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 are onions used for 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 addition to regular onions and spring onions, they include shallots, garlic, leeks and chives. Allium is the Latin word for garlic. These highly versatile vegetables are high in beneficial sulphur compounds, which is what gives them their distinctive smell, taste and, of course, tear inducing pungency.

What is onion answer? ›

An onion (Allium cepa L., from Latin cepa meaning "onion"), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion which was classified as a separate species until 2011.

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.

What onion is the sweetest? ›

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.

Which onion is tasty? ›

These onions are colorful and spicy-to-mild flavor. Because of their bright color and crispy texture, they're great for salads, salsas, and other fresh recipes. They're also excellent sliced for sandwiches.

What not to put next to onions? ›

While there are many plants you want to grow near onions, there are a few that should definitely be avoided. Onions should not be planted with peas, beans, asparagus, or sage. Onions can stunt the growth of these crops and also negatively affect their flavor.

Why do you rinse onions in water? ›

The sulfur compounds that give the raw onions their pungent, harsh flavor dissipate in the bowl of water, leaving the resulting onion with a more mellow flavor.

What happens if you freeze whole onions? ›

Even though onions are freezer-friendly, stick to using them in cooked dishes rather than salads, because their texture will inevitably be different. Frozen onions will retain their flavor for 3-6 months — they're likely still good past that, but they won't be as potent.

Which onion is healthiest? ›

Red onions

All types of onions are good for you, but this dark reddish-purple variety, sometimes called purple onion, has especially high levels of quercetin and other helpful plant compounds known as flavonoids. Flavonoids give many fruits, vegetables, and flowers their colors.

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 kinds of foods are onions used in? ›

Onions can be roasted, grilled, pickled, caramelized, battered and deep-fried, sliced thinly or chopped and served raw in salads, sandwiches, dips, or as a garnish for tacos, making them among the most versatile and ubiquitous ingredients in the culinary arts.

Which part of the onion is used as food? ›

The fleshy leaves of an onion are its consumable part. As a whole the onion is a bulb, which is a short modified form of a stem which is surrounded by these fleshy leaves that store food for the onion shoots.

What is an onion food group? ›

Onions belong to the Allium family of plants, which also includes chives, garlic, and leeks. These vegetables have characteristic pungent flavors and some medicinal properties. Onions vary in size, shape, color, and flavor.

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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