Buzz
Onions are typically seen as a sandwich garnish, much like pickles. However, with the right preparation, onions can actually take center stage as the main filling—just like pickles do in certain dishes.
Large, raw onion slices aren't the best choice for this experiment. Cold, thick onion rings sandwiched between two pieces of bread wouldn't offer the most appetizing flavor, and they might even leave you with some unpleasant aftereffects like bad breath or an upset stomach. To use onions as a primary filling, you’ll need to slice them paper-thin or cook them carefully to bring out their best qualities.
For a gentle cooking approach, here's what you can do...
This particular sandwich, seen in the photo above, is brought to you by my favorite TikTok creator, Mr. Kevin Ashton, known for his famous pickle cheese crisp creation.
It’s a rich and savory treat with a touch of sweetness, built from just a few ingredients but packed with a depth of flavor. The sauce features a whole head of roasted garlic, mayo, Dijon mustard, and lemon, while the onions are slowly cooked in a blend of olive oil and butter on low heat until they soften and caramelize. All of this is piled onto toasted sourdough, resulting in a surprisingly smooth and mellow sandwich.
Of course, you could add cheese, bacon, or any other toppings to personalize it, but I recommend giving Ashton’s version a try first—its simplicity is what makes it so delightful.
If you’d like to slice them thin...
Food lovers and history buffs may recognize this delightful little tea sandwich, a creation by James Beard, which somehow manages to be light, sweet, and creamy despite being made with nothing more than white onions, mayo, and salt on brioche, finished off with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
You can find the recommended ratios here, but if you're looking to make just a few of these tasty treats, a quarter of a small white onion will be enough to prepare three sandwiches (feel free to adjust the quantities as needed).
For the bread, choose something soft and slightly sweet, like challah or brioche. Slice the bread thinly, then use a cookie cutter to cut out rounds, or grab slider buns and trim the tops and bottoms with a bread knife. Slice the onions as thin as possible, aiming for nearly translucent pieces. Spread a thin layer of mayo on each bottom piece of bread, then distribute the onions evenly on top of the mayo, finishing with a generous pinch of salt. (Don't skip the salt—it's essential to mellow out the onion's sharpness.)
Assemble the sandwiches, then brush the edges with a bit more mayo and roll them in chopped parsley. Chill in the fridge for an hour, and then serve. (Don’t leave them overnight, or the bottoms will become soggy and the tops will dry out.)
