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Home » Recipes » 40+ Sweet onion recipes: dinner, dips, and french onion riffs

Published: Mar 15, 2022 · Modified: Feb 13, 2024 by Veronica T

40+ Sweet onion recipes: dinner, dips, and french onion riffs

The milder flavor of sweet onions make them perfect for recipes that use a lot of onions, or where the onion flavor shouldn't be strong. They aren't actually sweeter than regular yellow or red onions, they just have less of the characteristic 'bite' that onions are known for.

Jump to:
  • French onion inspired
  • Dips
  • Soups & salads
  • Sides
  • Dinner
  • Varieties

French onion inspired

French onion soup is traditionally made with yellow onions, but sweet onions are gaining popularity. When caramelizing onions for any French onion type of recipe, cook until golden brown or dark golden brown - avoid cooking until they are very dark brown or black, which will add bitter notes.

French onion soup recipe by The Surburban Soapbox
French onion soup
Baked french onion meatballs recipe by Half Baked Harvest
Baked french onion meatballs
French onion chicken recipe by Platings & Pairings
French onion chicken
French onion stuffed mushrooms recipe by A Bountiful Kitchen
French onion stuffed mushrooms
French onion stuffed shells recipe by How Sweet Eats
French onion stuffed shells
French onion grilled cheese recipe by How Sweet Eats
French onion grilled cheese
French onion dip recipe by Jessica Gavin
French onion dip
Late summer corn & lobster french onion chowder with gruyère toasties recipe by Half Baked Harvest
Late summer corn & lobster french onion chowder with gruyère toasties

Dips

Dips usually shouldn't taste very onion-forward, which is why sweet onions are often the best choice. Even when raw, their flavor is mild. To make it even milder (which probably isn't necessary), you could soak the cut onion slices in water for 10 minutes. The compounds that give onions their sharp flavor a water soluble, which is why soaking helps.

Creamy Vidalia onion dip recipe by The View from Great Island
Creamy Vidalia onion dip
Honey chipotle peach salsa recipe by Cotter Crunch
Honey chipotle peach salsa
Roasted cherry tomato & sweet onion dip recipe by White on Rice Couple
Roasted cherry tomato & sweet onion dip
Quick chipotle salsa recipe by Platings & Pairings
Quick chipotle salsa
Caramelized onion dip recipe by How Sweet Eats
Caramelized onion dip
Margarita guacamole recipe by The Cookie Rookie
Margarita guacamole
French onion dip recipe by Jessica Gavin
French onion dip
Sweet Vidalia onion dip recipe by The View from Great Island
Sweet Vidalia onion dip

Soups & salads

Salads are another obvious choice for sweet onions, as their flavor won't take over the rest of the dish. Salad recipes that call for red onions can usually be substituted with sweet onions (or soak the red onions to remove their sharp flavor).

Soups, on the other hand, aren't always the best choice for sweet onions. Sometimes they are (as shown in the recipes here), where you want a light onion flavor that mixes well with the other ingredients. Other soups (especially heartier ones) benefit from the stronger flavor of yellow onions. Substituting sweet onions into some soup recipes might leave the broth tasting a bit flat.

Chopped chef salad with creamy sweet onion dressing recipe by The View from Great Island
Chopped chef salad with creamy sweet onion dressing
Chicken, bacon, and avocado salad with sweet Vidalia onion dressing recipe by Creme de la Crumb
Chicken, bacon, and avocado salad with sweet Vidalia onion dressing
Late summer corn & lobster french onion chowder with gruyère toasties recipe by Half Baked Harvest
Late summer corn & lobster french onion chowder with gruyère toasties
Vidalia onion soup with wild rice recipe by Smitten Kitchen
Vidalia onion soup with wild rice
Gazpacho recipe by Cookie + Kate
Gazpacho
sweet onion sauce on a table with a whole onion, garlic, and honey
Sweet onion sauce with garlic and honey

Sides

Sweet onions and onion rings are a perfect match. But they are good for so much more - again, lending a subtler onion flavor that doesn't overpower the side dish.

Roasted sweet onions recipe by It's a Veg World Afterall
Roasted sweet onions
Sweet onion latkes with chive sour cream recipe by The View from Great Island
Sweet onion latkes with chive sour cream
Potato salad recipe by A Spicy Perspective
Potato salad
Slow cooker creamed corn (with cream cheese and cornmeal) recipe by A Spicy Perspective
Slow cooker creamed corn (with cream cheese and cornmeal)
Brown onion gravy recipe by Wonky Wonderful
Brown onion gravy
Homemade crispy onion strings (French fried onions) recipe by Food Above Gold
Homemade crispy onion strings (French fried onions)
Sweet onion jam recipe by California Grown
Sweet onion jam
Fried hush puppies recipe by The Cookie Rookie
Fried hush puppies
Caramelized onion & fig galette with goat cheese recipe by Vanilla and Bean
Caramelized onion & fig galette with goat cheese
Baked Vidalia bloomin onion recipe by Gimme Some Oven
Baked Vidalia bloomin onion

Dinner

Sweet onions have a higher water content and cook quickly. If you're looking for a quicker dinner, they could be a good option. They are also excellent when grilled.

Pasta with asparagus, peas, and caramelized sweet onion sauce recipe by Rhubarbarians
Pasta with asparagus, peas, and caramelized sweet onion sauce
Beef fajita shish kabobs recipe by A Bountiful Kitchen
Beef fajita shish kabobs
Chicken tinga tacos recipe by Pinch of Yum
Chicken tinga tacos
Irish cheddar pierogi with stout caramelized onions recipe by Yes to Yolks
Irish cheddar pierogi with stout caramelized onions
Leftover prime rib sandwich recipe by Wonky Wonderful
Leftover prime rib sandwich
Cherry tomato Vidalia onion pasta recipe by A Cozy Kitchen
Cherry tomato Vidalia onion pasta
Quesabirria tacos recipe by Garlic & Zest
Quesabirria tacos
Smoke mozzarella spinach pizza recipe by How Sweet Eats
Smoke mozzarella spinach pizza
Chicken tinga recipe by Carlsbad Cravings
Chicken tinga
Mushroom risotto recipe by Baking a Moment
Mushroom risotto
Roasted beef tenderloin with French onion au jus recipe by Half Baked Harvest
Roasted beef tenderloin with French onion au jus
Sweet potato black bean burgers w/ baked cheddar beer onion rings recipe by Half Baked Harvest
Sweet potato black bean burgers w/ baked cheddar beer onion rings

Varieties

Vidalia, Walla Walla, and Maui are the most widely available sweet onions and are all quite similar in flavor. Their seasons differ just slightly.

  • Maui: Peak: April - August, but can be found year round
  • Vidalia: April - August
  • Walla Walla: June - September
  • Texas Sweet: April - June

Sweet onions don't store as long as other types of onions, due to their higher water content and thinner skin. They will last only about a week on the counter, a month in a cool & dark place, or more than a month in the fridge.

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Welcome, I'm Veronica, your resident food geek - experienced recipe developer and gardener. My goal is to help you enjoy eating at home by knowing what fruits & vegetables are currently in season and the best ways to use them. To do that, I've put together seasonal produce guides and recipes with practical advice.

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