Go Back
–+ servings

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.
Pin Recipe Print Recipe Share on Facebook
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.
No ratings yet
Prep Time:1 hour
Bake Time:1 hour
Total Time:2 hours
Servings:12
Calories:254kcal
Equipment
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.
Author: Sarah | Grains & Greens Kitchen
Calories: 254kcal
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it turned out!