Pearl Onions
Pearl onions are small, marble-sized onions with a sweet, mild flavor, best known for their role in classic French braises and American holiday side dishes.
How to buy
Fresh pearl onions should feel firm with dry, papery skin and no soft spots or sprouting. Frozen peeled pearl onions are a convenient shortcut that skips the fussy peeling step, and jarred cocktail onions are a pickled variation sold ready to eat.
How to store
Store fresh pearl onions in a cool, dry, well-ventilated spot, where they'll keep for a few weeks much like regular onions. Frozen pearl onions keep for several months in the freezer and can be cooked straight from frozen.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Sweeter and milder than regular onions, especially once braised or glazed, when their natural sugars caramelize into a rich, almost candy-like flavor.
- Texture
- Firm and crisp raw, pearl onions turn tender and silky once braised, while holding their small, round shape better than chopped onion.
- Aroma
- A mild, sweet onion smell, less sharp than a regular onion, that turns richer and more caramelized once cooked.
How to prepare
- Peeled and blanched — Briefly boiled to loosen the skins, which slip off easily afterward.
- Braised — Simmered slowly in stock or wine until tender, often alongside meat.
- Glazed — Cooked in butter and sugar until coated in a sweet, glossy glaze.
- Pickled — Preserved whole in vinegar brine, eaten cold as a tangy garnish or snack.
Classic dishes
American
- Creamed pearl onions — A classic Thanksgiving side of pearl onions in a rich, buttery cream sauce.
- Beef stew with pearl onions — A hearty stew where pearl onions cook alongside carrots and chunks of beef.
- Steakhouse balsamic-glazed pearl onions — A modern steakhouse side of pearl onions glazed in balsamic vinegar and butter.
- Gibson cocktail — A classic gin martini variation garnished with a pickled pearl onion instead of an olive.
- Green bean casserole with pearl onions — A holiday casserole where pearl onions add sweetness alongside green beans and a creamy sauce.
French
- Boeuf bourguignon — A slow-braised beef stew where pearl onions simmer alongside mushrooms and red wine.
- Coq au vin — A braised chicken dish featuring pearl onions cooked low and slow in wine and stock.
- Petits oignons glacés — Pearl onions glazed in butter and a touch of sugar until tender and glossy.
- Blanquette de veau — A creamy French veal stew where pearl onions add sweetness to the pale, delicate sauce.
- Navarin of lamb — A French lamb stew featuring pearl onions among the classic spring vegetables.
Mediterranean
- Roasted pearl onions — Pearl onions roasted whole with olive oil and herbs until caramelized.
Spanish
- Braised rabbit with pearl onions — A Spanish braise where pearl onions and garlic flavor tender, slow-cooked rabbit.
German
- Sauerbraten with pearl onions — A tangy German pot roast often simmered with pearl onions alongside the braising liquid.
British & Irish
- Pickled cocktail onions — Small pearl onions pickled in vinegar, served as a pub snack or cocktail garnish.
- British beef and ale stew — A rich pub-style stew where pearl onions soften alongside beef braised in ale.