It’s not uncommon to find petite-sized sandwiches served from party trays at Southern soirées. During Vidalia season, guests may even be treated to a platter of sweet onion tea sandwiches. Serving raw onion sandwiches at a fancy party might sound like a plot from a silly sitcom, but come Vidalia season, it’s a story with a happy ending. These simple sandwiches aren’t limited to parties. Skip the tomato sandwich and make an onion sandwich for lunch. Here’s why Southerners love them so much.
The Distinctive Vidalia
Vidalia onions are the benchmark for sweet and mild onions in the South. They come from a specific area in Georgia, and only there. Although sweet onions grow elsewhere, the distinctive taste and demeanor of a Vidalia is derived from the combination of weather and soil found in only 20 South Georgia counties. These prized onions are Georgia’s official state vegetable.
Vidalias are available within a limited window from April to August. The Vidalia Onion Committee announces each year when the season starts, and that could be anywhere from mid to late April. Get them while you can.
At one time people had to go all the way to Georgia to fetch these onions, so prized that there are stories of women wrapping each onion in a lace doily or linen napkin and nestling them in the drawers of the china cabinet for safekeeping. We can now find authentic Vidalia onions in many grocery stores. Look for their distinctive flat, squat shape and read the labels to ensure you’re getting the real deal.
What Do Vidalia Onions Taste Like?
These onions are exceptionally mild and juicy. Some people say that you can eat them like an apple, and although that might (might) be a bit of an exaggeration, it is true that they are delicious when eaten raw, with none of the sulfurous bite and lingering aftertaste of the average uncooked onion. A Vidalia is more likely to inspire tears of joy than make us cry.
Their polite disposition makes Vidalia the best for an onion sandwich. Yes, raw onion sandwiches are a thing, not a stunt. Legendary cook and food writer James Beard and his catering company famously served onion cocktail sandwiches to the New York social scene. He was quoted as saying, “I could easily make a whole meal of onion sandwiches, for to me they are one of the greatest treats I know.”
How To Make A Sweet Onion Sandwich
The premise of an onion sandwich is simple: rounds of raw onion are tucked between slices of crustless white bread spread generously with mayonnaise, including the edges, which are coated in finely chopped fresh parsley. (Think of fancy cucumber tea sandwiches to serve at a party or shower, but made with sweet, crisp, tender onions.) We don’t know whether James Beard ever used Vidalia onions in his sandwiches, but it’s probably safe to say he would have approved.
The Bread: Beard’s recipe calls for slices of buttery brioche or challah, although any high-quality tender white sandwich bread will do. Trim away the crusts, at a minimum, although you’ll earn style extra points for stamping out rounds when serving these at a party.
The Mayo: Beard also stated a preference for homemade mayonnaise, although these days most of us turn (with great loyalty) to our favorite brand of bottled mayo.
More Onion Sandwich Tips
Slice right: Slice the onion crosswise into rounds that are thick enough to hold together, but thin enough to bite easily. Ideally, the onion slices and bread rounds are the same diameter, although you can arrange slices as needed to cover the bread. (Call on your experience with making tomato sandwiches, here. The onion should be sliced, never diced.)
Finishing touches: Please don’t skip the parsley edges, which are there for more than looks alone; the bright herbal notes of finely chopped fresh parsley go beautifully with the crisp onion. A smattering of flaky salt does, as well.
Make ahead: As with most tea sandwiches, you can assemble them a few hours ahead if you keep them covered (so the edges of the bread won’t dry out) and refrigerate until time to serve.
If Vidalia onions are no longer in season, substitute another sweet onion.
More Southern Sandwiches To Love
If sweet onion sandwiches take you back, grab some bread and a jar of mayo to make one of these unique Southern favorites:
- Pineapple Sandwich: It only takes two slices of bread, mayo, and canned pineapple rings to take us back to Grandma’s kitchen.
- Fried Bologna Sandwich: Southerners know to snip the edges of the bologna before frying it up in a pan.
- Mayonnaise Sandwich: Hold everything but the mayo. This sandwich doesn’t need bananas, tomatoes, or peanut butter to satisfy.
