21 Onion Recipes That Make Onions The Star of the Meal

- Photo by Alex Lau1/21
Hot-Pink Pearl Onion Pickles
These sweet and very tangy neon pickles pair best with grilled meats, stews, and braises.
- Photo by Alex Lau2/21
Olive Oil–Confit Chicken With Cipolline Onions
What happens when you cook with a lot of oil? Magic. Because oil conducts heat much more efficiently than air, foods that are confited in it, like these chicken thighs, come out incredibly moist and infused with the oil’s flavor.
- Photo by Charles Masters, food styling by Sue Li3/21
Our Favorite French Onion Soup
It ain't French onion soup without a glorious cheese toast on top. Grate on some Gruyère and put it under the broiler.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Sean Dooley4/21
My Mother's Butter, Tomato, and Onion Sauce
The classic, beloved Marcella Hazan pasta sauce is made with just four ingredients and couldn't be easier.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich5/21
Ramp Fritters
These crispy little fritters taste like a three-way cross between onion tempura, blooming onion, and onion rings. If you can't find ramps, use thin scallions.
- Photo by Linda Pugliese, food styling by Anna Hampton6/21
Stuffed Onions With Spiced Lamb and Pomegranate
Make these Middle Eastern-inspired stuffed onions with rice and lamb and top everything off with a handful of pomegranate seeds.
- Photo by Andrew Thomas Lee7/21
Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Charred Onion & Chickpea Salad
This recipe shines a new light on a classic. Cooking a chuck roast slow-and-low allows it time to fully develop its flavor. Pair it with a fresh chickpea salad to brighten up the dish.
- Roland Bello8/21
Golden Onion Pie
If you're not feeling French with your onion inspiration, this Zwiebelkuchen, a German specialty, may do the trick. Slow-cooked onions are combined with eggs and sour cream and spooned into a yeasted dough.
- Quentin Bacon9/21
Roasted Red Onion Flowers
Here's when the adults have to actually share the vegetables. These sweet and savory onion flowers are pretty popular with kids.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, and Anna Stockwell10/21
Carrot Pizza With Fontina and Red Onion
This unique pizza depends on red onion slices for some important biting contrast.
- Peden + Munk11/21
Cucumber and Charred Onion Salad
Somewhere between a condiment and a side; this would be great spooned right onto a burger.
- Photo by Eva Kolenko.12/21
Petit Trois's French Onion Soup
We get it. You might not always have time to cobble together a veal stock like in this restaurant French onion soup. If that's the case, use low-sodium beef stock instead.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop and Food Styling by Ali Nardi13/21
Creamed Pearl Onions and Fennel with Crispy Spiced Breadcrumbs
Sweet, tender pearl onions are the star of this reimagined classic, which gets an elegant update with fennel, citrus, and Parm.
- Malú Alvarez. Food styling: Michelle Gatton. Prop styling: Brian Heiser14/21
Rosemary-Balsamic Onions
Use these deeply savory balsamic onions on more than just hot dogs—they'd go very well with chicken recipes.
- Photo by Mirabelle Marden15/21
Roasted Stuffed Red Onions
Roasted red onions are packed with sweet flavor—round it out with some starchy rice and gamey lamb.
- Photo by John Kernick16/21
Onion Tart with Mustard and Fennel
Look to the French for brilliant ways to use onions. This tart includes mellow and slow-cooked onions, with a pizza-like crust to keep it nice and light.
- Romulo Yanes17/21
French Onion Soup
Want to save some time while making French onion soup? Caramelize the onions in a dry pan—with no oil—in a nonstick pan over high heat.
- Tara Donne, food and prop styling by Diana Yen18/21
Beer-Battered Onion Rings
Use a high-quality beer and a tempura-like batter to make these onion rings light and airy.
- Gentl & Hyers19/21
Pickled Red Onions
You'll find so many uses for a big batch of pickled red onions , you might even suggest staying in.
- Photo by Marcus Nilsson20/21
Onion Frittata
This onion frittata is a lifesaver when it seems like there's nothing in the fridge. Use fresh herbs, eggs, and that hunk of Parmesan you've been working through.
- Photo by Roland Bello21/21
Glazed Pearl Onions and Grapes
Peeling pearl onions is one of the most tedious kitchen tasks. Beat the boredom by mixing in some red grapes—their color and sweet flavor are an explosive contrast to the onions; plus, you don't have to peel them.