Creamed Onions Alla Vodka
Here’s an easy side dish that comes together in a flash using frozen onions straight from the freezer—no defrosting required! Think creamed onions but reimagined with the flavors of pasta alla vodka: tomato paste, heavy cream, Parmesan, and (yup, you guessed it) vodka. We wouldn’t be mad if you ended up throwing some cooked ditalini into all this glossiness and called it dinner. A bag of frozen pearl onions never looked so good.
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What you’ll need
Large Saucepan
$60 At Amazon
Colander
$11 At Amazon
Wooden Spoon
$7 At Amazon
Heatproof Measuring Cup
$26 At Amazon
Medium Saucepan with Lid
$36.99 At Amazon
Box Grater
$12 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
20 minutes
Yield
4–6 servings
Ingredients
1
1
2
2
6
3
2
½
2
Preparation
Step 1
Cook one 14–16-oz. bag frozen pearl onions in a large saucepan of boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain, reserving ½ cup onion cooking liquid.
Step 2
Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium. Cook 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped, stirring often, until fragrant and golden, about 1 minute. Add 3 Tbsp. double-concentrated tomato paste and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until paste is brick red and beginning to stick to bottom of pan, about 4 minutes.
Step 3
Pour 2 Tbsp. vodka into saucepan, stirring and scraping up any browned bits stuck to bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring constantly, until vodka is mostly evaporated, about 30 seconds. Stir in ¼ cup onion cooking liquid. Reduce heat to low and gradually stream in ½ cup heavy cream, whisking constantly until incorporated.
Step 4
Add onions and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt to sauce. Partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add 2 oz. Parmesan, coarsely grated (about 1½–2 cups), and stir until melted and incorporated (sauce will thicken slightly). Thin with more onion cooking liquid 1 Tbsp. at a time if needed until glossy. Taste sauce and season with more salt if needed.
Step 5
Transfer creamed onions to a shallow dish; sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.
Do ahead: Creamed onions can be made 1 day ahead. Let cool; cover and chill. Reheat, covered, in a medium saucepan over medium-low, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water if needed, just until heated through.