Looking for one last-minute easy side dish to complete your holiday meal? This one presents special but comes together fast. I love onions, and got hooked on this side dish after seeing something like this on a cooking show. It was one of those competition cooking shows, so they didn’t give the recipe, but it looked simple enough that I knew I could wing it. Here’s how I make it. (This is even easier if you have White Sauce Butter Balls.)

Onions all lined up for their formal picture, excited to be part of the big day.


How to make Caramelized Onions Au Gratin:

4 medium onions
butter
1 cup white sauce
1/2 teaspoon granulated chicken bouillon
1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 cup shredded cheese (Cheddar, Swiss, whatever you like)
1 cup coarse bread crumbs

Slice the onions. I saute them in butter in my iron skillet to caramelize them.

I can do all the onions in two batches. I use about 1 tablespoon of butter per batch.

Transfer onions directly to a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.

For the white sauce, in the same skillet, use two butter balls and add a cup of milk slowly, stirring constantly, adding the pepper, bouillon, and thyme as you go.

Add the cheese, stirring to melt.

If you want to make the white sauce from scratch–use a tablespoon of flour, a tablespoon of butter, a dash of salt and pepper to taste, and add a cup of milk slowly, stirring constantly.

Pour the sauce over the onions.

Add bread crumbs for the topping. I use one thick slice of Grandmother Bread torn in little pieces. Dot butter on the top.

Bake uncovered at 350-degrees for 30 minutes. Easy! Delicious!

See this recipe at Farm Bell Recipes and save it to your recipe box.

See All My Recipes