Tennessee Onions
These Tennessee Onions are a classic side dish casserole in the South featuring sweet vidalia onions baked with gooey cheese. It’s a rich and savory dish that’s perfect for pairing with any main course. We’ve served them at backyard barbecues, holidays, and church potlucks. They’re so addicting, they’ll be gone in no time!
My oh my, where do I even begin with Tennessee Onions! These have long been a favorite side dish in my family for generations. Growing up in Kentucky, these onions were something we loved pairing with burgers and steak or a holiday ham. They’re that versatile and only use about 10 ingredients.
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This classic comfort food casserole can feed a crowd, and it’s a favorite among both kids and adults. I’ve had so many people ask me for my recipe, so now I’m sharing it with you all! The key is making sure to buy sweet Vidalia onions for the best flavor and caramelization. If you love a casserole, be sure to also try my Pineapple Casserole and Hashbrown Casserole.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Affordable side dish for a crowd. Onions, cheese, and spices is all you need! Serve it with steak, chicken, or any potluck feast.
- Simple to prepare with 10 minutes of prep. This is a no-fuss recipe that’s ridiculously delicious. Even beginner cooks can make it with ease.
- Customize with your favorite cheeses and spices if you please. Add more or less cheddar, mozzarella, etc. and use other spices. It’s easy to make this your own.
Ingredients
Scroll Down to the Bottom of this Post for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Printable Recipe Card
- Sweet onions: About 3 pounds is perfect. Make sure you slice them thick.
- Smoked paprika: Adds nice smokiness to each bite.
- Dried parsley: A little bit of herby flavor for warmth.
- Garlic powder: Adds a punch of garlicky goodness.
- Ground mustard: I love to add it for a hint of tang that pairs nicely with the roasted onions.
- Cayenne pepper: For some heat! Omit if you don’t care for spicy.
- Shredded cheddar cheese: Gives that gooey, sharp and cheesy flavor.
- Shredded mozzarella or gouda cheese: More of a mild cheese, but adds even more meltiness.
- Shredded parmesan cheese: Adds saltiness that compliments the sweet onions so well.
- Unsalted butter: Responsible for that richness and helps the onions to caramelize.
- Garnish option: Chopped fresh parsley is always a nice pop of green at the end.
Tools You’ll Need
- 13″x9″ Baking Dish
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Spatula
- Cheese Grater
- Chef’s Knife
- Cutting Board
- Mandolin Slicer
- Mixing Bowl
How to Make Tennessee Onions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13×9-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
- Slice the onions in thick slices using a mandolin or knife.
- Place the sliced onions in a large bowl. Season with paprika, parsley, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, ground mustard, and cayenne pepper. Toss to coat well.
- Arrange half of the seasoned onion slices evenly in the prepared dish.
- Sprinkle with half of the cheddar and mozzarella or gouda cheese.
- Distribute the remaining onion slices on top, followed by the remaining cheeses and parmesan cheese.
- Place the thinly sliced butter slices evenly over the top.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 30-40 minutes, or until the onions are tender and the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly browned.
- Rest 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley, if desired.
Expert Tips
- Cut the onions into the same size rings. This is key to even cooking in the oven for a tender bite.
- Alternate the onions and the cheeses. It’s a key step to making sure the cheese melts evenly throughout the casserole.
- Grate the cheeses yourself. Avoid pre-shredded here, they don’t melt as nicely.
- If you don’t care for gouda, you can use all Mozzarella or even substitute colby jack or Monterey jack.
- Be sure to cover with foil first then uncover for the second half of baking. Covering helps the onions to steam and cook. Uncovering helps the liquid to reduce allowing the onions to brown and caramelize nicely.
What to serve with Tennessee Onions
The options are endless, here are some classic mains my family loves them with!
- Stovetop Stuffing Meatloaf
- Oven Pot Roast
- Crockpot Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham
- Shake and Bake Pork Chops
- Slow Cooker Beef Brisket
Storage
Store any leftover Tennessee Onions in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through.
I don’t recommend freezing the onions as they will change texture once they thaw.
If you want to prep them ahead, great! You can slice the onions, shred the cheese, and mix the spices, then just assemble the baking dish and bake before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Vidalia onions are classic or a sweet yellow onion. They have more sugar in them to caramelize beautifully in the oven.
It may have been the onions themselves releasing a lot of liquid. Be sure to bake them for long enough uncovered to help some of this liquid evaporate.
Of course! That would be delicious, just toss the breadcrumbs or crackers in a little bit of melted butter before sprinkling over top.
More Easy Side Dish Recipes
Tennessee Onions
Ingredients
- 3-4 large sweet onions (about 3 pounds) peeled and sliced into thick rings
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella or gouda cheese divided
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese divided
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter sliced thin
- Garnish option: chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13×9-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
- Place the sliced onions in a large bowl. Season with paprika, parsley, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, ground mustard, and cayenne pepper. Toss to coat well.
- Arrange half of the seasoned onion slices evenly in the prepared dish.
- Sprinkle with half of the cheddar and mozzarella or gouda cheese.
- Distribute the remaining onion slices on top, followed by the remaining cheeses and parmesan cheese.
- Place the thinly sliced butter slices evenly over the top.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 30-40 minutes, or until the onions are tender and the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly browned.
- Rest 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley, if desired.
Notes
Store any leftover Tennessee Onions in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through. I don’t recommend freezing the onions as they will change texture once they thaw. If you want to prep them ahead, great! You can slice the onions, shred the cheese, and mix the spices, then just assemble the baking dish and bake before serving. Tips:
- Cut the onions into the same size rings. This is key to even cooking in the oven for a tender bite.
- Alternate the onions and the cheeses. It’s a key step to making sure the cheese melts evenly throughout the casserole.
- Grate the cheeses yourself. Avoid pre-shredded here, they don’t melt as nicely.
- If you don’t care for gouda, you can use all Mozzarella or even substitute colby jack or Monterey jack.
- Be sure to cover with foil first then uncover for the second half of baking. Covering helps the onions to steam and cook. Uncovering helps the liquid to reduce allowing the onions to brown and caramelize nicely.
Nutrition
About Laura
Taught by some of the best, cooking and entertaining has always been my favorite hobby. Food is my love language! The conception of Dinner in 321 came from my family talks that sharing our dinners would help others learn new skills, tasty recipes, and make cooking fun! Read more…
