Old Fashioned Vidalia Onion Pie Recipe (2024)

By: Author Julia Jordan

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In this post you’ll learn to make an Old Fashioned Vidalia Onion Pie Recipe.


Have you ever had onion pie?It is so delicious y’all! This old school recipe has been around a while…we’re talking centuries. There are a few variations but this is the simple classic recipe.

An onion pie is basically an onion quiche. It’s creamy in texture and savory. If it is your first time having a bite…you may be surprised at how amazing something consisting of a lot of onion is so darn good.

It doesn’t hurt if you use the famous sweet onion of the South, Vidalia onions, which hail from Georgia. Vidalia onions work perfectly in this recipe and that is why I wait til Vidalia season each year to bake up this cheese and onion pie.

Some of the colonial versions of an onion pie also had apples and potatoes in the pie mix. Today folks may choose to use different types of cheese or what have you.

Lastly, you have the option of using a pie crust or making a crust from saltine cracker crumbs. Both are delicious so you can’t go wrong either way.

Old School Cheese and Onion Pie

Old Fashioned Vidalia Onion Pie Recipe (1)

This recipe has been handed down to me from generations ago. It is so old that one of the ingredients is scalded milk. They used to scald milk for recipes before the days of pasteurization and such to kill any possible bacteria. We don’t have to bother with that step these days.

I do choose to use raw milk for my family but the way the dairy operation works in a sanitary milking facility make that quite safe today. Still, there is no need to scald the milk that I use.

Caramelized Onion Pie

The recipe for an onion pie is really easy but there is one step that takes a little bit of time….sauteing the onions. You don’t have to stand over them or anything the entire time but they do require stirring every few minutes.

The onions will cook for about 40 minutes until they turn golden, or you can choose to cook them longer until they are richer in a caramel color.

What do you need to make an onion pie?Vidalia onions, a pie shell, butter, Swiss cheese, flour, eggs, milk and a few seasonings.

It’s completely optional but since I have fresh chives in my herb garden, they’re a perfect garnish for this recipe. I also like a few dashes of hot sauce on my slice of onion pie. MMM mmm mmm.

I’ll share everything in the printable recipe card further down along with all of the steps, including the optional cracker crumb crust.

Vidalia and Swiss Cheese Pie

Old Fashioned Vidalia Onion Pie Recipe (3)

More recipes that you might enjoy: Breakfast BLT , Ham Egg and Cheese Cups, or Broccoli and Cheese Quiche.

If you happen to have leftovers of this onion pie, they can be covered and stored in the refrigerator up to three days. A cut slice warms nicely in the microwave. The taste and quality aren’t compromised in the least.

Let’s make this Old Fashioned Vidalia Onion Pie Recipe!

Yield: 1 Pie

Delicious old fashioned onion and cheese pie, made with sweet Vidalia onions is perfect for brunch or supper.

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time1 hour 20 minutes

Total Time1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 Store Bought Pie Crust (optional cracker crumb crust in note section)

Filling

  • 3 c Vidalia Onion, diced (1.5 to 2 onions)
  • 1/4 c Butter
  • 8 oz Swiss Cheese, freshly grated
  • 1 tbs Flour
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 3 Eggs, beaten well
  • 1 c Whole Milk

Instructions

  1. Saute the onions in butter over medium low heat, stirring constantly until golden brown. This will take 40 to 45 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F
  3. Use a slotted spoon to drain and remove the cooked onions and transfer them into the pie shell.
  4. Line a baking sheet and place the pie pan on the baking sheet to help with transferring in and out of the oven.
  5. In a mixing bowl, combine the cheese, flour and seasonings together.
  6. In a measuring cup, whisk the eggs together with the milk then pour it into the cheese mixture and stir to combine.
  7. Pour the egg and cheese mixture into the pie shell. Gently move the onions around so the custard filling mixture is well combined.
  8. Bake for 40 minutes, or until golden brown and set.

Notes

Optional Cracker Crumb Crust

Mix 1 cup of Saltine cracker crumbs (or cracker crumbs of choice) with 1/4 c butter and press into a 9" pie pan.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1 Slice

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 304Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 501mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 11g

Classic Onion Pie

Old Fashioned Vidalia Onion Pie Recipe (5)

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You can also see this recipe shared at Food Friday, Weekend Potluck and Meal Plan Monday.

Old Fashioned Vidalia Onion Pie Recipe

Author of Julia's Simply Southern

Old Fashioned Vidalia Onion Pie Recipe (6)

About Julia

Hey Y'all! I'm Julia, the cook and writer behind the recipes here at Julia's Simply Southern. I began my website so that I could share easy to follow recipes that anyone can use to put a home cooked meal on the dinner table. Thanks so much for stopping by!

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Old Fashioned Vidalia Onion Pie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the closest onion to Vidalia? ›

Vidalia Onion Substitute

If you can't get your hands on Vidalia onions, you can use any type of sweet onion instead. For instance, Walla Walla and Maui are both perfectly acceptable alternatives.

How long will Vidalia onions keep? ›

The key to preserving Vidalias is to keep them cool, dry, and separated. When stored properly, our Vidalias can last as long as 1-2 months on the counter, or 3-6 months when placed into refrigerator veggie bin (mentioned below).

What onion is the sweetest? ›

Sweet Onions – Walla Walla and Vidalia are the most common kinds of sweet onions. These onions lack the sharp, astringent taste of other onions and really do taste sweet.

Can you freeze chopped Vidalia onions? ›

Ways to preserve Vidalias for cooking:

Store at room temperature in airtight containers. Chopped and frozen. Chop onions evenly, spread on a cookie sheet, then place in freezer. Once completely frozen, remove and seal in freezer safe containers or bags.

Which is sweeter, Vidalia or Walla Walla? ›

And the Walla Walla soil and growing conditions give that onion a more complex flavor profile "that tells you that this is an onion," he says. The Vidalia may be milder or sweeter, but to Dean, flavor makes the winner. Ultimately, it may be availability that dictates which onion you buy.

Which state produces the most Vidalia onions? ›

Arguably Georgia's most famous agricultural product, the sweet Vidalia Onion has its roots deep in Tattnall County's soil with more than half the annual crop coming from our county and the nation's largest grower, packer and shipper of sweet onions headquartered in Glennville.

Do onions last longer in the fridge or on the counter? ›

Store in a Cool, Dry Place

For this reason, he says it's best to store onions in a cool, dry place like a cellar, pantry, or even a garage. While they can be stored whole in the fridge, Yee notes that this causes the onion to convert starch to sugar, and can result in soft or soggy onions.

Is it too late to plant Vidalia onions? ›

Vidalia onions are grown over a long season. Growers begin growing transplants in the fall and aren't finished with the crop until late spring the following year. If you didn't start your seed last fall, don't worry.

Should I refrigerate Vidalia onions? ›

The best way to preserve Vidalia onions and other sweet onions: Store them in a place that's cool and dry and keep the onions separated. You can store your Vidalias in the refrigerator, wrapping each in a paper towel. Treated that way, they can last up to a year.

What is the healthiest onion? ›

Red onions

All types of onions are good for you, but this dark reddish-purple variety, sometimes called purple onion, has especially high levels of quercetin and other helpful plant compounds known as flavonoids. Flavonoids give many fruits, vegetables, and flowers their colors.

Which onion is best for hair growth? ›

Red onion. Yes, Red onion. Red onions have numerous benefits for your hair like growth, hair loss control and lots more. You are probably wondering how an onion – a common kitchen staple – can be used in hair and can in fact, be beneficial.

What is the tastiest onion? ›

Vidalia, Walla Walla, Cipollini varieties are inherently sweet onions. These varieties have become extremely popular and for good reason. They are good cooked but they are very mild and are excellent eaten raw. These varieties of onion have a thinner husk and therefore don't store as well as wintering onions.

Do onions get mushy after freezing? ›

Frozen onions lose their crunch, so raw dishes won't be good or appropriate. And don't try to caramelize them after they've been frozen – they won't brown like fresh onions will, as the extra moisture will prevent them from doing so.

Where should you store Vidalia onions? ›

Store them in the refrigerator, wrapped separately in a paper towel. This method is expensive and takes up precious refrigerator space, but can preserve Vidalia Onions for as long as a year. Store them in the legs of clean, sheer pantyhose.

Should onions be frozen whole or chopped? ›

Chopping onions in advance and freezing them will save you meal prep time, especially when preparing a weeknight dinner. You can buy a bag of onions in bulk at the grocery store and chop and freeze them for future use in soups, stews, ground meat mixtures, and stir fry.

What is the same as Vidalia onions? ›

Vidalia and Texas sweet onions are both types of sweet onions that are known for their mild flavor and are popular in many recipes. However, there are some differences between the two. The most significant difference between Vidalia and Texas sweet onions is their place of origin.

Are white onions and Vidalia onions the same? ›

Sweet onions, like Maui and Vidalia, are technically white onions - but they have a much higher sugar content, and a lower sulphur content, so they don't have that sharp bite to them. They often have a limited season, from spring to summer, so it's always great to pick up a few when they're available.

Why can't I find Vidalia onions? ›

Vidalia onion season typically runs from the middle of April through early September. You can count on onion availability in early spring; how long they'll be in the stores is totally dependent on each year's crop. With fewer onions harvested, you may have trouble finding them in the stores come August.

Can you substitute Vidalia onion for yellow onion? ›

Can you substitute a sweet onion, such as a Vidalia, for a regular yellow onion in a recipe? You can, but you'll probably need to cook the onions slightly longer because sweet varieties (such as Vidalias, Walla Wallas, and Texas Spring Sweet) have a naturally higher water content.

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