Vegan Creamed Onions Recipe - Vegan with Gusto (2024)

Can I make creamed pearl onions a day ahead?

You can prepare creamed onions a day ahead. Once you place the creamed onions in the casserole dish, cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Wait to add bread crumbs, the remaining chives, and paprika until right before baking.

Can you make this recipe with frozen pearl onions and peas?

You can make this recipe with frozen pearl onions and peas or a combination of pearl onions, peas, and carrots. Use 3 cups of frozen vegetables along with the sauce. Frozen vegetables will thaw when simmered with the vegetable broth.

Are there other flavors to add to the white sauce to make it less bland?

Cashew white sauce is sweet and mellow. If you want additional spices, consider a pinch of dried thyme or cayenne pepper. You can also add a tablespoon of dry sherry to the vegetable broth when you simmer the onions.

• ▢ 3 cups pearl onions - see notes for frozen onions
• ▢ 2 cups vegetable stock - vegetable broth
• ▢ 1 cup cashews - raw
• ▢ 1 cup plant milk
• ▢ 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 tablespoons chives - minced, 1 tablespoon for the sauce plus the rest for garnish
• ▢ ½ cup breadcrumbs
• ▢ ½ teaspoon paprika - optional

• Add the cashews to a small bowl and cover them with boiling water. Allow them to soak while you cook the onions.

• Heat a large pot of water while you cut off the root ends of each onion. Don’t peel them. When the water is boiling, add the onions and simmer for 3 minutes. Immediately remove them from the heat. Drain them and rinse them under cold water or place them in an ice bath.

• Once the onions are cool enough to handle, take each onion, trim the tips off using kitchen shears and squeeze to pop off the skins.

• Using your same saucepan, add 2 cups of vegetable broth and the peeled onions. Bring the broth to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer. Cover the pot and cook the onions for 15-20 minutes until most of the broth is absorbed. It’s ok to leave a bit of broth in the bottom of the pan (up to ½ inch is fine). This will help the sauce to thin out a bit.

• While the onions are simmering, drain and rinse the cashews and add them to a blender. Add 1 cup plant milk and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Blend until smooth. It should be the consistency of thick gravy.

• Preheat the oven to 425 F. (200 C.)

• When the onions are done simmering, turn off the heat. Add the cream sauce to the pan. Mix in 1 tablespoon of chopped chives, plus ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg (or a few grates of a whole nutmeg). Taste and adjust the seasoning and add salt if necessary.

• Transfer the onions to a small baking dish (mine was 10 ½ x 7 inches). Top off ⅓ cup breadcrumbs, the rest of the chives, and a sprinkle of paprika if using.

• Place the onions, uncovered, in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes until it starts to bubble and the breadcrumbs are toasted.

• You can make this dish ahead of time. Cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. Add the breadcrumbs right before baking. Bake, covered, for 15-20 minutes until the sauce bubbles. Uncover and bake for another 5 minutes to toast the breadcrumbs.
• This recipe can be made with frozen pearl onions or a mix of pearl onions and other vegetables. Add the frozen onions to the vegetable broth (step 4).