Zwiebelkuchen — German Onion Pie with Freshly Milled Flour

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BySarah | Grains & Greens Kitchen Posted on

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Traditional German Zwiebelkuchen is a soft, savory and deeply satisfying onion pie with chopped bacon and a velvety smooth, spiced egg and cream custard. It’s the kind of dish you keep coming back to, again and again.

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Overhead shot of a German Zwiebelkuchen (onion pie): a golden pie with a browned, bready crust, filled with ribbons of red and yellow onions, bacon bits, and a golden custard filling. The pie sits on a wooden surface, accompanied by an embroidered linen napkin, two purple-red onions, and a tiny green dish filled with whole soft wheat berries.
Overhead shot of a German Zwiebelkuchen (onion pie): a golden pie with a browned, bready crust, filled with ribbons of red and yellow onions, bacon bits, and a golden custard filling. The pie sits on a wooden surface, accompanied by an embroidered linen napkin and two purple-red onions.

Zwiebelkuchen is a traditional German dish that usually gets overlooked. And unfairly so.
At first glance, it may seem like just another quiche, easily brushed aside, no big deal, right? Wrong.

Even though German Zwiebelkuchen is closely related to other, well-known traditional dishes of neighboring countries, it is distinctly different. The filling includes onions, bacon and eggs, but no cheese, so it’s not a French quiche. It’s not thin and crispy, so not like Alsatian Flammkuchen. And even though the best English translation would be onion pie, the soft, yeasted dough is far from a shattering, flaky pie crust.

Zwiebelkuchen then, being soft, savory, and deeply satisfying, is in a class all by itself. It literally translates to onion cake, which gives you a much better idea of what to expect:
A lightly enriched, salty soft-wheat dough forms the bready base. It’s filled with softened, sweet’n savory onions, bacon bits, and a velvety-smooth, rich egg and cream custard.

It’s a humble dish in its simplicity, but one that packs a seriously satisfying punch.

Why You’ll Love This Zwiebelkuchen Recipe

I love whole grain dinner recipes, especially when they’re this cozy and satisfying. Tucking all those sweet, salty onions into a soft, pillowy fresh-flour dough makes for the perfect hearty fall meal.

Using fresh-milled or whole grain flour for the crust not only adds flavor and texture, but also bumps up the nutrition. You get more fiber, micronutrients, and lasting satisfaction, without sacrificing any of the comfort-food appeal.

I’ve always thought onions were a bit magical. With just a little heat and butter, their sharpness melts into deep, complex sweetness. They’re humble, affordable, but absolutely packed with umami.

German onion pie also happens to be a great make-ahead dish, and leftovers are just as welcome for brunch or lunch the next day.

Tools You May Need

9-inch (23cm) Deep Dish Pie Dish Or use a 32cm 12.5-inch ceramic tart pan instead. The pie will be flatter, so you may need to shorten baking time.

Large Frying For cooking onions and bacon.

Rolling Pin For rolling out the soft dough.

Large Bowl and Whisk I like using a danish dough whisk here. You can use it both for mixing the dough ingredients and for whisking eggs and cream. No need to get two things dirty.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Moody overhead shot of yellow and dark red onions on a stained wooden chopping board, set on a wooden counter beside an embroidered linen napkin and a chef’s knife.
Moody overhead shot of yellow and dark red onions on a stained wooden chopping board, set on a wooden counter beside an embroidered linen napkin and a chef’s knife.

Freshly Milled Soft-Wheat Flour
Choose any variety of soft wheat or spelt berries and mill them on the finest setting.
If you don’t mill your own flour (yet), use store-bought whole grain spelt flour. In Europe (and much of the rest of the world), most store-bought whole wheat flours are made from soft wheat and can be swapped in.

Onions
Yellow onions are the traditional choice, but I’m just too smitten with red onions. I used half red, half yellow — use what you have.

Bacon
To me, bacon is a must in Zwiebelkuchen — but you can skip it if necessary. I use a vegan, diced bacon alternative for a vegetarian pie.

Heavy Cream, Sour Cream, or Crème Fraîche
You’ll want something rich and not too thin. It’s up to you whether you want to lean sweet (heavy cream) or tangy (sour cream or crème fraîche) — both go well with onions.

Nutmeg
A pinch of nutmeg rounds off the egg custard, even though you won’t be able to pinpoint the exact spice. Freshly grated tastes best, but the pre-ground stuff will do in a pinch.

Caraway Seeds
Whether or not caraway belongs in onion pie is a highly regional matter. Some people swear by it, others prefer to skip it. It’s a love it or leave it spice — it’s up to you!
For the most intense flavor, use whole caraway seeds and sprinkle them across the top before baking. If you prefer a more balanced flavor, mix ground caraway into the egg custard.

How to Make Zwiebelkuchen (Step-by-Step)

01

Make the Dough

Weigh out soft wheat berries and mill them on the finest setting of your grain mill.
Add the salt, sugar and instant yeast, and give the dry ingredients a quick mix before you add the water and bring everything together into a shaggy dough.

A pale blue ceramic bowl filled with freshly milled soft wheat flour, salt, and sugar. The bowl sits next to an embroidered linen napkin, golden measuring spoons, and a tiny green dish filled with instant yeast.
A shaggy dough is being mixed with a danish dough hook in a pale blue ceramic bowl.

Knead in the softened butter until fully incorporated and the dough turns soft and elastic. It will be sticky — that’s okay! Use a bench scraper to gather the dough into a ball, place it back in the bowl, cover, and let it rise for 30-60 minutes.

A small dough is sticking to a wooden kitchen counter, next to a danish dough whisk.
A smooth, shiny ball of dough sits on a wooden kitchen counter, next to a sticky bench scraper.

02

Cook the onions

Peel and chop the onions and dice the bacon if necessary. In a large frying pan, heat the butter over medium low heat. Add the onions and bacon and cook them low and slow. You’ll want the onions to turn soft and sweet, but not mushy or browned. It may take a while. Enjoy the aroma and roll out the dough while you wait. (And maybe pour a glass. You do you.)
When the onions are done cooking, stir in the flour and let everything cool off for a bit.

A large pile of chopped red and yellow onions on a wooden chopping board, next to a linen napkin and a large chefs knife.
A large frying pan filled with softened red and yellow onions and brown bacon bits sits on a wooden counter, next to an embroidered linen napkin and a wooden rolling pin.

03

Roll Out the Dough

Preheat the oven to 180°C (375°F). Grease a 9-inch deep dish pie dish with butter.
Lightly flour your work top and turn out the puffy dough.

A greased 9-inch pie dish next to a pale blue bowl holding a puffy ball of freshly milled soft wheat dough, ready to be rolled out.
A puffy ball of freshly milled flour dough on a flour-dusted wooden counter. Finger imprints on the dough’s surface show how soft and pliable it is.

Roll it out to size and carefully lift it into your pie dish. Press in the edges and the sides, and poke the bottom a couple of times with a fork. Cover the pan and let the dough puff up again.

Soft, freshly milled wheat dough for German onion pie, rolled out on a wooden counter.
A deep dish pie pan is lined with the bready, yeasted dough for German Zwiebelkuchen. The bottom crust has been poked several times with a fork.

04

Make the Custard and Assemble the Pie

In a large bowl, mix together eggs, (sour) cream, salt, pepper, nutmeg and ground caraway seeds (if using). Gradually add the cooked onions into the egg mix and stir between additions.

Sautéed red and yellow onions with smoky vegetarian bacon bits being poured from a black frying pan into a creamy custard in a ceramic bowl on a wooden counter.
A white ceramic bowl filled with red and yellow onions stirred into a creamy yellow custard using a Danish dough whisk. The bowl rests on a wooden counter beside golden measuring spoons, a nutmeg grater, an embroidered linen napkin, and a horse-patterned wooden coaster.

Ladle the filling into the prepared crust. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the centre is set and firm to the touch. (It’s a softer-than-usual filling and it will likely still stick to a tooth pick a little. That’s fine.)
Let the pie cool down for at least 30 minutes, so the filling has time to settle a little more.

Unbaked German Zwiebelkuchen with red and yellow onion ribbons nestled in a rich, creamy custard — ready to go into the oven.
Overhead shot of a German Zwiebelkuchen (onion pie): a golden pie with a browned, bready crust, filled with ribbons of red and yellow onions, bacon bits, and a golden custard filling. The pie sits on a wooden surface, accompanied by an embroidered linen napkin and a wooden rolling pin.

Tips

  • Avoid Tears: Make sure your knife is as sharp as possible. In my experience, that’s the only way to survive chopping a lot of onions. A dull knife will crush the onion and release excess juices, causing unnecessary tears.
  • Best Bacon Practices: If using regular bacon, go for a fatty cut and scatter the cubed bacon pieces across the top. The lard will render during baking and seep into the top of the pie. With a leaner cut (or veggie bacon), you’ll want to cook the bacon bits with the onions (they’d just dry out at the top).
  • Caraway for Better Digestion: I kept the amount of caraway flexible, but I suggest you use at least the minimum amount. It won’t be enough to stand out but it will help with digestion. It’s a lot of onions.
White fluted ceramic pie dish, three-quarters filled with German Zwiebelkuchen (onion pie), sits on a chipped white surface next to a pale blue plate holding a slice of the pie. A linen napkin with green embroidered leaves completes the scene.
White fluted ceramic pie dish, three-quarters filled with German Zwiebelkuchen (onion pie), sits on a chipped white surface next to a pale blue plate holding a slice of the pie. A linen napkin with green embroidered leaves completes the scene.

How to Serve

Zwiebelkuchen is best served warm, not hot. Leftovers reheat beautifully and make a satisfying breakfast, brunch, or lunch.

This humble yet hearty dish is traditionally enjoyed in early autumn, when onions are sweet and the air starts to cool. It pairs wonderfully with a glass of wine or crisp cider, alongside a salad of sharp or slightly bitter greens like arugula or radicchio (a red Italian chicory with a pleasantly bitter bite). For a non-alcoholic option, a well-fermented, slightly sour kombucha complements it beautifully — especially if it’s homemade.

When the days get shorter and you’re craving something extra cozy, serve it with a hot bowl of pumpkin soup. We had ours last night with a steaming pot of sauerkraut — super simple, but absolutely delicious!

How to Store and Freeze Zwiebelkuchen

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge, well covered, for up to 3 days.

I don’t usually like freezing egg-based dishes, so I haven’t personally tried freezing this one. However, it seems like a good candidate — the crust is meant to be soft, and the filling contains a bit of flour, which should help prevent separation.

I wouldn’t recommend freezing individual slices because of the soft filling, but freezing the whole pie for up to 2 months would likely work fine. If you do freeze it, defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in a medium oven until warmed through.

More from the Grains & Greens Kitchen

See All German Recipes
If you make this German Onion Pie…

I’d love to hear how it turned out. Did you love it? How courageous where you in the caraway department? Let me know!

P.S. If you’ve still got room for dessert, how about a scoop of ice cream?

Enjoy!

Zwiebelkuchen — German Onion Pie with Freshly Milled Flour

This cozy German Zwiebelkuchen (onion pie) is the ultimate fall dinner recipe — made with freshly milled flour, sweet caramelized onions, and a creamy, spiced custard. A hearty, healthy, vegetarian-friendly dinner that’s perfect for cooler nights and easy to prep ahead.
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Overhead shot of a German Zwiebelkuchen (onion pie): a golden pie with a browned, bready crust, filled with ribbons of red and yellow onions, bacon bits, and a golden custard filling. The pie sits on a wooden surface, accompanied by an embroidered linen napkin and two purple-red onions.
Prep Time:1 hour
Bake Time:1 hour
Total Time:2 hours
Equipment
  • 9-inch (23cm) Deep Dish Pie Dish - (Or use a 32cm (12.5-inch) ceramic tart pan and adjust the baking time.)
  • Large Frying Pan
  • Rolling Pin
  • Large Bowl and Whisk
Ingredients

Dough Ingredients

  • 225 g freshly milled soft wheat flour - roughly 1¾ cups
  • 3.5 g instant yeast - ½ sachet
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 160 ml whole milk - ⅔ cup
  • 40 g softened butter - 3 tbsp

Filling Ingredients

  • 1 kg red or white onions (or a mix) - 2.2 lbs
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 100 g diced bacon - ~½ cup
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 3 large eggs
  • 200 g sour cream - ¾ cup (use heavy cream or crème fraîche instead)
  • 2 tsp salt
  • pepper
  • a few gratings of nutmeg
  • ¼-1 tsp ground caraway seeds - or 1-2 tsp whole caraway seeds to scatter across the top
Instructions

Make the Dough

  • Weigh out soft wheat berries and mill them on the finest setting of your grain mill.
  • Add the salt, sugar and instant yeast, and give the dry ingredients a quick mix before you add the water and bring everything together into a shaggy dough.
  • Knead in the softened butter until fully incorporated and the dough turns soft and elastic. It will be sticky — that’s okay! Use a bench scraper to gather the dough into a ball, place it back in the bowl, cover, and let it rise for 30-60 minutes.

Cook the onions

  • Peel and chop the onions and dice the bacon if necessary. In a large frying pan, heat the butter over medium low heat. Add the onions and bacon, and cook them low and slow until the onions turn soft and sweet, but not mushy or browned. Once done, stir in the flour and let everything cool off a little.

Roll Out the Dough

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C (375°F). Grease a 9-inch deep dish pie dish with butter.
  • Lightly flour your work top and turn out the puffy dough. Roll it out to size and carefully lift it into your pie dish. Press in the edges and the sides, and poke the bottom a couple of times with a fork. Cover the pan and let the dough puff up again.

Make the Custard and Assemble the Pie

  • In a large bowl, mix together eggs, (sour) cream, salt, pepper, nutmeg and ground caraway seeds (if using). Gradually add the cooked onions into the egg mix and stir between additions. Ladle the filling into the prepared crust.

Bake the Pie

  • Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the centre is set and firm to the touch. Let the pie cool down for at least 30 minutes, so the filling has time to settle.
Notes
  1. Use a vegan, diced bacon alternative for a vegetarian pie.
  2. With regular bacon, scatter the cubed bacon bits across the top. With a leaner cut (or veggie bacon), you’ll want to cook the bacon bits with the onions instead.
  3. Use a very sharp knife to slice the onions, to avoid unnecessary tears.
  4. Use at least the minimum amount of caraway listed. It won’t be enough to stand out, but it will help with digestion.
  5. Zwiebelkuchen pairs beautifully with a glass of wine or cider, a side of slightly bitter or sharp greens, or a steaming pot of soup.
  6. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days.
Servings: 12
Calories: 254kcal
Author: Sarah | Grains & Greens Kitchen

Recipe FAQs

Zwiebelkuchen is a traditional German onion pie, typically made with a yeasted dough, topped with sautéed onions, eggs, cream, and sometimes bacon. It’s often served in early fall alongside wine or cider.

Sure. The classic version uses bacon, and even though I’d call it essential, it’s easy to leave out or replace with smoked salt, or even mushrooms sauteed in soy sauce, for a salty, smokey flavor. I use a vegan bacon replacement myself. As long as you find something smokey and salty you’re good.

You can — just know that the texture will be different. The yeasted dough gives the dish its soft, bread-like base. A regular pie crust will be firmer and more pastry-like, but still tasty. If that sounds more up your alley, try my Sourdough Discard Pie Crust for a flavorful twist.

Not at all! The egg mixture is there to bind the onions and give the filling structure, but it’s not like a quiche. The flavor is all about the onions and savory richness.

I haven’t personally frozen it, but it should freeze well, especially if you freeze the whole pie rather than individual slices. See the “How to Store and Freeze” section above for tips.

White fluted ceramic pie dish sits on a chipped white surface next to a pale blue plate holding a slice of German onion pie. A linen napkin with green embroidered leaves completes the scene. The text overlay reads "Zwiebelkuchen - German Onion Pie - Cozy Fall Dinner Recipe"

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