Featuring sliced onions that are seasoned and topped with butter and three types of cheese, Tennessee Onions are a fantastic side dish next to steak, chicken, or pork, or as a burger topping or even on toast!
If you’ve never tried Tennesse onions before, you are in for a treat! Rounds of sweet Vidalia onions are topped with three types of cheese then baked until bubbly and gooey. So good. They can be enjoyed as a side dish, as a condiment on a burger, or atop grilled steak or baked chicken breast.
Like onion rings, I’ve discovered that these are a dish that even some onion haters end up loving. Cheese and butter really does make everything better!
What Are Tennessee Onions?
Tennessee onions are a popular Southern dish featuring sweet onions topped with a buttery sauce and lots of cheese. They can be served as a side, an appetizer, or a condiment and are popular at potlucks.
What’s in This Tennessee Onions Recipe?
Here’s an overview of what you’ll need to make these cheesy onions. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Sweet onions – See note below.
- Butter – Helps create the sauce on the onions. Salted or unsalted both work here, though if you use salted you may want to add less salt to the recipe.
- Spices – Coarse salt, garlic powder, oregano, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper season the onions.
- Cheese – Mozzarella, cheddar, and parmesan. It’s best to use freshly shredded cheese in this recipe.
What Onions Should I Use?
Tennessee onions are traditionally made with Vidalia sweet onions. However, if you can’t find Vidalia onions, other varieties of sweet onions will work too. Maui, Walla Walla, and Texas Sweet are all good options.
Tips & Variations
- Slice evenly. Try to slice the onion rounds as evenly as possible, right around 1/4-inch thick. If they are much thicker, they can take longer to cook.
- Separate the onion rounds. Don’t just place several rounds of onions in the pan together. You need to pull them apart for even cooking.
- Adjust the seasonings. Feel free to play around with different seasonings for these onions. Oregano, thyme, and parsley are all other good options.
- Try different cheeses. Adding a variety of cheeses is key to adding depth to the flavor profile of this dish. But don’t feel like you have to limit yourself to the 3 that I use. Gruyere, Monterey Jack, gouda, and others could all work.
Serving Suggestions
Tennessee onions are fun because they can be either a side dish or a condiment. Serve them as a cheesy side dish with main courses like steak bites and potatoes, slow cooker whole chicken, or air fryer pork chops. They’re also a great dish to serve at potlucks. Another option is to add them to your burgers and sandwiches or even toast.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil or transfer the onions to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. Reheat the baking dish at 350F for 10 minutes or until hot. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave.
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Tennessee Onions
Ingredients
- 3-4 sweet onions (such as Vidalia), peeled, ends trimmed
- 4 tablespoons butter , sliced into 8 pats
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt , or to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Slice the onions into 1/4-inch thick rounds, then separate the rings and spread them evenly in the prepared dish.
- Combine the seasonings and sprinkle over the onions.
- Evenly add the pats of butter across the seasoned onions.
- Sprinkle all three cheeses evenly over the onion rings, in the order listed.
- Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes until the cheese is browned and bubbling (if at this point the onions aren't as soft as you'd like them, cover the casserole with foil and place back in the oven for another 15 minutes or so.)
- Serve hot and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Other Notes
How To Make Tennessee Onions
You might be surprised at just how easy these onions are to make. You can find the printable version of the complete instructions and video in the recipe card above.
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F. Coat the baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Add the onions. Slice the onions into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Separate the rings and spread them evenly in the dish.
- Assemble. Combine the seasonings and sprinkle them over the onions. Place the pats of butter evenly across the onions. Top with a layer of each of the cheeses.
- Bake. Bake the onions for 35-40 minutes, until the cheese is browned and bubbling. Check their doneness and if you’d like them softer, cover the casserole with foil and place back in the oven for another 15 minutes or so.
This was a delicious side with grilled steaks! I melted the butter and mixed it with the onions. Then I sprinkled the seasoning on the buttery onions. At the end of baking, I broiled them so the cheese would be brown and caramelized. Another great recipe from Bellyfull. Thank you!!!