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Creamed Pearl Onions with Sage and Thyme

Creamed pearl onions with sage and thyme are cooked until lightly golden, then simmered in a velvety cream sauce thickened with flour and finished with Parmesan. This side dish gets extra crunch from briefly fried whole sage leaves on top.
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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: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Frozen pearl onions
  • 2 bags (14 oz each) frozen pearl onions thawed
Butter
  • 3 tbsp butter
Sage
  • 1 tbsp fresh sage chopped; plus whole leaves for garnish
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
  • 0.06 tsp nutmeg pinch

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Fry sage, cook onions, and build the sauce
  1. Melt the butter in a large skillet, then fry the whole sage leaves for 30 seconds until crisp and set aside.
  2. Add the thawed pearl onions and cook for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden.
  3. Stir in the chopped sage, the thyme, and the flour, and cook for 1 minute.
  4. Whisk in the chicken broth and heavy cream, then simmer for 6-8 minutes until thick and the onions are tender.
  5. Stir in the Parmesan, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg.
  6. Top with the crispy sage leaves and serve warm.

Notes

For the smoothest sauce, whisk the flour into the onion mixture before adding liquids so it dissolves without lumps. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth or cream if needed. Freeze is not recommended because the cream can break when thawed. For a lower-fat option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (the sauce may be slightly thinner).