Description
Ina Garten’s creamed onions recipe delivers a luxurious side dish with pearl onions bathed in a rich, creamy sauce. Gentle seasoning and careful preparation make this classic companion an elegant addition to holiday tables that will delight dinner companions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups pearl onions (peeled)
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- ¼ cup (4 tbsps) butter
- ¼ cup quick-mixing flour (such as Wondra), or more as needed
- ¾ cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Blanching Onions: Submerge pearl onions in boiling, salted water and simmer for 6-8 minutes until tender, ensuring they maintain structural integrity without becoming waterlogged.
- Preparing Base: Drain onions while reserving cooking liquid, then return pan to low heat and melt butter, gently coating onions with rich, golden essence.
- Creating Cream Sauce: Whisk cold whole milk with quick-mixing flour until achieving a silky, homogeneous liquid without lumps or streaks.
- Developing Texture: Pour milk-flour mixture into onion pan, stirring consistently over medium-low heat to transform sauce into a luxurious, velvety consistency that gracefully envelops each onion.
- Seasoning and Finishing: Fine-tune salt levels through careful tasting, ensuring balanced flavor profile, then transfer creamy pearl onions to serving dish, presenting an elegant side that complements roasted proteins or traditional festive meals.
Notes
- Blanch for Perfection: Boil pearl onions exactly 6-8 minutes to achieve tender texture without turning mushy, ensuring ideal consistency.
- Butter Coating Technique: Gently swirl melted butter over drained onions to create a luxurious, even flavor distribution that enhances overall taste.
- Smooth Sauce Secret: Whisk milk and flour thoroughly before adding to prevent lumps, guaranteeing a silky, professional-grade cream sauce.
- Heat Management Matters: Maintain medium-low temperature while stirring consistently, allowing sauce to thicken without burning, which develops rich, complex flavors.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg