Last summer at my cousin's BBQ in Nashville, she made these onions as a side dish. Didn't look like much - just onions in a pan covered in cheese. I almost didn't try them because who gets excited about onions as a side? Liam grabbed some because he eats anything with cheese. Had one bite and went back for seconds. Then thirds. I finally tried them and got why he kept going back. Sweet onions all caramelized, cheese melted everywhere, butter soaking into the whole thing. My cousin saw me on my third helping and said "Those are Tennessee onions - I've made them for like ten years." Asked for the recipe.
Why You'll Love These Tennessee Onions
Most people think of onions as something you throw into other food, not the food itself. These are different though. The onions get so sweet and soft when they bake that they stop tasting like normal onions. Almost like caramel but without standing at a stove stirring for an hour. Just slice them, throw them in a pan with butter and cheese, stick it in the oven.
Liam used to hate onions. Wouldn't eat them. Picked them out of everything. Then he had these at my cousin's place and now he bugs me to make them. Still won't eat raw onions or onions in anything else, but he'll eat a whole bowl of these. My husband was like that too. Told me his entire life he doesn't like onions. Ate half a pan of Tennessee onions at our last cookout and didn't know what he was eating until I said something after.Also really easy to make. Five ingredients, maybe ten minutes of work, then the oven does it all. Made these last Wednesday with burgers and people acted like I'd worked hard on them.
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Ingredients For Tennessee Onions
Main Ingredients:
- 3-4 large sweet onions
- ½ cup melted butter
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Optional Add-Ins:
- Italian seasoning
- Red pepper flakes if you like heat
- Fresh parsley for topping
How to Make Tennessee Onions Step by Step
Prep the Onions:
Heat your oven to 350°F. Peel the onions and slice them into thick rings, maybe half an inch. Don't go too thin or they turn to mush. Don't go too thick or they don't cook all the way. Separate the rings and spread them in a 9x13 baking dish. Don't worry about making it look perfect, just get them in there.
Add the Butter and Seasonings:
Pour the melted butter over all the onions. Sprinkle the garlic powder, salt, and pepper over everything. If you're using Worcestershire sauce, drizzle it on now. Toss it all around with your hands or tongs so the onions get coated. They should look shiny from the butter.
Add the Cheese:
Dump the mozzarella and parmesan on top. Cover the whole thing. Don't be shy with the cheese - more is better here. The cheese melts down into the onions while baking and that's what makes them good.
Bake:
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Take the foil off and bake another 10-15 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly. The onions should be really soft when you poke them with a fork.
Serve:
Let them sit for 5 minutes before serving or everyone burns their mouth on hot cheese. Sprinkle with fresh parsley if you want to make them look fancy.
Storage Tips
In the Fridge (3-4 days):
- Let cool completely before covering
- Store in airtight container or cover pan with foil
- Reheat in 350°F oven for 15 minutes or microwave
- Cheese might separate slightly but still tastes fine
Freezing (Not Recommended):
- Onions get watery and weird when frozen
- Cheese texture changes and gets grainy
- Tried this once and regretted it
- Just make fresh instead
Make-Ahead Tips:
- Slice onions and prep everything day before
- Store sliced onions in fridge in sealed container
- Assemble and bake day of serving
- Don't bake ahead - tastes best fresh from oven
Reheating:
- Oven at 350°F for 15-20 minutes until hot
- Microwave works but cheese doesn't get as melty
- Add extra cheese on top before reheating if it looks dry
- Cover with foil so top doesn't burn
Tennessee Onions Variations
Tennessee Onions Casserole:
- Add 2 cups cooked rice to bottom of pan before onions
- Layer onions and cheese on top of rice
- Bake same way but add 10 minutes to time
- Turns it into a full side dish instead of just onions
Loaded Tennessee Onions:
- Add crumbled cooked bacon between cheese layers
- Top with sour cream after baking
- Sprinkle with green onions
- Basically onion rings meet loaded baked potato
BBQ Style:
- Brush onions with BBQ sauce before adding cheese
- Use smoked cheddar instead of mozzarella
- Add pulled pork on top after baking
- Perfect for cookouts and summer parties
Italian Version:
- Add sliced tomatoes between onion layers
- Use Italian seasoning and basil
- Top with fresh mozzarella instead of shredded
- Drizzle with balsamic after baking
Equipment For Tennessee Onions
- 9x13 baking dish (glass or metal both work)
- Sharp knife for slicing onions
- Cutting board
- Aluminum foil
- Measuring cups and spoons
Substitutions
Onion Options:
- Vidalia onions → Walla Walla onions (just as sweet)
- Sweet onions → Yellow onions (sharper taste, not ideal)
- Fresh onions → Frozen pearl onions (faster prep)
- Large onions → Bag of pre-sliced onions (saves time)
Cheese Swaps:
- Mozzarella → Provolone (smokier flavor)
- Parmesan → Asiago (nuttier taste)
- Both cheeses → All cheddar (sharper, less traditional)
- Regular cheese → Smoked mozzarella (BBQ flavor)
Butter Alternatives:
- Butter → Margarine (cheaper, less flavor)
- Regular butter → Garlic butter (more garlic punch)
- All butter → Half olive oil (lighter)
- Plain butter → Herb butter (fancier)
Seasoning Changes:
- Garlic powder → Fresh minced garlic (stronger)
- Worcestershire → Soy sauce (different umami)
- Italian seasoning → Cajun spice (southern twist)
- Plain → Add bacon bits (everything's better with bacon)
Top Tip
- Slice Them the Same Size: Cut the onion rings about half an inch thick. All of them the same. Too thin and they turn to mush. Too thick and they don't cook. First batch I made, I just cut them randomly - some thin, some thick. Thin ones burned black while thick ones were still raw. Now I actually try to make them even. Takes longer but they all cook right.
- Use All the Butter: Don't cut back on the butter even though it looks like too much. That's what makes the onions sweet and caramelized instead of just wet and steamed. Tried using half the butter once to be healthier. The onions were dry and tasted like nothing. Not doing that again.
- Wait Before Eating: Let them sit 5 minutes after you pull them out. That cheese is crazy hot straight from the oven. Liam burned his mouth twice because he wouldn't wait. Now he learned. Those 5 minutes also let everything settle instead of just being hot cheese liquid.
FAQ
What to eat with Tennessee onions?
Pretty much anything you'd serve at a cookout or BBQ. They go great with burgers, ribs, pulled pork, grilled chicken, steak. I've also served them with meatloaf and pot roast for regular dinners. They're rich and cheesy so pair them with simple grilled meat instead of something else that's already heavy. Liam eats them with hot dogs. My husband eats them with whatever's on his plate. They're not picky about what they go with.
Why is it called Tennessee onions?
No clue honestly. My cousin in Nashville makes them and said everyone down there knows what they are. I've asked a few people and nobody knows where the name came from or who started it. Just one of those regional dishes that got named after the place. Like Nashville hot chicken or Memphis BBQ. Probably someone in Tennessee made them first and it stuck.
What is a popular side dish in Tennessee?
Besides these onions? Mac and cheese, collard greens, cornbread, baked beans, coleslaw. Lot of southern comfort food stuff. Tennessee Onions isn't that different from the rest of the South when it comes to sides. Everything's rich and usually involves butter or cheese or both. These onions fit right in with that whole vibe.
What to do with a bag of Vidalia onions?
Make these Tennessee onions obviously. But also caramelize them for burgers, slice them for salads, pickle them, make onion soup, grill them, roast them with other vegetables. Vidalia onions are sweet so they work in pretty much anything where you want onion flavor without the sharp bite. I buy a big bag when they're in season and just use them for everything instead of regular onions.
Just Make These Onions Already
So that's everything about Tennessee onions after I've made them maybe thirty or forty times by now. They work for summer cookouts, Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner, potlucks at work, or just random Tuesday nights when you need a side dish that doesn't require thinking. Nobody ever gets mad about having onions when they're swimming in melted cheese and butter. Even people who say they don't like onions eat these because they stop tasting like regular onions once they bake down all sweet and soft.
If you want more recipes that don't eat up your whole day, try our Easy French Dip Biscuits Recipe ready in 30 minutes - this is what I make when I realize at 5pm I have nothing for dinner and people are coming over. Our Easy Salted Honey Pie Recipe looks and tastes like you bought it from some expensive bakery but costs like eight bucks to make at home. And our Easy Buffalo Chicken Lasagna is what I do when I want comfort food but I'm bored of regular lasagna that tastes the same as everyone else's.
Make these Tennessee onions and tell me how it goes. I actually read all the comments, even the ones that are just people saying it looks good.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rate this Tennessee Onions if you make it!
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Tennessee Onions
Tennessee Onions
Equipment
- 1 9x13 inch baking dish (Glass or metal both work)
- 1 Sharp knife (For slicing onions evenly)
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Foil (To cover dish while baking)
- 1 Measuring cups/spoons (For ingredients and seasonings)
Ingredients
- 3-4 large Sweet onions - Vidalia or Walla Walla work best
- ½ cup Butter - Melted
- 2 cups Mozzarella cheese - Shredded
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese - Grated
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper - Freshly ground
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce - Optional but adds flavor
- Italian seasoning - Optional
- Red pepper flakes - Optional, for heat
- Fresh parsley - Optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Peel and slice onions into ½-inch rings. Separate and layer them in a 9x13 baking dish.
- Pour melted butter over onions. Sprinkle garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add Worcestershire sauce if using. Toss gently to coat.
- Spread mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over onions. Cover completely for a rich, cheesy layer.
- Cover dish with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes until onions start to soften.
- Remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.
- Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley if desired.
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