Tennessee Onions: The Perfect Onion Lovers’ Dish

If you’re an onion lover, buckle up because you’re about to fall in love with Tennessee Onions, a dish that’s better than your favorite onion rings. This flavorful baked onion dish combines sweet Vidalia onions with a delicious trio of cheeses and aromatic herbs, offering a perfectly melty, savory experience. Each bite boasts caramelized onions covered in rich, gooey cheese with a kick of garlic and oregano.

Jump to Recipe

This dish is perfect for those who enjoy onions as a side or main dish, or for anyone looking to elevate their appetizer game. Tennessee Onions can be served as a standalone snack, a side dish at family gatherings, or a delicious alternative to the classic onion rings. While it’s simple to prepare, the depth of flavor will leave everyone coming back for more.

Why Tennessee Onions?

You may be asking yourself, what sets Tennessee Onions apart from other onion-based dishes like onion rings or French onion soup? Here’s why this dish is unique:

• Sweet Vidalia onions: These onions are the star of the show. Known for their natural sweetness, Vidalia onions become even more flavorful when baked. The result is a tender, caramelized onion with a mellow, savory flavor that pairs perfectly with cheese.
• Better than onion rings: Unlike onion rings that can be greasy or over-fried, this dish captures the essence of onions in a baked, cheesy form without the mess of deep frying.
• No deep frying: Baking the onions with butter and cheese ensures a healthier option that still delivers on taste and texture.
• Easy preparation: With just a few ingredients and minimal prep work, this recipe is simple enough for weeknight dinners yet impressive enough for special occasions.

Ingredients Breakdown

Before we jump into the step-by-step instructions, let’s take a closer look at the ingredients that make Tennessee Onions a standout dish. Understanding each component will help you appreciate the layers of flavor in this recipe.

Vidalia Sweet Onions:

• Why Vidalia?: Vidalia onions are famously sweet and mild, making them ideal for baking. When caramelized, they develop a natural sweetness that complements the cheese and butter in this recipe. Unlike more pungent onions, Vidalia onions won’t overpower the dish.
• Substitutes: If you can’t find Vidalia onions, you can use other sweet onion varieties like Walla Walla or Maui onions. Just ensure the onions are large and firm for the best texture.

Butter:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter: Butter plays a crucial role in this dish by helping the onions caramelize and creating a rich base for the melted cheese. Since Vidalia onions are naturally sweet, using unsalted butter allows you to control the seasoning.
• Why pats of butter?: By cutting the butter into pats and distributing them evenly across the onions, you ensure that every bite is rich, buttery, and flavorful.

Seasonings:

• 1 teaspoon salt: Salt enhances the sweetness of the onions and balances the richness of the cheese and butter. Adjust the amount to your preference, but don’t skip it!
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder: Garlic adds a savory depth to the dish, providing a flavorful contrast to the sweet onions.
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano: Oregano brings a subtle, earthy flavor that ties the dish together, adding a hint of Mediterranean flair. You can use dried or fresh oregano, though dried is more commonly available.

Cheese Trio:

• 1 cup Italian blend cheese, finely shredded: An Italian blend cheese typically includes mozzarella, provolone, Parmesan, Romano, and Asiago. This blend provides a stretchy, gooey consistency while also adding sharp and nutty notes.
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, finely shredded: Cheddar adds a sharp, tangy flavor to the dish, complementing the sweetness of the onions and balancing the mild Italian cheese blend.
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely shredded: Parmesan, with its salty, nutty flavor, tops off the dish, giving it a satisfying crust when baked. It also enhances the dish’s overall umami, making each bite irresistible.

Step-by-Step Instructions

This dish is as simple as it is delicious, requiring just a few basic steps to bring out the best flavors in each ingredient. Let’s walk through the process, ensuring you achieve perfect results every time.

1. Preheat the Oven

To get started, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Preheating ensures that your oven reaches the right temperature before you bake the onions, allowing them to cook evenly and the cheese to melt perfectly.

2. Prepare the Baking Dish

Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or a light coating of olive oil. This step prevents the onions and cheese from sticking to the dish, making cleanup easier and ensuring the onions bake evenly.

3. Clean and Slice the Vidalia Onions

Now, it’s time to prep your onions. Choose 3-4 large Vidalia sweet onions, depending on the size of your baking dish and how many servings you’d like. Follow these steps for perfect onion slices:

1. Start by peeling the onions, removing the outer layers and any tough skin.
2. Slice the onions into 1/4-inch thick rounds. It’s important to slice the onions into rounds rather than rings, as this keeps the layers together, allowing for a more consistent texture when baked.
3. Do not separate the rounds into individual rings. Keeping the onion rounds intact makes it easier to distribute the cheese and butter evenly over the onions later.

4. Arrange the Onions in the Baking Dish

Spread the onion rounds evenly across the base of your prepared baking dish. The rounds should form a single layer, but it’s okay if they overlap slightly—this ensures that each bite is full of delicious onion and cheese.

5. Season the Onions

Sprinkle the onion rounds with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of oregano. These simple seasonings enhance the natural sweetness of the Vidalia onions and add a savory, aromatic quality to the dish.

6. Add the Butter

Next, cut 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter into roughly eight pats or even portions. Distribute these butter pats evenly across the surface of the onions. As the butter melts, it will infuse the onions with richness and help them caramelize during baking.

7. Add the Cheese

Here’s where the magic happens—cheese! Layering the cheese over the onions creates a gooey, golden crust that’s hard to resist.

1. 1 cup Italian blend cheese: Sprinkle the Italian cheese blend evenly over the onions, ensuring all the onion rounds are covered.
2. 1 cup cheddar cheese: Follow with a layer of shredded cheddar cheese, which adds sharpness and richness to the dish.
3. 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese: Finally, top everything off with finely shredded Parmesan cheese. This final layer will crisp up during baking, giving the dish a delicious golden-brown finish.

8. Bake the Tennessee Onions

Now that your onions are prepped and topped with cheese and butter, it’s time to bake them to perfection.

1. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes. Keep an eye on the onions during the last few minutes of baking—when the cheese is golden and bubbling, the dish is ready.
2. The onions should be tender but not mushy, with the cheese forming a beautiful crust on top. The butter will have melted, blending with the onion’s natural sweetness and creating a savory, creamy sauce at the bottom of the dish.

9. Serve and Enjoy!

Once the dish is out of the oven, allow it to cool for a few minutes before serving. Tennessee Onions are best enjoyed warm, straight from the oven, when the cheese is still gooey and the onions are perfectly caramelized.

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Serving Suggestions and Tips

While Tennessee Onions can be enjoyed on their own, they’re also incredibly versatile and pair well with various dishes. Here are some serving suggestions and tips to make the most of this flavorful dish:

1. As a Side Dish

• Pair with grilled meats: These cheesy onions make a fantastic side dish for grilled meats like steak, chicken, or pork chops. The sweetness of the onions complements the smoky, savory flavors of grilled dishes.
• Serve with roasted vegetables: If you’re serving a vegetarian meal, pair Tennessee Onions with roasted vegetables like Brussels sprouts, carrots, or zucchini for a satisfying and flavorful combination.

2. As a Snack or Appetizer

• Better than onion rings: Serve Tennessee Onions as an appetizer at your next gathering in place of traditional onion rings. Your guests will love the cheesy, buttery flavor, and you won’t have to deal with the mess of deep frying.
• Serve with dipping sauces: For a fun twist, offer a few dipping sauces on the side, like ranch dressing, garlic aioli, or spicy ketchup. These sauces add an extra layer of flavor and give the dish a fun, snackable vibe.

3. Make It Your Own

• Add bacon: For an extra layer of flavor, try adding crumbled cooked bacon to the dish before baking. The salty, smoky flavor of bacon pairs beautifully with the sweet onions and rich cheese.
• Experiment with herbs: Feel free to swap out the oregano for other herbs like thyme, rosemary, or basil, depending on your preference. Each herb brings a unique flavor that can elevate the dish in different ways.

Final Thoughts

Tennessee Onions are a delightful, cheesy twist on classic onion dishes, offering a savory, rich flavor that’s hard to resist. Whether you’re serving them as a side dish for dinner or as a snack for a gathering, this dish is sure to be a hit. With minimal prep and simple ingredients, Tennessee Onions are an easy and delicious way to elevate your onion game.

Give this recipe a try, and don’t be surprised if it becomes a new favorite in your home. With the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and cheesy, these onions are sure to leave everyone asking for seconds!