Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Trim both ends off of a Vidalia onion and then set the onion on one of its cut ends on a piece of foil.

Step 2

Drizzle the onion with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Snuggle in the sprigs of thyme (or sprinkle with the dried thyme) .

Step 3

Wrap the onion tightly in foil and place it in a baking pan.

Step 4

Roast for about 90 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center of the onion smooshes in very easily.

Step 5

Remove foil from the onions, but be careful – sometimes there is a bit of onion broth that has come out of the onions (this is especially true of the larger Vidalia onions, not usual with smaller ones). Don’t spill it or discard it. It can be used to flavor dips, soups, sauces, etc.

Step 6

Let the onions sit until they’re cool enough to touch.

Step 7

Remove and discard the skins from the onions. (Sometimes there’s an additional outer layer of onion that got a bit dry as well. If this has happened, discard this dry outer layer too. A bit of browning around the edges is fine. It’s a tough, dry, difficult to mash layer that we want to avoid).

Step 8

Discard the thyme and you’re ready to use your roasted onions in all sorts of delicious ways.