My Sweet Vidalia Onion Pie is a highlight of Vidalia season (April through early September.) It’s so easy to throw together and it keeps well in the fridge. We love it with a salad on the side and a glass of wine, it’s effortlessly elegant!
have you tasted a Vidalia onion? have you had a Vidalia onion pie?
If not, scroll on, dear reader!
- My favorite onion is this sweet variety only grown in certain parts of Georgia where the soil so low in sulfur it produces an extra mild and sweet onion. Vidalia onions are famous for being so sweet you can eat them like an apple!
- First discovered in the 1930s, Vidalia onions are becoming more popular and more available than ever. Look for them next to the regular onions in your supermarket. You can also order them online, just search Vidalia onions on google.
- My pie, which is based on a classic Southern dish, highlights these sweet onions like nothing else…they’re piled high inside a crust and baked up in a cheesy custard filling. So good.
- If you can’t find Vidalia onions, go with a generic sweet onion, that will work too!
shopping list for Vidalia onion pie
- Vidalia onions ~ you’ll need one medium to large onion (but I never buy just one Vidalia, I stock up on these gems!) If you can’t find Vidalia onions, use another sweet variety like Washington State Walla Wallas, Hawaiian Maui, or a generic sweet onion.
- a frozen pie crust ~ choose your favorite deep dish style.
- eggs
- whole milk or a mixture of milk and cream
- shredded sharp cheddar cheese ~ I prefer a sharp cheese, but something like a jalapeño jack would work well, too. Note: if you’re looking for a ‘zippy’ flavor, be sure to use an extra sharp cheese.
- onion salt
- black pepper
there’s no shame in a store bought crust
I love to use good quality frozen pie crusts when I make simple quiches and savory pies because they save so much effort and time. I often transfer the frozen crust out of its tin and into one of my own pie plates, not to fool anybody, but because it looks so much nicer.
You could also do a crumb crust for this pie, made with Ritz crackers: mix 1 1/2 cups Ritz crumbs with 4 tablespoons melted butter and pat it into your pie plate. Some like to pre bake the crust for a few minutes to set it. Be aware that this crust will be crumbly and not as structured (more of a free form experience,) but just as delicious.
how to keep your crust from sticking to the pie plate
- If you are transferring a store bought frozen crust from its tin into your own pie plate, butter your plate first, it will prevent it from sticking and allow you to lift out slices with ease.
- This trick works with homemade pie crusts as well.
to freeze your onion pie
Let your pie cool completely, then wrap it carefully in foil. Wrap it again in plastic or, if I have them around, I’ll slide it into a jumbo zip lock freezer bag.
Let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
how to store Vidalia onions ~ this is a surprise!
- Vidalia onions are unique in that you can store them in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator (don’t try this with regular onions.) Wrap them in plastic first, and they’ll keep for several months or more.
- You can freeze Vidalias, too. I like to peel and thinly slice them, then I lay them flat on a cookie sheet, and put in the freezer until frozen solid, about an hour. Then I’ll transfer to heavy duty freezer bags. They’ll last up to a year, so this way you can make my hot Vidalia Onion Dip for the holidays!
this savory onion pie is a staple in our house during Vidalia season.
It’s easy to make and always comes out perfectly. If you love a good quiche, then definitely try it. And don’t be afraid of the heavy onion presence…Vidalias and other sweet onions are super mild, they don’t contain the same level of bothersome sulfur compounds that other onions do, and won’t cause the same gastric issues in people sensitive to onions.
we’re loving on Vidalias…
- Quick Pickled Vidalia Onions
- Sweet Vidalia Onion Dip
- Creamy Vidalia Onion Dip
- Sweet Vidalia Onion Slaw
- Vidalia Onion Strings
- Vidalia Onion and Ham Quiche
Vidalia Onion Pie
Ingredients
- 1 deep dish frozen pie crust, do not thaw
- 1 medium Vidalia onion (substitute another sweet onion variety)
- 5 large eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup cream (omit the cream and use more milk if you prefer)
- 1 tsp onion salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, preferably white. I heap my measuring cup with the cheese.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F If you are transferring a frozen crust to your own pie plate, butter your pie plate first, then gently pry the frozen crust out of its tin.
- Peel and slice the onion 1/8 inch thick. I like to so with with a mandoline slicer to get them nice and thin. Cut most of the rings into halves or quarters, while leaving a few whole for topping the pie.
- Gently whisk the eggs to break them up, and whisk in the milk and cream. Season with onion salt and pepper.
- Spread the cheese out onto the pie crust, and then follow with most of the onions, reserving a few rings for the top.
- Pour the egg and cream mixture into the pie crust, it should just fill it to the top. Arrange a few whole onion slices over the top of the pie. Put the pie on a baking sheet, this makes it easier to transfer to the oven, and bake for about 55-60 minutes or until the pie is risen and golden brown. If your oven bakes unevenly, rotate the pie halfway through.
- I like to let the pie cool slightly and serve it nice and warm, but you can also enjoy it at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers, it reheats well in a low oven or in the microwave and makes a great breakfast 😉
Nutrition
This was such a delicious recipe! I loved the subtle sweetness of the Vidalia onions. I’m going to make another one to put in the freezer.
How do you get Vidalia onions in New Hampshire? Asking for myself since I live 30 minutes from Vidalia, GA.
I now live in Wisconsin Beth, but wherever I’ve lived recently the larger supermarkets seem to carry them. Vidalias are being exported in huge numbers these days all over the country!
I live in Nunavut Canada in the Arctic and the vidalia is a regular at our stores here.
That’s fascinating, they really are getting so popular!
I know this is a long shot question but do you happen to know what the internal temp should be when the pie is done? I always have a hard time with custards, knowing which jiggle is the right jiggle; using a thermometer is easier for me. 🙂
I’ve never used a thermometer for quiche but I believe if you get to 160F you’re good.
Excellent! It was so good. I would recommend making sure some egg mixture is over the full onion slices on top. They were chewy. This is a keeper. We’re trying the creamy lemon chicken with asparagus tomorrow.
All I could find at my store was 7″ regular depth pie crusts so I used this recipe and method and split the mixture between two shells. I baked at 350 for 50 minutes and they were perfect. Thanks for this!
Where is your nutritional data? Even just calories per serving which anyone should be able to provide. My grandmother was born in Georgia in 1898… she would make onion pie almost like this often. Always baked them in cast iron and told me once that if it’s not cooked in a wood oven “it’s just not the same.”
Stay safe.
Hi Brian, the nutritional data has been added for you 🙂
Do you taste the egg in this? Or is it just a binder?
It’s like a quiche, Tiara, so it has a custard texture and the onion flavor is predominant.
This was delicious! I tweaked it a bit based on what I had on hand: I didn’t have enough sharp cheddar so I used 1/3 c. sharp cheddar, 1/3 c. mozzarella, and 1/3 c. parm. I also added regular salt b/c I didn’t have any onion salt AND I added 1 t. of nutmeg. I used a deep-dish pie pan and it seemed very necessary because the batter filled the dish. My only complaint was the end result was a tiny bit bland, so next time I will add some garlic powder and maybe some onion powder. (I know, onion powder in an onion pie? But more surprising additions have happened in recipes.) All in all, it’s a keeper because it smells heavenly while it’s baking as well as when a slice is reheated and because the ingredients are relatively inexpensive and easy-to-find.
I have been searching for an onion pie recipe and your recipe sounds like the perfect one. I do have a question pertaining to the frozen pie crust. You mentioned using a deep dish frozen pie crust. I have to eat gluten free and I have found an amazing gf frozen pie crust however they are not deep dish. They’re 9” crusts. Would they work? Would it fit or should I maybe split it into two crusts?
You should be fine Sarah, my crust wasn’t super deep. You might need slightly less onion, and as you pour your liquid in, just make sure you don’t overflow your crust. You might have a bit leftover.