Southern Vidalia Onion Casserole (2024)

Sweet Vidalia onions are the star of this tasty Southern casserole. SouthernVidalia Onion Casserole bakes up creamy, cheesy, and loaded with sweet onion flavor. It's a perfect down-home side to pair with Easter dinner ham, pork chops, a juicy steak, or even those summer burgers.
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You know, we tend to think of onions in a flavor-boosting supporting role when we cook. But they can sure be a superstar in their own right, too.

I must admit whenever I make a dish that places onions in the starring role, I wonder why I don't do it more often. Sides like boiled onions, baked onions, and creamed pearl onion gratin are some of our absolute favorites. And when it comes to parties and game-day snacking? -- Hot onion souffle dip just can't be beat.

Vidalia onions do a fabulous job in the starring role of this cheesy Southern casserole.

And it's no different with this Southern Vidalia Onion Casserole. -- Those onions do a fabulous job in the starring role of this creamy cheesy casserole.

Vidalia onions are a specific variety of sweet onions, grown only in the state of Georgia. It's said that the lower sulfur level in Georgia's soil where the onions are grown is what produced the milder, sweeter onions that came to be known as Vidalias.

That being said, other varieties of sweet onions such as Walla Walla or Texas Spring can absolutely be used in their place in this casserole. And in a pinch if you don't mind a more pungent onion flavor, you could use regular yellow onions as well. -- The flavor just won't be as mildly-onion.

This Vidalia Onion Casserole bakes up into a creamy, cheesy tender onion filling topped with buttery cracker topping. It's loaded with fabulous onion goodness that's not at all harsh or biting in flavor.

To create the casserole's tender onion texture, the Vidalia onions are sliced in slivers to keep them somewhat substantial in size without being too big to cook up nice and soft.

Vidalia onions are sliced in slivers to keep them somewhat substantial in size without being too big to cook up nice and soft.

The onion slivers are then simmered for a few minutes to pre-cook them before being mixed into the casserole's filling.

To slice an onion in slivers, start by cutting off both the root and stem ends. Then cut the onion in half, cutting through the just-removed ends. Peel off the outer skin.

Set each half, cut-side down, on a cutting board. Then, cutting through the removed ends, slice the onion halves into slivers.

The slivers should be about 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch thick.

For this recipe, slice up 4 large Vidalia onions. So you'll end up with a pretty good-sized pile of onion slivers.

To pre-cook the onions, place the slivers in a saucepan and add water to just barely cover the onions.Bring the pot to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer the onions for 8 minutes. Then drain them very well.

While the onions are still hot, toss them with a couple tablespoons of butter.

Then mix the cooked drained onions with evaporated milk, beaten eggs, some crumbled Ritz crackers, shredded cheddar cheese, and a little touch of salt and pepper.