Vidalias are a great complement to most recipes, lending a distinctive sweet flavor. To use on sandwiches, in salads or to eat raw, place a whole, raw, unpeeled Vidalia in the refrigerator and chill for approximately an hour before serving. You can also peel and cut into slices and place in a bowl of ice water for approximately 30 minutes and then drain on paper towels. Either of these methods will help bring out a sweeter flavor.
Baked Vidalia Onion
To bake a Vidalia onion, peel, then cut off the top and bottom to make it sit flat. Place a pat of butter on top, and microwave for 7 minutes on high, or wrap securely in foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until tender.
Vidalia® Sweet Onion Recipes
Burgers with Grilled Vidalia® Onions
Caesar Steak & Vidalia® Onion Kabobs
Vidalia® Onion Baked Beans
RealSweet® Potato Salad
Vidalia® Sweet Onion and Vegetable Salad
Vidalia® Onion & Cheese Quesadillas
Hot Vidalia® Onion Relish
Vidalia® Onion, Lump Blue Crabmeat & Tomato Salad
Steakhouse Style Bloomin' Vidalia® Onion
Marinated Vegetables Vidalia®
Grilled Vidalia® Onion & Pepper Pasta
Budweiser Grilled Snapper
Chicken Vidalia®
Vidalia® Onion Roll-ups a Lasagne
Burgers with Grilled Vidalia® Onions
- 1-1/2 lbs. ground beef
- 1 lg. Vidalia® onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices
- Vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper
- 4 hamburger buns, split
- Lettuce leaves
- Tomato slices
- Shape ground beef into four 3/4-inch thick patties. Brush onion slices with oil.
- Grill patties and onion slices, uncovered, 13 to 15 minutes to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally. Grill onions, 10 to 12 minutes or until tender, brushing with oil, turn occasionally.
- Season burgers and onions with salt and pepper as desire
- Line bottom of each bun with lettuce. Place burgers on top of lettuce. Top with tomatoes and grilled onions. Close bun.
Recipe and photo courtesy of The Beef Checkoff.
Makes 4 servings.
Caesar Steak & Vidalia® Onion Kabobs
- 1 lb. boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut 1-in. thick
- 4 sm. red potatoes, cut into quarters
- 1 med. red bell pepper, cut into 1-in. pieces
- 1 med. Vidalia® onion, cut into 1-in. pieces
- ½ c. non-creamy Caesar dressing
- Salt & pepper
- Cook potatoes in microwave-safe dish (with vented plastic wrap) on HIGH 6-8 mins. until potatoes are tender, stir once. Cool slightly.
- Cut beef into 1-1/4-in. pieces. Combine beef, potatoes, bell pepper and onion in lg. bowl. Drizzle all but 2 Tbsp. of the dressing; toss to coat. Alternate beef & vegetable pieces onto 8 metal skewers.
- Grill kabobs 10-12 mins., turn occasionally. Add salt & pepper to taste. Drizzle kabobs with remaining 2 Tbsp. dressing.
Recipe and photo courtesy of The Beef Checkoff.
Makes 4 servings (2 skewers per serving).
Vidalia® Onion Baked Beans
- 1 Lg. can Country Style baked beans, drain some of juice
- ½ med. Vidalia® onion, diced/minced
- 2-1/2 Tbsp. BBQ sauce
- 2 tsp. Worschtershire sauce
- 1-1/4 Tbsp. steak sauce
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 4 pieces bacon, cut in ½ inch pieces
- Combine baked beans, onions, BBQ sauce, Worschtershire sauce, ketchup and brown sugar in a casserole dish. Cover top of mixture with bacon pieces.
- Bake at 400 degrees for approx. 1 hour or until dark and thick.
RealSweet® Potato Salad
- 2 lbs. sm. red potatoes
- 1-1 1/2 c. Vidalia® onion, chopped
- 6-8 bacon slices
- 1 c. ranch dressing
- 1/2 c. sour cream
- 1/2 c. mayonnaise
- 1 tsp. dry mustard
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Parsley
- Cut red potatoes into quarters; cook in boiling salted water for 25-30 mins. until tender; drain well. Cook bacon until crispy; crumble.
- In lg. bowl, combine ranch dressing, sour cream and mayonnaise. Add potatoes, bacon, sweet onion, dry mustard and salt & pepper to taste. Add parsley to garnish.
Vidalia Sweet Onion and Vegetable Salad
- 1 (16 oz) package whole kernel corn, cooked and drained
- 3/4 cup fresh diced tomatoes
- 3/4 cup fresh diced green bell peppers
- 1 cup fresh diced REALSWEET® Vidalia onions
- Mayonnaise
Stir together all ingredients except mayonnaise in large bowl. Stir in just enough mayonnaise to coat mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Serve Cold
Serves 6
Vidalia Onion & Cheese Quesadillas
Sweet Vidalia Onions and cheese make the perfect partners for a satisfying snack or quick and easy lunch.
- 1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
- 1 Vidalia Onion, Sliced
- 6 Small flour tortillas
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
- 1/3 cup finely diced red pepper
- 24 cilantro (coriander) leaves
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat, sauté onion until softened. Lay tortillas on work surface; sprinkle half of cheese on half of each tortilla. Divide onions evenly among tortillas; placing over cheese. Top with red pepper and cilantro. Sprinkle remaining cheese over cilantro leaves. Fold plain half over filling; press down gently. Heat large, lightly greased, non-stick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Place folded quesadillas in hot pan; cook until golden brown, turn and cook other side. Remove from pan; cut each into 3 triangles. Serve warm.
Makes 18 quesadillas.
Hot Vidalia Onion Relish
The sweet, hot relish is a must on every picnic menu. It's delicious served with grilled chicken, meat or pork. If you like it hot, add extra cayenne.
- 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 Vidalia Onion, diced
- 1/4 each: red and green bell pepper, diced
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
- 1 Tbsp. lime juice
- 1 tsp. chopped fresh mint
- 1/2 tsp. honey
- 1/4 tsp. each: salt and cayenne pepper
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sauté onion and peppers until wilted slightly and onions become translucent. Stir in cayenne pepper. Serve warm.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups relish
Vidalia® Onion, Lump Blue Crabmeat & Tomato Salad
- 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- Pinch salt
- Pinch pepper
- 1 medium Vidalia Onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 small cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 medium vine-ripe red tomato, diced
- 1 medium vine-ripe yellow tomato, diced
- 12 ounces fresh blue lump crabmeat, picked over to remove
shell fragments - 1/4 cup virgin olive oil
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- 4 basil leaves, julienned
In a large bowl combine vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Add Vidalia Onion and cucumber slices to vinegar mixture, toss to coat. Marinate for 1 to 2 hours. Add tomatoes, crabmeat, olive oil, scallions and basil. Toss gently and adjust seasoning. To serve, divide salad among four chilled plates.
Makes 4 servings.
Steakhouse Style Bloomin' Vidalia Onion
- 1/3 C. Cornstarch
- 1 1/2 C. Flour
- 2 tsp. Garlic -- minced
- 2 tsp. Paprika
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 2 tsp. Pepper
- 1 cup (plus*) Beer
- 4 Vidalia Onions
*(Start with 1 cup of beer, and add until you get the batter to the consistency that you desire)
Seasoned Flour
- 2 C. Flour
- 4 tsp. Paprika
- 2 tsp. Garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. Pepper
- 1/2 Cayenne pepper
Combine and mix well.
Mix cornstarch, flour, and seasonings until well blended. Add beer, mix well. Cut about 3/4" off top of onion and peel. Cut into onion 12 to 16 vertical wedges but do not cut through bottom root end. Remove about 1" of petals from center of onion. You may want to separate the onion petals slightly, do not do this too much, you will destroy the onion. Dip onion in seasoned flour removes excess by shaking. Separate petals to coat thoroughly with batter. Dip in batter. Dip in flour mixture again. Gently place in fryer basket and deep-fry at 375 to 400 1 1/2 minutes. Turn over, and fry an additional 1 1/2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Place onion upright in shallow bowl and remove center core with circular cutter or apple corer. Serve with bloomin' onion sauce.
Marinated Vegetables Vidalia
- 1-1/2 cups broccoli florets
- 1-1/2 cups cauliflower florets
- 2 large Vidalia Onions, cut in half and sliced
- 1 cup sliced yellow squash
- 3/4 cup sliced carrots
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup cider vinegar
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons celery seed
- 1 (14-oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained & quartered
- 2 cups cooked small shell pasta
Combine first 5 vegetables in a large glass bowl; set aside. Combine water, sugar and vinegar, stirring to dissolve sugar. Pour hot mixture over vegetables. Cover and refrigerate for several hours
Grilled Vidalia Onion & Pepper Pasta
With the arrival of spring, Vidalia Onions are a special treat and a winner when grilled and combined with your favorite pasta.
- 2 Vidalia Onions
- 2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
- 1/2 cup each: dry white wine and chicken broth
- 3/4 cup whipping cream
- 1/2 lb. dry spinach fettucine
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
Cut onions and peppers lengthwise into quarters, grill or roast until well charred. Place peppers in a paper bag until cooled; remove core, seeds and skin. Slice onions and peppers into strips; set aside. In a large skillet, heat oil; sauté garlic and crushed red pepper until fragrant. Stir in wine chicken broth and cream. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Meanwhile cook fettucine according to package directions. Stir parsley, onions and peppers into sauce; toss with cooked, drained fettucine.
Makes 4 main dish servings
Budweiser Grilled Snapper
Courtesy Anheuser-Busch. www.anheuser-busch.com
Grilling is a tradition not lost on the folks at Budweiser, which is why they've gotten together with Anheuser Busch's Executive Chef Brent Wertz to come up with new, simple and delicious grilling recipes using both the recently introduced Budweiser Sauces* and Budweiser beer. Below is one of them that incorporates Vidalia Onions:
- 4 six-ounce red snapper fillets
- 1 Yukon gold potato, sliced
- 1 ounce shallots, minced
- 1 ounce garlic, minced
- 1 Vidalia Onion, sliced
- 1 12-ounce bottle of Budweiser
- 1 pound butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
Lay out two each 12-inch by 18-inch pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place two slices of potato in the middle of the foil. Stack 1 ounce of sliced Vidalia Onion on top of potato, place one fillet of fish on top of onion. Place 1 ounce whole butter on top of fish and sprinkle with garlic and shallot, tarragon sprig, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Fold both edges of the foil on the top of the stack. Fold both ends tightly creating a pocket with the fish inside. Before closing completely add 3 ounces of Budweiser and close tightly. Place on grill and cook until you hear the beer boiling, then place on shelf and cook with indirect heat for 20 minutes. Serve in the pocket or remove and place on plate.
Yields 4 Portions
Chicken Vidalia
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 lb. boned and skinned chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tsp. cornstarch
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 large Vidalia Onion, cut in wedges (about 3 cups)
- 1 package (80 ounces) frozen sugar snap peas, thawed
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomato halves
In a large skillet, heat oil until hot; add chicken; cook and stir until browned, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove chicken to a plate. Meanwhile, in a small bowl stir together chicken broth, cornstarch, paprika, salt and black pepper. To the skillet, add Vidalia Onions and sugar snap peas. Cook and stir, about 1 minute. Stir in cornstarch mixture, tomatoes and reserved chicken; bring to a boil, stirring constantly, boil and stir 1 minute. Serve over cooked rice or orzo, if desired.
Yield: 4 portions
Vidalia Onion Roll-ups a Lasagne
A different presentation of an old favorite, lasagna, with a sweet treat, the Vidalia Onion. The lasagne noodles are spread with a tasty Vidalia Onion, mushroom, and cream cheese mixture then rolled up. Next, the roll-ups are carefully placed into a meat sauce, topped with cheese and baked into a delicious entree.
- 1/2 cup finely chopped mushrooms
- 1 cup finely chopped Vidalia Onion
- 4 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 3 ounces softened cream cheese
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 cup medium chopped Vidalia Onion
- 1 (31 3/4 oz.) jar pasta sauce (or 3 to 3 1/2 cups of your favorite homemade)
- 5 lasagne noodles (cooked according to package directions)
- 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
Press the chopped mushrooms between layers of paper towels to remove moisture. Saute the mushrooms and finely-chopped Vidalias in the butter until tender but not browned. Cool slightly. Combine the mushroom/Vidalia mixture with the cream cheese and beat until well blended.
In a large skillet cook the ground beef and medium-chopped Vidalia until the beef has lost its pinkish color. Drain off excess grease. Pour the pasta sauce into the skillet and simmer while assembling the noodle roll-ups.
Spread about two tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture over each noodle. Roll up from the short end. Cut each filled noodle in half, making 10 small roll-ups. Pour the beef mixture into a 10x10x2-inch casserole dish. Place the lasagne roll-ups cut-side down (frilly side up) into the meat mixture. Sprinkle the top with cheese. Place a square of aluminum foil loosely over the top of the casserole to prevent the noodles from drying out during baking. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly. Best served while hot.
Serves 6 to 8