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Creamed Pearl Onions with Sage and Thyme

Creamed pearl onions with sage and thyme are cooked until lightly golden, then finished in a velvety cream-Parmesan sauce. Crispy fried sage leaves add a fragrant, crunchy top while the onions stay tender.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Frozen pearl onions, thawed
  • 28 oz pearl onions Use 2 bags total, thawed.
Butter
  • 3 tbsp butter
Sage
  • 1 tbsp fresh sage Chopped for the sauce.
  • 1 whole sage leaves For garnish and frying.
Thyme
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
All-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
Chicken broth
  • 0.75 cup chicken broth
Heavy cream
  • 0.75 cup heavy cream
Parmesan
  • 0.25 cup grated Parmesan
Salt
  • 0.5 tsp salt
White pepper
  • 0.25 tsp white pepper
Nutmeg
  • 0.125 tsp nutmeg Pinch.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Fry the sage and start the onions
  1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then fry a few whole sage leaves for 30 seconds until crisp; set them aside.
  2. Add the thawed pearl onions to the skillet and cook for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden.
Make the creamed sauce
  1. Stir in the chopped sage, thyme, and flour, then cook for 1 minute until the flour loses its raw smell.
  2. Whisk in the chicken broth and heavy cream, then simmer for 6-8 minutes until thick and the onions are tender.
Finish and serve
  1. Stir in the Parmesan, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg until fully combined.
  2. Top with the crispy fried sage leaves and serve warm.

Notes

Pro tip: Keep the sage leaves frying for only about 30 seconds so they stay crisp instead of turning bitter. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; rewarm gently on the stove with a splash of cream or broth if needed. Freezing isn’t recommended because the cream sauce can separate. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and expect a slightly thinner sauce.