Growing up, our mom made this dish every year for Thanksgiving. And maybe a couple other occasions throughout the year, but we always associate creamed pearl onions with Thanksgiving, and we also have to reconcile ourselves with the fact that we just can’t quite make them the way mama does! Although, we’ve coaxed the recipe out of her and are really honing in on the famous flavor she’s known for. If you haven’t tried them before, pearl onions are a small variety of onion – that we always buy frozen instead of fresh, to save us the hassle of having to peel them – that get served with a thick, creamy sauce that highlights the onions’ natural sweetness. Yum….

While the onions are clearly the star of the show, they get a little flavor boost from nutmeg, mustard powder and garlic powder. Butter and half-and-half start things off, so we’ve got a nice, rich base to kick start things, then the onions and seasoning, then the chicken broth, plus a cornstarch slurry if you want a slightly thicker dish. This stuff is so, ridiculously tasty. One thing to note though: this dish is definitely its best right when it’s made. Prep all the other things you want before a dinner or before your friends come over, but throw this together right before eating and you’ll be in business!