Mohamed Shili This easy Barefoot Contessa Creamed Onions is made with sweet onions, cream sherry, unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, whole milk, and Parmesan cheese. It only needs 1 hour and 30 minutes to prepare and cook, and serves 6-8 people. Serve Creamed Onions with Risotto Cakes, Buttermilk Scones, Poached Salmon or Salmon Marinade.
To make this Ina Garten Creamed Onions, you begin by preheating your oven to 375°F and greasing a gratin dish. Next, you’ll prepare and caramelize the onions in a Dutch oven with butter and cream sherry. After that, you’ll create a cheese sauce using flour, scalded milk, and Parmesan. Combine the onions with the sauce, pour into the gratin dish, and top with panko crumbs. Bake until bubbly and golden brown.
Ina Garten Creamed Onions Ingredients
- 3 pounds sweet onions (Vidalia, Walla Walla, or Maui onions)
- 3 tablespoons cream sherry
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk, scalded
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup panko crumbs
How To Make Ina Garten Creamed Onions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 375°F and lightly grease a gratin dish or medium casserole.
- Prepare Onions: Cut the onions in half length-wise and peel them. Slice these halves into thick wedges.
- Caramelize Onions: In a Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they’re soft and caramelized, which takes about 40 minutes. Add the sherry and let it simmer until it evaporates.
- Make Cheese Sauce: In the same Dutch oven, melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute. Add the scalded milk and whisk until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat, add the Parmesan cheese, and season with salt and pepper.
- Assemble and Bake: Combine the onions with the cheese sauce and pour into the gratin dish. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and mix it with the panko crumbs. Sprinkle this over the onions. Bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 30 minutes.
What To Serve With Creamed Onions
For a well-balanced meal, serve creamed onions with roast beef, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and a simple garden salad. These sides offer a variety of textures and flavors that pair well with the creamy and sweet nature of the onions.
How To Store Creamed Onions
In The Fridge:
Store the creamed onions in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep well for up to 3-4 days. Make sure the container is sealed properly to maintain the dish’s freshness and flavor.
In The Freezer:
You can freeze creamed onions for longer storage. Place them in a freezer-safe container, leaving some space at the top for expansion. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
How To Reheat Creamed Onions
In the microwave, heat them in a microwave-safe dish, stirring occasionally to ensure even heating. On the stovetop, place the creamed onions in a saucepan and warm over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
Check out More Recipes From Ina Garten:
- Ina Garten Potato Gratin
- Ina Garten Corn Soufflé Recipe
- Barefoot Contessa Baked French Toast Casserole
Ina Garten Creamed Onions
Description
This easy Barefoot Contessa Creamed Onions is made with sweet onions, cream sherry, unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, whole milk, and Parmesan cheese. It only needs 1 hour and 30 minutes to prepare and cook, and serves 6-8 people. You may want to serve your Creamed Onions with mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, garden salad, and roasted carrots.
Ina Garten Creamed Onions Ingredients
How To Make Ina Garten Creamed Onions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 375°F and lightly grease a gratin dish or medium casserole.
- Prepare Onions: Cut the onions in half length-wise and peel them. Slice these halves into thick wedges.
- Caramelize Onions: In a Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they’re soft and caramelized, which takes about 40 minutes. Add the sherry and let it simmer until it evaporates.
- Make Cheese Sauce: In the same Dutch oven, melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute. Add the scalded milk and whisk until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat, add the Parmesan cheese, and season with salt and pepper.
- Assemble and Bake: Combine the onions with the cheese sauce and pour into the gratin dish. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and mix it with the panko crumbs. Sprinkle this over the onions. Bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 30 minutes.
It looks very good. The picture seems to look different from the instructions. Cut the onions length-wise and slice into thick wedges. By that do you mean to cut the onions in half, between the top and the root, then cut into slices? I’m going to try this soon!
Hello Marianne,
Thank you for your interest in the recipe! Regarding the pictures, they are indeed similar but not exactly the same as the final dish. This is often the case with recipe photography, where the aim is to visually inspire rather than provide a step-by-step guide.
As for cutting the onions, you’ve got it right. First, slice the onions in half from top to root. Then, peel them and cut these halves into thick wedges. This method helps the onions to hold their shape better during cooking, adding both texture and flavor to the dish.
I hope you enjoy making and tasting this recipe! If you have any more questions or need further clarification, feel free to ask. Happy cooking!
Questions? Do you turn onions while caramelizing?
Do you cover with lid?
Do you remove onions when soft and then make sauce in same pan?
Then assemble for oven?
Hello there!
Great questions about caramelizing onions for the creamed onions recipe. Here’s what you need to know:
Do you turn onions while caramelizing? Yes, you should stir the onions occasionally to ensure they caramelize evenly and don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
Do you cover with a lid? No, you don’t need to cover the onions with a lid. Leaving them uncovered helps the moisture to evaporate, which aids in the caramelization process.
Do you remove onions when soft and then make sauce in the same pan? After the onions are caramelized, you add the sherry and let it simmer until it evaporates. Then, in the same Dutch oven, you make the cheese sauce. There’s no need to remove the onions; they become part of the sauce.
Then assemble for oven? Exactly! Once the onions and sauce are combined, you transfer them to a gratin dish, top with panko crumbs, and bake until bubbly and golden brown.
I hope this helps clarify the steps. Enjoy your cooking!
Thank you!!!
You are welcome feel free to ask whatever you have in mind 😀
One more question….can I use spanish onions???
Hello Mel,
Yes, you can use Spanish onions in the Ina Garten Creamed Onions recipe. Spanish onions are a great alternative to sweet onions like Vidalia, Walla Walla, or Maui onions, which are originally used in the recipe. They will add a slightly different flavor profile, being a bit more pungent and less sweet, but they will still work well in the dish. Just follow the same preparation and cooking instructions as with sweet onions. Enjoy your cooking!