Tennessee Onion Casserole–an easy, cheesy side dish made with sweet caramelized onions, Gruyere, sharp cheddar and Parmesan cheese.
Tennessee Onion Casserole
I love French onion soup and this casserole gives me those same vibes without the broth. These onions have 3 different kinds of cheese 🙂 The onions cook down until they’re soft and sweet, and then they get layered with cheese and baked until everything is bubbly and golden. I thought this was especially good served alongside a piece of crusty buttered bread.
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Sweet onions–yellow onions also work
- Butter
- Olive oil–or additional butter
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Dried thyme–or fresh thyme.
- Smoked paprika
- Worcestershire sauce
- Gruyere cheese–or Swiss cheese
- Sharp cheddar cheese–or white cheddar
- Parmesan cheese–or Pecorino Romano
The Basic Steps…
Cook the sliced onions in butter, olive oil and salt for 25–35 minutes, until soft and golden brown. Stir in the seasonings and Worcestershire sauce. Layer the onions with Gruyere and cheddar cheese in a greased baking dish, then top with Parmesan. Bake at 375°F for 15–20 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly and golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes/Tips
- This is a great side dish for steak, roast beef, pork chops or grilled chicken. It also makes a great side dish at holiday dinners.
- Grab some toasted baguette slices or crusty French bread and use them to scoop up the cheesy onions. It’s almost like a warm French onion dip!
- Use a large skillet. Onions release quite a bit of moisture as they cook. A wide skillet gives that moisture room to evaporate and helps the onions brown instead of steam.
- A pound and a half of raw onions looks like a lot, but they’ll cook down considerably.
- This can be gluten free if you use gluten free Worcesteshire sauce.
- For a little texture, sprinkle some buttered panko breadcrumbs over the cheese before baking.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for 4 days. Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.
- Tools:
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Tennessee Onion Casserole
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
An easy, cheesy side dish made with sweet caramelized onions, Gruyere, sharp cheddar and Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds sweet onions, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1 1/2 Tbsp butter
- 1 1/2 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme (or 3/4 tsp fresh thyme)
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 oz shredded Gruyere cheese
- 2 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the sliced onions and salt. Cook for 25–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft, golden brown, and most of the liquid has evaporated. Reduce the heat to medium-low if the onions start browning too quickly.
- Stir in the black pepper, garlic powder, thyme, smoked paprika, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook for another minute.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease an 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Spread half of the cooked onions evenly into the baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the Gruyere and cheddar cheese.
- Spread the remaining onions over the cheese. Top with the remaining Gruyere and cheddar, followed by the Parmesan cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
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*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
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