Not only are onions the perfect foundation for just about any savory recipe, they also shine in starring roles. Fry them up into glorious, golden onion rings, roast and puree them to make a killer salad dressing, or caramelize them and load them into cheese sandwiches or onto pizza. There is no wrong way to use the almighty onion. Here are our favorite sweet-salty, onion-centric recipes that make foolproof side dishes and main courses.
01of 26
French Onion Chicken Pot Pie
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/French-Onion-Chicken-Pot-Pie-FT-RECIPE1022-2000-b20c0dec473148db84cf3523ccd82f19.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (1)")
We took the best parts of French onion soup and chicken pot pie and brought them together in one savory and delicious dish. Roasted and shredded chicken thighs form the base of the pie, along with the deeply caramelized onions and carrots that lend some sweet notes to the dish.
Get the Recipe
02of 26
Baked Onions with Fennel Breadcrumbs
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/201501-xl-baked-onions-with-fennel-bread-crumbs-2000-e251224ebb2049f897b79dea9ddeb9df.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (2)")
These simple, incredibly flavorful onions from chef Nancy Silverton are baked in the oven until they're falling-apart tender. Fennel seeds punch up the crispy breadcrumb topping.
Get the Recipe
03of 26
Caramelized Five-Onion Dip
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/caramelized-five-onion-dip-4853fe9d802d4295a4ddcd1227de67c8 "26 Savory Onion Recipes (3)")
A mix of five alliums — shallots, scallions, and sweet, yellow, and red onions — upgrades this classic caramelized onion dip with layers of flavor. Yellow and red onions give it bite, while Vidalia onion and shallots lend a pleasant sweetness.
Get the Recipe
04of 26
Mixed Onion Agrodolce
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/mixed-onion-agrodolce-FT-RECIPE1219-1ab9b6d07a00445c936d5445f7d308e5.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (4)")
The combination of shallots, cipollini onions, and pearl onions delivers a lovely contrast of shapes and texture; feel free to simplify by using just one type of onion. Dried plums add a jammy sweetness and make this dish a perfect pairing for rib roast or turkey.
Get the Recipe
05of 26
Rib Eye with Charred Spring Onions and Salsa Verde
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Rib-Eye-with-Charred-Spring-Onions-and-Salsa-Verde-FT-RECIPE1022-2000-3dabce3d1fbf44d0a2de7199fb6bd313.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (5)")
For this recipe, chef Hillary Sterling makes a sweet, tangy marinade to tenderize the meat and add intense flavor to the skillet-seared steak. A drizzle of fresh lemon juice just before serving brightens up the smoky, umami-rich steak alongside an herb-packed salsa verde and juicy spring onions.
Get the Recipe
06of 26
Cobb Salad with Roasted Sweet Onion Dressing
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/201309-xl-southern-cobb-salad-with-roasted-sweet-onion-dressing-2000-512a5042bf9c48728d8273cf2536689b.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (6)")
Everything you love about a Cobb salad is taken to the next level with a roasted garlic and onion vinaigrette. Chef Sean Doty roasts sweet Vidalia onion and garlic until they are lightly charred, then purees them to make the apple cider vinaigrette that gives this Cobb salad its tang and depth of flavor.
Get the Recipe
07of 26
Free-Form Onion Tart
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/HD-200905-r-onion-tart-6a6342c9ba3745d9bfdeb9943619d977.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (7)")
When she was the cooking school director at Cavallo Point, chef Kelsie Kerr taught the basics of preparing seasonal recipes. The buttery dough for her savory onion tart, for instance, is great with all kinds of fillings, like fruit.
Get the Recipe
08of 26
Pork Medallions with Onion Marmalade
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/pork-medallions-with-onion-marmalade-xl-r-200105-09a1345d088e40e687002d9ad5931675.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (8)")
This recipe from superstar chef Massimo Bottura is simpler than the food he now cooks at his avant-garde three-star Michelin restaurant, Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy. Still, it’s incredibly delicious: The savory marmalade made by cooking onions in butter and sugar is intensely rich in flavor.
Get the Recipe
09of 26
Crispy Onion Rings
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/HD-200809-crispy-onion-rings-008a7d3231694110a7d133dfd6eca9cf.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (9)")
"There's nothing better than a simple tempura of a primo vegetable," says chef Peter Hoffman. For this sensational version, he coats thick onion rings in an ultralight batter and quickly fries them.
Get the Recipe
10of 26
Onion Jam and Goat Cheese Rugelach
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/onion-jam-and-goat-cheese-rugelach-FT-RECIPE1220-039ecb7ea7c04d2bba5e8b219c23f2b8.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (10)")
Originating in Eastern Europe, recipes for rugelach evolved after landing in America. The crescent-shaped cookies are typically layered with jam and chopped nuts and topped with a generous sprinkle of cinnamon sugar, but the dough makes a surprisingly compatible home for savory fillings. These are spread with a thick homemade onion jam flavored with balsamic vinegar, sumac, and coriander.
Get the Recipe
11of 26
Gorgonzola-Roasted Mushrooms and Onions
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/HD-201004-r-gorgonzola-mushrooms-1aad5972e2304f6f8bcf43c4018e3c35.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (11)")
For this simple six-ingredient recipe, mushrooms and onions roast for about 30 minutes before they're tossed with fresh thyme, topped with Gorgonzola, and returned to the oven to melt the cheese.
Get the Recipe
12of 26
French Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/HD-200803-r-grilled-gruyere-9914d7e4fe0e4d80bf05abbfc354b098.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (12)")
Former F&W food editor Grace Parisi reinvented the classic grilled cheese sandwich with this version, which emulates the gooey, cheesy top of a bowl of French onion soup. Give yourself time to cook the onions slowly; caramelized onions take almost an hour to achieve their sweet flavor and melty texture, but are worth the wait.
Get the Recipe
13of 26
Slow-Roasted Sweet Onions with "Licorice" Powder
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/HD-200902-r-roasted-onion-d703c376315f4dffacab2a21614a0493.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (13)")
One of chef Michel Bras' favorite garnishes is a sweet-savory combination of ground almonds, dehydrated olives, and demerara sugar (a coarse, raw cane sugar with a subtle molasses flavor); the taste reminds him of licorice. Here it serves as a topping for buttery-soft, slow-roasted whole onions.
Get the Recipe
14of 26
Vidalia Onion Soufflés
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/201211-xl-vidalia-onion-souffles-2000-fafc5a070cb7407b884f79f97e483962.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (14)")
This recipe, which is a bit lighter and airier than the traditional Southern onion soufflé, can be prepared in individual gratin dishes or in one big baking dish.
Get the Recipe
15of 26
Pull-Apart Cheesy Onion Bread
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/HD-200909-r-cheesy-onion-bread-f0cbea2fa78e4470b085f12be52996e8.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (15)")
This recipe is as fun to eat as monkey bread (little balls of yeast dough that are baked in a pan together, then pulled apart at the table) but a lot less time-consuming to make. We spread buttery biscuit dough with a savory onion-Gruyère mixture, stack layers of it sideways in a loaf pan, then bake it until golden and fluffy.
Get the Recipe
16of 26
Cheddar and Onion Smashed Burgers
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/HD-201106-r-cheddar-onion-burger-0b10de9034c54072aedc18a4ced0284d.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (16)")
Inspired by the sliders at White Manna in Hackensack, New Jersey, Umami Burger founder Adam Fleischman creates beef patties by flattening balls of ground meat on the griddle.
Get the Recipe
17of 26
Pearl Onions au Gratin
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/HD-fw200611_thanksgiving2-de334f83503642acbc512567dfed5557.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (17)")
Inspired by the pickled pearl onions that became a family tradition ("Mom just served them straight out of the jar and threw a toothpick at them"), chef Barbara Lynch bakes fresh pearl onions in a mixture of cream, garlic, shallots, and bacon, then tops it all with a crispy panko crust.
Get the Recipe
18of 26
Garlicky Mushroom-Onion Toasts
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/HD-201406-r-garlicky-mushroom-onion-toasts-8345267b9baa45b58664d36f9b8981da.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (18)")
Grilling guru Francis Mallmann is a master of efficiency. Here, he creates a delicious first course using only a cast-iron skillet, first toasting the bread in it, then quickly searing the mushroom, onion, and garlic toppings right after.
Get the Recipe
19of 26
Caramelized Red Onion Rice with Tamarind
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/caramelized-red-onion-rice-with-tamarind-XL-RECIPE0318-86267cc07dda41d88fda6817009352b7.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (19)")
In Fresh India, cookbook author Meera Sodha uses sweet-and-sour tamarind paste to turn plain rice into a show-stealing side. The tamarind is essential here; find it at well-stocked grocery stores and Indian markets.
Get the Recipe
20of 26
Focaccia with Caramelized Onions, Pear, and Blue Cheese
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/201101-xl-focaccia-with-caramelized-onions-pear-and-blue-cheese-2000-480fb158bf16401da3aa7bf9894c8c55.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (20)")
Pear and blue cheese are a classic pairing. This simple focaccia adds sweet caramelized onions and comes together in just four steps.
Get the Recipe
21of 26
French Onion Soup with Roasted Poblanos
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/french-onion-soup-with-roasted-poblano-FT-RECIPE0321-ec99ea13400447c2b845476f406f5b62.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (21)")
At Tzuco, in Chicago, the French onion soup arrives to the table piping hot, topped with a bubbling layer of Gruyère cheese. Hiding under the blanket of cheese, a thick slice of baguette soaks up a soup suffused with flavor from a mountain of jammy onions, balsamic vinegar, and bay leaves.
Get the Recipe
22of 26
Fennel and Sweet Onion Pizza with Green Olives
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/HD-201207-r-fennel-and-sweet-onion-pizza-with-green-olives-b139fa45d3034e73968d18c391225bc0.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (22)")
At Harry's Pizzeria, Miami chef Michael Schwartz uses brown ale and whole-wheat flour to flavor his chewy crust. Toppings can range from potato and house-cured bacon to this pie, made with Pernod-braised fennel, caramelized onions, and Trugole, a semisoft Italian cheese that melts beautifully.
Get the Recipe
23of 26
Grilled Peach, Onion, and Bacon Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/original-201207-HD-grilled-peach-onion-and-bacon-salad-with-buttermilk-dressing-c89c9c49b3ab4544a9e699f7378f5900.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (23)")
The secret to this salad is using big, juicy sweet onions like the Vidalias that chef Linton Hopkins favors, which get nicely charred on the grill.
Get the Recipe
24of 26
Grilled Pepper and Onion Panzanella with Peperoncini Vinaigrette
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Grilled-Pepper-and-Onion-Panzanella-with-Pepperoncini-Vinaigrette-FT-RECIPE0722-f1885aec30e24ccfb00bdeedc6877cd2.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (24)")
Cookbook author Molly Stevens' panzanella uses grilled sweet peppers and red onion in place of tomatoes as the centerpiece of this dinner salad. The charred vegetables are tossed with cubes of grilled bread, drizzled with a peperoncini vinaigrette, and topped with creamy feta and crisp slices of peperoncini, which add pops of flavor and contrasting texture.
Get the Recipe
25of 26
Chicken Livers with Caramelized Onions and Madeira
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/original-201205-HD-chicken-livers-78c9f823d58743c79c4697bc665ad9bc.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (25)")
Rich-tasting caramelized onions combined with Madeira make a spectacular sauce for chicken livers. Serve with rice or over toast so you won't miss a single drop.
Get the Recipe
26of 26
Frothy Lettuce Soup with Onion Custard
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/HD-fw200602_lettucesoup-3d28df201f45442d9a596cbe6afbd9ef.jpg "26 Savory Onion Recipes (26)")
This stunning recipe calls for a head of Boston lettuce per person, resulting in a soup with pure, intense flavors that is then poured over a delicate custard. It's a riff on petits pois à la française, the classic French dish of peas, lettuce, and spring onions braised in butter and chicken stock.
Get the Recipe
