Creamed Pearl Onions Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to cook pearl onions quickly? ›

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add onions and cook until outer layers are soft, about 1 1/2 minutes. Drain onions and run under cool water until cold enough to handle. Peel onions with your fingers and discard peels.

Like other onions, pearl onions need to be peeled before use. Unlike their larger onion counterparts, pearl onions are trickier to peel thanks to their tiny size. The fastest way to peel pearl onions is to use a blanching method.

Red pearl onions have reddish-purple skin that's similar in color to large red onions. Usually they're milder in flavor than white pearl onions. Pearl onions always have to be peeled before use, which can be tricky.

Caramelize the onions: Heat about 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the onions and stir to coat. Let cook, stirring every 5-10 minutes, until deeply caramelized, about 1 ½ - 2 hours.

Store pearl onions in a cool, dry, well ventilated location, not in a plastic bag and not in the refrigerator.

Flavorwise, pearl onions are sweeter and milder than regular onions or even shallots, though they're not as sweet as cipollini onions, another variety of small onion that is flatter in shape. Pearl onions are available year-round either peeled and frozen, or fresh in a mesh bag with their papery skins still on.

In the United States, Boiling onions are often used and sold interchangeably with the smaller pearl onion.

Pearl onions, when unopened and still in their container, can last for two to three months at room temperature, just ensure they are in a dry, cool, well-ventilated area free from high humidity. Do not store them in plastic bags as this can lead to mold development.

Pearl onions contain chemical compounds that have health benefits including helping cardiovascular health and stabilize blood sugar levels, and acting as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.

Where do you store pearl onions? ›

Keep storage onions in a cool, dark, and dry place. Moisture and light lead to mold (ew) and sprouting (annoying, though not a deal-breaker), so stow your storage onions (red, yellow, and white as well as shallots and the diminutive pearl and cippoline) in a dry, well-ventilated basket, bin, or large bowl.

Vidalia, Walla Walla, Cipollini varieties are inherently sweet onions. These varieties have become extremely popular and for good reason. They are good cooked but they are very mild and are excellent eaten raw.

At the grocery store they're likely labeled by color (white, yellow, and red), but at a farmers market, you may see proper names, like Australian Browns or Red Zeppelins. In terms of pungency, white are generally the mildest, red the sharpest, and yellow somewhere in between.

Yellow Onion

The most common onion variety due to its versatility, mild flavor, and long shelf life. It is used in a wide range of dishes, including soups, stews, and casseroles. The Yellow Onion is a popular variety of onion known for its distinct yellow skin and white flesh.

Microwave Cooking Instructions

COVER and MICROWAVE on HIGH for 7 1/2 MINUTES* (4 MINUTES* for HALF package); STIR HALFWAY through cooking. 4. DRAIN. (Cook time based on 1200 watt microwave: cook time may need to be adjusted for your microwave.)

Add chopped or sliced onions and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula. That's the time it takes to sauté onions so the harsh onion flavor is removed, and they barely start to sweeten.