Sweet Onion Cracker Crust Pie (GF)

Spring is coming soon and sweet onions are starting to show up in the grocery stores. Put this incredibly easy Sweet Onion Cracker Crust Pie on your to-make list. Luscious with the sweet onions topped with a light custard mixture making for a beautiful side dish or vegetarian main course.

The most common sweet onions in the USA come from Vidalia, Georgia. You may also see them from Maui, Hawaii or Walla Walla, Washington for example – just be sure they are labeled “sweet” onions! If you have any doubt, ask the produce guy and they can guide you to the correct onions.

Sweet onions have a relatively short growing season compared with regular onions, and you will find them in the store from as early as February or March through the summer. They are incredible in so many recipes and are mild enough that you can make an onion sandwich with them!

Because of the natural sugar content of these onions, you do not need to caramelize them in order to bring out the sweetness. You can just cook them until mostly softened for this recipe. Leave them slightly underdone and they will finish baking in the oven.

The original recipe calls for buttery Ritz crackers, but I found a gluten-free alternative that worked very well, Lance brand Baked Original Crackers. I mail-ordered mine because I couldn’t find them locally, but you may be able to find them in your area.

You can use either a food processor to pulverize the crackers to make crumbs for the crust, or you can put the crackers in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin. They are both easy ways to make your crackers into crumbs.

Left: Crumb crust and Right: Sauteed onions in the pie crust

As written, this recipe is a side dish. If you want to boost it and make it more of a vegetarian main course you can sauté sliced mushrooms and other vegetables and add them to the cooked onions or layer them on top of the pie. Add an extra egg and more milk if you add a lot of veggies. Your vegetarian friends will thank you! Use a deep-dish pie plate to hold all the ingredients.

If you are a meat lover, bacon is a great flavor bomb for most dishes and could definitely be added to this one if you want. Pre-cook it and set aside to drain on paper towels. Then use some of the fat to cook the onions along with a little butter. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon on the top just before serving.

Once you pour the egg custard mixture over the onions and top it with shredded cheese, the custard seeps down to the bottom of the pie plate and solidifies the crumbs into a cohesive crust. Release the sides with a knife and use a pie server to scoop out each slice.

Note that this dish is best served on the day it is baked. Because it is so easy, you can get all the ingredients prepped earlier in the day and assemble and bake just before you are ready to make dinner.

This would be a delicious addition to your Academy Awards party this weekend. It is one of my favorites and I crave it all year long.

Today’s Sweet Onion Cracker Crust Pie is a lovely vegetarian meal option or a delightful side dish for most meat-based meals. The combination of luscious crust and soft, lightly sweet, oniony center is heavenly. You will love this dish!

If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!

Ingredients needed for Sweet Onion Cracker Crust Pie:

• Crust: Buttery cracker crumbs, melted butter
• Onion Filling: Butter, sweet onions, eggs, milk, salt, pepper, hot sauce
• Toppings: Cheddar, Parmesan, paprika (smoked or regular)

PRO Tip: How to Safely Cut an Onion

When working with a round object like onions, potatoes, or tomatoes, you want to create a flat surface to make it safer to cut. In the case of onions, cut each one in half through the root, peel each half and lay flat-side-down on your cutting board. Cut slices perpendicular to the root and then crosswise into chunks. The more slices that are closer together the smaller the pieces.

PRO Tip:

If you love a touch of smoky goodness but don’t want to use a spicy blend to get it, pick up a bottle of smoked paprika. It gives you all the smokiness without the heat. If you want more spice, use cayenne pepper or chipotle powder which is made from dried and smoked jalapeno peppers.

How to make Sweet Onion Cracker Crust Pie:

1. Sauté the onions until starting to soften; remove from the heat. Lightly butter a 9-inch pie plate.
2. In a bowl, mix the cracker crumbs with the melted butter and press into the prepared pie plate, cover the bottom and a bit up the sides of the dish. Scoop the onions into the crust and spread into an even layer.
3. Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Pour this mixture over the onion layer. Sprinkle the top with both cheeses.
4. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the paprika, and let rest about 20 minutes before slicing and serving the pie.

PRO Tip:

Unlike regular onions, sweet onions should be stored in the refrigerator so they last as long as possible.

PRO Tip:

Using a silicone baking mat (Silpat) on your sheet pan will help keep the pie plate from sliding around as you move it in and out of the oven.

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• Chef’s knife
• Food processor or rolling pin
• Cheese grater (or use a food processor)
• Large skillet 
• 9-inch pie plate
• Baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat (Silpat)
• Pie server

Gluten-Free Tips:

Be sure you use gluten-free crackers for the crust. I like the Lance brand Baked Original Crackers. They are similar to Ritz and one box (140g) will give you the perfect crust.

You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more exact than pounds and ounces.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

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Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Sweet Onion Cracker Crust Pie (GF)

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Sweet Onion Cracker Crust Pie is a lovely vegetarian option or a delicious side dish for most meals. The soft, sweet, oniony center is a match made in heaven.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 box (about 1-1/3 cups; 140g) buttery cracker crumbs (I used GF Lance Baked Original Crackers) or Ritz crackers if you aren't gluten-free
• 6 tbsp (85g) butter, melted

Onion Filling

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 sweet onions (about 2 cups; 284g) roughly chopped
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup (170g) milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp Sriracha or other hot sauce, to taste, optional

Toppings

• 1 cup (114g) shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup (50g) grated Parmesan
• Smoked or regular paprika (sprinkled on top)

Instructions

1. Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (180°C). Lightly butter a 9-inch (23cm) pie plate.

2. Make the Crust: Mix cracker crumbs with the melted butter and press the mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the buttered pie plate. Set aside.

3. Prepare the Filling: Add the 2 tbsp of butter to a large skillet and cook sweet onions over medium heat until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Do not over-cook them, you want them to be just lightly cooked without browning; they will finish in the oven. Remove pan from the heat. Spoon onions on top of the crust and spread out to an even layer.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Pour mixture over the onions. Place the pie plate on a silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet pan (see * Note).

5. Cook the Pie: Sprinkle both cheeses over the top. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until it is bubbling around the edges and the cheese is fully melted.

6. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the paprika, and let rest for about 15 to 20 minutes before slicing and serving the pie. This is best on the day it is baked.

Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com

Notes

* Using a silicone baking mat (Silpat) on your sheet pan will help keep the pie plate from sliding around as you move it in and out of the oven. It will also catch any spills that may happen.

You will get the best results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

Adapted from a recipe in Bon Appetit, Nov. 1992

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 66Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 240mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 3g

The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.

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