Description
Ina Garten’s creamed onions deliver a luxurious side dish with rich, silky texture. Gentle pearl onions swim in a creamy sauce, complementing holiday meals with classic comfort and elegant simplicity.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 lbs (1.36 kg) sweet onions (Vidalia, Walla Walla, or Maui onions)
- 6 tbsps (85 g) unsalted butter, divided
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, scalded
- 1 cup (100 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (60 g) panko crumbs
- 3 tbsps (45 ml) cream sherry
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Caramelize Onions: In a Dutch oven over medium heat, melt butter and slowly transform onion wedges into soft, sweet, amber-colored delicacies by stirring occasionally for 40 minutes, releasing their natural sugars and developing deep, rich flavor.
- Deglaze and Create Roux: Splash sherry into the onion pan, allowing it to evaporate, then create a smooth roux by adding flour to melted butter and cooking for one minute to eliminate raw flour taste.
- Craft Velvety Sauce: Gradually whisk scalded milk into the roux, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and incorporate Parmesan cheese, salt, and black pepper to elevate the sauce’s complexity.
- Assemble Gratin: Gently fold caramelized onions into the creamy cheese sauce, then transfer to a buttered gratin dish. Toss panko breadcrumbs with melted butter to create a crisp, golden topping and sprinkle evenly over the mixture.
- Bake to Perfection: Place the gratin in a 375°F (190°C) oven and bake for 30 minutes, ensuring the top turns a beautiful golden brown with bubbly, crisp edges that promise a delectable, comforting side dish.
Notes
- Master Caramelization: Slow-cook onions for 40 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally to develop deep, sweet amber color without burning.
- Roux Technique: Cook flour in butter for exactly one minute to eliminate raw taste and create a silky smooth base for the creamy cheese sauce.
- Deglazing Flavor Boost: Use sherry to intensify taste by simmering and completely evaporating the liquid, concentrating the onions’ natural sweetness.
- Crispy Topping Trick: Melt butter into panko breadcrumbs for a perfectly golden, crunchy layer that adds textural contrast to the creamy onion dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 306
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 290 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 47 mg