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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-and-Parmesan sauce. Crisp fried sage leaves add a fragrant, savory crunch right before serving.
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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: 310
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Frozen pearl onions
  • 2 bags (14 oz each) frozen pearl onions thawed
Butter
  • 3 tbsp butter
Fresh sage
  • 1 tbsp fresh sage chopped
  • 0.25 whole sage leaves for garnish
Fresh 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 and start the onions
  1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; fry a few whole sage leaves for 30 seconds until crisp and set aside, leaving the butter in the pan. You should see the sage turn darker and crisp at the edges.
  2. Add pearl onions to the same skillet and cook for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden. Stir occasionally so the onions develop browned spots.
Make the creamy sauce
  1. Stir in chopped sage, thyme, and all-purpose flour, then cook for 1 minute. The mixture should smell fragrant and look slightly thicker.
  2. Whisk in chicken broth and heavy cream, then simmer for 6-8 minutes until thick and the onions are tender. Reduce until the sauce coats the onions.
Finish and serve
  1. Stir in grated Parmesan, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg until the sauce is smooth and evenly seasoned. The sauce should look glossy and creamy.
  2. Top with the crispy sage leaves and serve warm. The garnish should stay crisp on top.

Notes

Pro tip: Keep the heat at a gentle simmer after adding the cream so the sauce thickens without separating. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; rewarm gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth or cream to loosen. Freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce can break when thawed. For a lighter option, use half-and-half in place of heavy cream, expecting a slightly thinner sauce.