Roasted Agrodolce Onions
- Makes6-8 servings
- Cook Time1¾ hours
- Active time plus cooling20 minutes active
Italian cipollini agrodolce are small whole onions with a sweet-and-sour glaze. We riffed on that classic to create a side dish that complements rich meats and poultry—from a standing rib roast to the Thanksgiving turkey. Instead of balsamic or wine vinegar, we’ve opted for Spanish sherry vinegar, which has rich, woodsy notes. Use either standard yellow onions or sweet onions such as Vidalia or Walla Walla. Cut into wedges and arranged in a baking dish, the onions require a total of about 90 minutes to turn soft and succulent, but need very little attention during roasting. To make in advance, after the covered cooking, remove the dish from the oven, uncover (save the foil) and let cool. Re-cover and refrigerate for up to two days. When ready to serve, baste the onions with the liquid in the dish and bake, uncovered, at 425°F for 25 to 30 minutes, basting once halfway through; cool and serve as directed.
Don’t completely lop off the root ends of the onions. Trim off only a thin slice, leaving the base that holds the layers together more or less intact. This way, the wedges hold together. Don’t worry if the onion wedges are tightly packed in the baking dish. They will lose some volume as they soften in the oven.
Step 1
Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the middle position. In an 8-inch square baking dish, arrange the onion wedges, a cut side facing down, in snug rows, overlapping as needed. Alternatively, arrange the wedges in a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate in a tightly packed pinwheel pattern with the root ends pointing toward the center; place a few wedges in the center, then tuck the remaining wedges into the gaps.
Step 2
In a 1-cup liquid measuring cup or a small bowl, whisk the honey, butter, vinegar, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Pour the mixture evenly over the onions. Cover tightly with foil and bake until a paring knife inserted into the wedges meets a little resistance, 55 to 60 minutes; the liquid will be bubbling at the edges.
Step 3
Remove from the oven and uncover. Tilt the dish to pool the liquid to one side, then use a spoon to drizzle some over the onions. Continue to bake, uncovered, until only a few tablespoons of liquid remains in the dish and the onions are softened and golden brown, another 25 to 30 minutes, basting once more about halfway through.
Step 4
Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature; baste with the liquid in the baking dish and sprinkle with additional thyme and flaky salt (if using) just before serving.