What Is Onion Cream And How Do You Use It?

When most of us run out of heavy whipping cream for a recipe, we turn to things like milk or half and half. However, there's actually a much simpler substitute hiding in plain sight — onion cream.

Onion cream is a creamy, thick substitute for dairy cream that's made using roasted onions, a little bit of oil, and a blender to whip it into a milky puree. Because onion cream is so similar in consistency to dairy cream, it works well for soups, dipping, and plenty of other recipes. The good news is even though it may have a similar texture to dairy cream, it's much lower in fat, making it a healthy alternative that's ideal for savory recipes.

Whether you're looking for a heavy whipping cream substitute or you'd just like to try a new recipe, this guide is for you. Here's what to know about the origins of onion cream as well as how this unique creamy substitute is made.

While onion cream is certainly an ingenious invention, it's not an old one. Onion cream was first cooked up by a man named Grant LeeCrilly. Grant LeeCrilly is one of the founders of ChefSteps, and knows a thing or two about working in the kitchen. That's because he's spent years testing out different kitchen tools — and in the process, he used a few to create onion cream!

Onion cream resembles regular cream, although it's slightly thicker and grainier looking. Of course, you can adjust the texture by playing around with ingredient ratios to get a thicker or thinner cream, or by passing the puree through a sieve for a silky finish. It has a slight hint of lemon but otherwise has a pretty smooth and creamy flavor as well, although it lacks the richness of regular dairy cream.

What's particularly cool about onion cream is that it's vegan. So, if you're on a no-dairy diet for whatever reason, you can still use onion cream as a substitute. Plus, this condiment is great at enhancing flavors, making the dishes you add it to even more tasty.

Onion cream, although it sounds fancy, is actually incredibly easy to make. For this recipe, you'll need just a few simple ingredients — three large onions, a dash of lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and a splash of oil. You can use any kind of onion you like, but remember that the onions you use will change the flavor of the lemon cream. You can even make red onion cream using red onions, which gives the finished cream a gorgeous, reddish-purple color. The same thing goes for oil — feel free to use whatever kind of oil you like, but note that it'll give you different tasting notes in your final product.

With your ingredients in hand, start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Once your oven is up to temperature, place the onions in a roasting pan and roast them for about 45 minutes. When the time is up, the onions should be soft to the touch.

Take the onions out of the oven, remove the peels, and pop them in a blender. Blend the onions until they're very smooth, and then add the lemon juice, salt, and oil to taste. Blend the onions again until the ingredients are combined. Then, pour the onion cream into a bowl and use it in savory recipes to add healthy, vegan flavor to your dishes!