Tennessee Onions

Considering onions are used in so many different recipes, it’s surprising that most of us can only think of a handful of recipes based on the humble onion. You have French onion soup, blooming onion, and onion rings. But wait, there’s a brand new onion recipe in town – well, not exactly brand new but most folks outside of Tennessee have probably never even heard of it, never mind made it. The recipe has been around in one form or another for about 60 years though.

So, what’s the deal with this Tennessee onions side dish? It’s a creamy casserole flavored with a few carefully selected herbs. The onions tenderize and release their incredible sweet juices to meld with the cheesy mixture. The dish is made with sweet onions. Vidalia is perhaps the best-known sweet onion variety, but you can use another, such as Texas Sweet or Walla Walla. Serve a scoop of this on your next steak, hamburger, hot dog, or with grilled chicken. You can even enjoy it in a bun as a vegetarian grilled cheese sandwich of sorts!

If you’re looking for a way to use up your onions, you can’t go wrong with this wonderful sweet onion casserole recipe. It’s creamy, sweet and makes a wonderful side dish for any occasion from a birthday cookout to a family gathering or anything else you can think of.

Scroll to bottom for printable recipe card.

Why You’ll Love the Recipe?

If you like sweet onions and cheese, you’re going to love this recipe. It’s so good that it’s hard to stop eating it! There are many ways to serve this sweet onion casserole and it goes with all kinds of main dishes.

How to Serve It?

Whether you pair the onions with burgers, steak, hot dogs, or enjoy a scoop with some grilled chicken, the flavors are going to impress you. Serve it hot from the oven.

Can You Make It Ahead?

You can prepare it ahead and then bake it later if you like.

Storage Instructions:

Leftovers (not that there will be any!) should be kept in a covered container in the fridge and eaten within 3 days.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 large sweet onions, cut into ¼ thick slices across and separated into rings
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Cooking spray, as needed
• ½ teaspoon mustard powder
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup shredded mild cheddar
• 1 cup shredded smoked gouda
• ¼ cup salted butter, in ¼-inch thick pats

HOW TO MAKE Tennessee Onions :

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Step 2. Put the onions in a bowl and sprinkle the seasonings over, then toss to coat.

Step 3. Grease a 13×9-inch baking dish and put the seasoned onions in there, ensuring all the rings are separate.

Step 4. Dot the butter over the onions and then sprinkle the cheeses on top.

Step 5. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes or until the onions are tender and the sides of the casserole are bubbling.

Step 6. Now discard the foil and bake for further 30 minutes or until the cheese on top is golden and crisp in places.

Tennessee Onions

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

It’s creamy, sweet and makes a wonderful side dish for any occasion from a birthday cookout to a family gathering or anything else you can think of.

Print

Ingredients

• 3 large sweet onions, cut into ¼ thick slices across and separated into rings
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Cooking spray, as needed
• ½ teaspoon mustard powder
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup shredded mild cheddar
• 1 cup shredded smoked gouda
• ¼ cup salted butter, in ¼-inch thick pats

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Put the onions in a bowl and sprinkle the seasonings over, then toss to coat.
3. Grease a 13x9-inch baking dish and put the seasoned onions in there, ensuring all the rings are separate.
4. Dot the butter over the onions and then sprinkle the cheeses on top.
5. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes or until the onions are tender and the sides of the casserole are bubbling.
6. Now discard the foil and bake for further 30 minutes or until the cheese on top is golden and crisp in places.

Notes

Variations and Substitutions:

The original dish which comes from the middle of the 20th century was likely made with just onions, salt, pepper, and butter, so you can simplify this recipe if you wish. Some people add some mayonnaise to the sauce too. You could try this with regular onions, but it’s so much better with sweet ones.

Nutrition Information

Yield 8 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 203Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 9gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 46mgSodium 465mgCarbohydrates 11gFiber 1gSugar 7gProtein 8g

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