The Creamy Onion Side Dish No One's Really Eaten In Decades

Mashed potatoes and green beans weren't always the go-to sides for dinners. Creamed onions were once the preferred choice. Recipes for the dish date back to 1769, when cooks peeled large onions and cooked them with butter and cream to serve with fowl. Later versions put a Béchamel sauce-inspired twist on the dish by adding flour and milk to the sauce. Even Anthony Bourdain had a creamed pearl onion recipe that called for whole black peppercorns and a dried bay leaf. 

When made with herbs like thyme or sage or seasoned with nutmeg, creamed onions can become a slightly sweet dish that offers up softened onions that taste nothing like a raw bite. As the onions simmer in the sauce, the rich flavors develop. Of course, peeling pearl onions has never been an ideal task for the busy homemaker. Additionally, the less-than-attractive presentation of the finished recipe did little to keep the dish on dinner tables. 

"Did the Grinch create this recipe? Who would think a side of onions outside of rings is delicious?" wrote one user on Instagram. "That looks absolutely repulsive," added another. It comes as no surprise that recipes to make creamed onions were pushed to the side to make way for more colorful carrots and Brussels sprouts. 

Though many diners may not have tried creamed onions, other cooks regard it as a comfort food and still traditionally prepare the dish for holiday meals. The rich recipe pairs easily with a variety of proteins. It can also be served alongside other vegetables, which can be enhanced by the richness of the sauce, including green beans, or sides that are commonly served with sauces, like stuffing and potatoes. Paprika is often sprinkled on top of the dish for a finishing touch. "They are so yummy!" encouraged a cook on Instagram.

Updated versions may call for thickly sliced sweet onions instead of pearl onions. Adding a cheese like gorgonzola or Parmesan builds dimension with a subtle tang. Baking the onions or finishing plates with breadcrumbs can create something closer to a gratin recipe. Here, the browned, caramelized tops may appear more appetizing than a mound of creamed onions. Other cooks add color by stirring tomato paste into the sauce, echoing an alla vodka version. The recipe may never rival more colorful side options, but the recipe is far from forgotten.