Fresh pearl onions are a major pain to work with, so we're swapping 'em for something better!
Table of Contents
🗝️ Key takeaways
- Done in under a half hour so there's no special-occasion prep stress!
- The delicious side dish is perfect for classic fall main dishes. Think roast chicken or pork chops. It goes great with anything on your holiday table, too.
- Be sure to read the tips section for my best tip on taking the stems off of fresh herbs quickly.
Creamed onions have a rich, savory flavor, making them a staple for any holiday meal. The buttery cream sauce has hints of fresh herbs and warm nutmeg.
Your Thanksgiving menu just won't be complete without it!
If you happen to love onions as much as I do you'll like this sweet onion casserole, too!
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Variations
- I prefer white onions because they're cheap and easily found at any grocery store. However, you can use yellow onions, sweet onions, or the more traditional pearl onions.
- Add some crispy bacon on top when serving—or, better yet, fry the onions in bacon grease for a rich, smoky flavor.
- Some people like to add a few dashes of Tabasco sauce to the simmering heavy cream to give the onions a little heat.
- White pepper is milder than black, so you may prefer using it for this recipe. Plus it doesn't put black specks in your dish!
- Feel free to garnish with a bit of freshly grated parmesan cheese.
- If you'd like to make these with whole milk then use this classic white sauce recipe.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Melt butter in a large skillet and add the onions. Cook until softened.
- Add the seasonings...
- ...and the heavy cream. Simmer over low until thickened.
- Taste, season again, and serve.
🥫 How to store leftovers
Let the leftovers cool to room temperature.
Spoon them into an airtight container, or cover with plastic wrap, and store promptly.
I know it's tempting to sit back and relax after cooking, but you'll thank yourself later when you get to enjoy your delicious leftovers!
Always refrigerate them if they've been at room temperature for 2 hours. Longer than that?
Throw them away. It's not worth the emergency room visit.
In the fridge, creamed onions will keep for about four days. You can freeze leftovers for up to two months.
If frozen, let the creamed onions thaw in the fridge for about a day. Then, rewarm them on the stove over moderately low heat, or use the microwave to reheat individual portions.
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: Keep the heat low to prevent the onions from caramelizing. We want them to cook and soften, but not brown or burn.
- Avoid using onions with soft or dark spots. This is an indicator they're about to go bad, and since the onion is the star, we want the best!
- Cut the onion into thicker slices for a more enjoyable bite. They'll cook down in the butter, and if the slices are too thin, they'll get mushy.
- The creamy sauce will thicken the longer it simmers. However, it'll also thicken more as it cools, so don't be too worried if it's a little loose.
- Easily separate thyme by pushing the stem end into a mesh strainer. Pull it through from the other side, and you'll be left with fragrant thyme leaves!
👩🍳 FAQs
No, I don't recommend it. Red onions have a tangier flavor than the more mild yellow and white varieties. They also add a weird pink color to the sauce.
Yes ma'am! This is very similar to the creamed pearls onions recipe we all grew up enjoying around the holiday table. However, tiny pearl onions have a tough, papery skin that makes prep seem to drag on forever, so we switched them out for an easier, faster option!
No, you can't swap it measure for measure, since milk is a lot thinner. In order to use milk instead of cream, you'd have to prepare an all-purpose flour, butter, and milk mixture (AKA bechamel sauce) to make up for the difference.
📚 Related recipes
- Steakhouse Creamed Spinach takes just twenty minutes to make and has a deliciously creamy flavor—Pepper Jack cheese is the secret!
- This creamy Homemade Onion Dip has a rich, caramelized flavor you'll crave. It's great for game night, Superbowl, and as a holiday appetizer!
- Use up the rest of your onions to make Copycat French's Fried Onions—snack on them plain or toss them on your green bean casserole.
- Check out this round-up of my favorite Southern Thanskgiving side dishes!
- Sour Cream Cucumber Salad
- Southern Coleslaw (KFC Copycat)
- BBQ Macaroni Salad
- Sweet Heat Refrigerator Pickles
🍽️ Serve with...
- Of course this onion dish is great with turkey but it's also delicious with roast chicken!
- Bourbon Sweet Potatoes are a Thanksgiving classic with a Southern twist. We can't get enough of the pecan praline crunch!
- I also like these crispy maple roasted brussels sprouts with bacon and cranberries!
- German Apple Pie—it wouldn't be the holidays without a classic like this.
📞 The last word
You'll want to try this creamed peas and potatoes recipe, too! Gotta love these old family recipes for a bite of comfort food goodness!
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Creamed Onions
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 pounds onions, peeled, cut in half, and sliced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried sage, or more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, grate from whole nutmegs
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- kosher salt
- white pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, or fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large cast iron skillet.
- Add the onions and cook over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until soft. This takes about 20 minutes or so.
- Add the thyme and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
- Add the cream and bring just to a boil.
- Turn the heat to low.
- Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Add salt and white pepper to taste .
- Remove the thyme leaves from the stems. These are generally quite small but if they are larger go ahead and chop them. If you're using parsley go ahead and mince it.
- Sprinkle with fresh thyme or parsley and serve hot.
Notes
- Always cook onions on low heat to prevent caramelizing.
- Avoid using onions with soft or dark spots. This is an indicator they're about to go bad, and since the onion is the star, we want the best!
- Cut the onion into thicker slices for a more enjoyable bite. They'll cook down in the butter, and if the slices are too thin, they'll get mushy.
- The creamy sauce will thicken the longer it simmers. However, it'll also thicken more as it cools, so don't be too worried if it's a little loose.
- Easily separate thyme by pushing the stem end into a mesh strainer. Pull it through from the other side, and you'll be left with fragrant thyme leaves!
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
PJ says
Made this today. The recipe landed in my inbox and I really wanted to taste it. I have missed out all these years?! I added mushrooms and man o man. Yummy. Thanks Marye.