a rich, caramelized depth when sautéed, roasted, or grilled. From the base of a hearty stew or soup to the topping on a classic pizza, yellow onions are your best bet for cooking. Their ability to melt into dishes makes them indispensable in the kitchen.

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