Onion Pie is a savory, cheesy dish full of delicious flavor and Southern charm. Super sweet and mild vidalia onions are baked with eggs, cheese and a salty crust for a dish that is perfect for a dinner side.
Vidalia Pie may not sound appetizing to someone unfamiliar with vidalia onions, but for those who know, this dish is a must try during vidalia season.
This dish celebrates the special flavor of vidalia onions. The onions are sauteed and then poured over a crispy Ritz cracker crust and baked with cheese and eggs that help bind the flavors all together.
The result is a dish that is savory, warm and so sweetly Southern.
This classic dish may look like a quiche, but while eggs are the star of a Ham and Cheese Quiche Recipe, this dish is more focused on the onions. It has just enough eggs to hold it all together, while the cooked onions provide most of the texture and flavor.
This pie is ideal for dinner or as a side dish with any meal.
This is a popular recipe in my family, and my Auntie Annie makes it every year as part of our summer dinners. Having lived in Georgia for over 40 years, she has learned how to make an incredible Vidalia Pie. This is her recipe that I am sharing with you!
What are Vidalia Onions?
Vidalia onions are a super sweet onion, only grown in certain spots in Georgia from April to September. In fact they are so famous they are the state vegetable of Georgia.
Vidalia onions are unique because of the soil they are grown in. It’s low in sulfur, which results in an onion that is sweet and mild enough to be enjoyed all on its own.
Why Make This Recipe?
- Celebrate a Southern Delicacy: Vidalia onions are truly a specialty and this dish highlights everything there is to love about them.
- Savory: If you’re a fan of French Onion Soup or onion dip, this recipe is one you will love. It’s savory and cheesy with that classic onion flavor.
- Perfect Side Dish: Serve this as a savory option for brunch or breakfast or save it as a side for a barbeque (like this Nyama Choma) or roast at dinner. Any time you serve it, it’s a winner!
Ingredients for Onion Pie
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- Sliced Vidalia Onion: Vidalia onion season usually runs from about April through Labor Day. If you can’t find a bag of vidalia onions, you can make this recipe with regular sweet onions.
- Ritz Crackers: Ritz crackers are the base of the crust for this recipe. They add a delicious saltiness to the dish, but you could substitute a regular pie crust if you prefer.
- Half and Half: You could also use whole milk but I would not use any lower fat. You want it nice and creamy for the best flavor and texture. You can substitute heavy cream for an even richer flavor!
- Eggs: You only need two eggs for this recipe.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar cheese provides great flavor to this dish. In most cases, I recommend shredding your own cheese rather than purchasing it pre-shredded. In this case, however, I like the way the super fine pre-shredded cheese crisps up on top of the pie.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Saute the onions until soft.
Step 2: Mix the crushed Ritz crackers with the melted butter in a bowl.
Step 3: Spray a glass 9×9″ pie pan with nonstick spray. Press the Ritz cracker crust into the pie pan.
Step 4: In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, salt and pepper.
Step 5: Put your sauteed onions in your pie crust, then pour the half and half mixture over the top. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the entire pie.
Step 6: Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
Expert Tips
- Do not try to pre-assemble and bake later. It will make your crust soggy. For a crispy, delicious crust, bake right away.
- It is possible to use a pre-made crust for this recipe. I recommend pre-baking it before you add your filling so it can get nice and crispy. For a more traditional vidalia onion pie, make the cracker crust!
- Vidalia onions do contain a lot of moisture, so be sure and give them some time to drain after cooking and before adding to your pie crust.
How to Store Vidalia Onions
Vidalia onions are truly unique, so it should be no surprise that even storing them is different from usual onions.
Vidalia onions actually do best in the refrigerator and can be kept in the crisper drawer. Wrap them in plastic wrap or paper towels for even more protection from any moisture and they should stay good for several months.
If you prefer to store your onions at room temperature, you should hang them in a dry area. One trick is to slide the onions into a pair of pantyhose and tie a knot between each one to keep them from touching. When you are ready to use one, just cut it free.
If you want to save some vidalias to use past vidalia season, you can slice and freeze them. They are great in soups, stews, quiches and, of course, this onion pie!
FAQs
You can definitely make this ahead of time, but I would recommend keeping the elements separate and then baking just before serving. You can absolutely pre-bake and reheat slices to serve, but this dish is so good straight out of the oven when the crust is crispy and fresh.
You can also freeze this pie. Let it cool completely and cover individual slices in aluminum foil or plastic wrap before putting it in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
This Onion Pie Recipe is very versatile. You can enjoy it all on its own as breakfast or brunch, like you would a quiche, or you can serve it as a side dish with other Southern favorites.
Whenever you serve, serve it warm.
Did you enjoy this Onion Pie Recipe? If so, make sure to check out these other recipes I picked out just for you:
If you tried this Onion Pie Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Onion Pie
Equipment
- 9" Glass Pie Pan
Ingredients
Filling Ingredients
- 3 tbsp salted butter
- 6 cups sliced vidalia onion
- ¾ cup Half and Half
- 2 Eggs, slightly beaten
- ¾ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp black Pepper
- 1 cup Finely Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Crust Ingredients
- 40 Ritz Crackers, crushed
- 5 Tbsp butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large pan, melt the 3 tbsp of butter over medium-high heat.
- Add the sliced onions into the pan and saute over medium heat until the onions are softened but still have a bit of texture to them (about 10-12 minutes).
- Put the cooked onions in a colander over the sink and drain off any excess liquid.
- Pour the crushed ritz crackers into a bowl. Add the melted butter and use your hands to mix until combined. Then press the crust into the bottom and up the sides of a 9” glass pie pan.
- In a small bowl, beat together your eggs, half and half, salt and pepper.
- Put your sauteed onions in your pie crust, then pour the half and half mixture over the top. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the entire pie.
- Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
Notes
- Sliced Vidalia Onion: Vidalia onion season usually runs from about April through Labor Day. If you can’t find a bag of vidalia onions, you can make this recipe with regular sweet onions.
- Ritz Crackers: Ritz crackers are the base of the crust for this recipe. They add a delicious saltiness to the dish, but you could substitute a regular pie crust if you prefer.
- Half and Half: You could also use whole milk but I would not use any lower fat. You want it nice and creamy for the best flavor and texture. You can substitute heavy cream for an even richer flavor!
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar cheese provides great flavor to this dish. In most cases, I recommend shredding your own cheese rather than purchasing it pre-shredded. In this case, however, I like the way the super fine pre-shredded cheese crisps up on top of the pie.
- Do not try to pre-assemble and bake later. It will make your crust soggy. For a crispy, delicious crust, bake right away.
- It is possible to use a pre-made crust for this recipe. I recommend pre-baking it before you add your filling so it can get nice and crispy. For a more traditional vidalia onion pie, make the cracker crust!
- Vidalia onions do contain a lot of moisture, so be sure and give them some time to drain after cooking and before adding to your pie crust.
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