With just three ingredients, onions, butter and miso (+ water), you might wonder how this dish from Yotam Ottolenghi, can turn out so gorgeous and flavorful. Of course these three ingredients are among the most delectable in the world of cuisine. Serve the onions alongside grilled steak or chicken, or simply over a bowl of steaming rice.
The recipe calls for very small onions, or very large shallots. Both can be difficult to find. The best option I found was to use Maui onions which tend to be on the small side. I threw in a couple of red cipollini (Italian for small onions) that I had bought at Whole Foods.
The onions are sliced lengthwise with ends trimmed ever so slightly in order to keep the onion halves intact while baking.
My version of the recipe is vegan as I switched out the butter for Miyoko’s vegan butter. It works great in this dish and all baking recipes if you are looking for a lactose free substitute for regular unsalted butter.
Light miso paste is whisked together with the melted vegan butter and warm water. This simple mixture eventually turns into a luscious sauce that coats the onions and gives them a rich, savory flavor.
The first time I made this dish, I was surprised at how much liquid there was. It crossed my mind that this might not work out! But eventually, the pale liquid reduces to a thick, flavorful sauce.
Beautifully glazed onions ready to serve alongside your favorite dinner entree.
- 1¾ pounds very small onions
- 3½ tablespoons Miyoko's unsalted vegan butter (or regular unsalted butter)
- 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon white miso
- 1½ cups warm water
- Special equipment needed: Heavy baking dish safe for 500 degree oven
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees
- Halve the onions lengthwise, discarding the papery skin as well as the layer beneath it if it's tough or dry. Trim the tops and a bit off the bottom (not too much, you want to ensure the onion halves stay held together at the base). Place onions halves, cut-side down slightly spaced apart, in a 9x13-inch baking dish or one that fits your onion halves.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter and miso paste. Whisk in the warm water. Pour mixture over the onions. Cover the pan tightly with heavy duty aluminum foil. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil and turn the onions over so they are cut-side up. Baste onions very well, then return to the oven, uncovered for another 40-45 minutes, basting every 10 minutes, until the onions are very soft and deeply browned on the tops. The sauce should be reduced to a gravy consistency.
- Transfer onions to a platter, pouring the sauce over and around them before serving. Any leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat before serving.