Caramelized Onion Galette

Name: Caramelized Onion Galette
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: For the onions:; Olive oil; 4 large yellow onions — peeled, halved, and thinly sliced; Coarse sea salt; Black Pepper; For the pastry:; 9 oz (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; 5 oz butter — chilled, cut into small pieces.; 1 large egg; Zest of 1 lemon; Pinch of salt; 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

By Pascale Beale

Updated October 2026

appetizerFrench-InspiredMediterraneanVegetarian

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Photography by Pascale's Kitchen Studio

Total Time 1 hr, 30 minutes

Difficulty Medium

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

I taught the classic version of this dish, Tarte à l'oignon, in my first cooking class in Santa Barbara. It was in many ways a conscious acknowledgment of my connection to Provence and to my new home on the American Riviera. This version, a free-form galette, is less structured than a tart but just as satisfying. It makes a wonderful first course or appetizer, and if the holidays find you with a beautiful day and good company, take it outside with a glass of something festive.

Preparation

1
Pour a little olive oil into a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, a large pinch of salt, and 5-6 grinds of black pepper. Stir frequently and cook until the onions are completely soft and slightly golden. This will take at least 20-25 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
3
Place all the dough ingredients into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs, then use longer pulses until the dough forms a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
4
Place the unwrapped dough on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the dough to a 14-inch round, ¼-inch thick. The edge of the dough will be ragged, but that’s okay. Place the dough onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. Spread the mustard all over the dough.
5
Spoon the cooked onions onto the rolled-out dough, leaving a one- to two-inch border. Carefully fold the pastry edge over the onions.
6
Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until the pastry is deep golden brown. This is excellent with a simple green salad or served with some arugula.

This recipe was featured in The Thief Who Set The Table article.

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Caramelized Onion Galette

Preparation

From Pascale's Kitchen Shop

Sel de Guerande (Large)

Arbequina Estate Olive Oil

Tellicherry Peppercorns (Large)

Letters from the Market Table