Baked Brie With Caramelized Onions (Print Version)
Creamy baked brie with sweet onions and toasted pecans
# What You'll Need:
→ Cheese & Dairy
01 - 1 wheel (7 to 9 ounces) brie cheese
02 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
→ Vegetables
03 - 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
→ Nuts
04 - 1/3 cup pecan halves or pieces
→ Sweeteners & Seasonings
05 - 1 teaspoon brown sugar
06 - 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (optional)
07 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Pantry Staples
08 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
→ Optional Wrapping & Serving
09 - 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed (optional, for wrapped version)
10 - 1 egg, beaten (optional, for egg wash)
11 - Crackers or baguette slices, for serving
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a small baking dish or sheet pan with parchment paper.
02 - Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until deeply golden and very soft.
03 - Stir in brown sugar, thyme leaves, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes until the onions are fully caramelized and glossy. Remove from heat and set aside.
04 - In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pecans for 3 to 5 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Coarsely chop if desired.
05 - Place the brie wheel in the prepared baking dish. For a wrapped version, lay the brie on the thawed puff pastry sheet, top with onions and pecans, fold the pastry around the cheese, and brush with beaten egg.
06 - Spoon the caramelized onions over the brie wheel and scatter the toasted pecans on top.
07 - Bake for 15 to 18 minutes for an unwrapped brie, or 20 to 25 minutes if wrapped in pastry, until the cheese is soft and beginning to ooze. The pastry should be golden brown if using.
08 - Allow the brie to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm with crackers or toasted baguette slices alongside.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Caramelized onions and warm brie together taste like something from a fancy restaurant but the whole thing takes almost no skill.
- You can dress it up with puff pastry or keep it bare and either way people will think you worked harder than you did.
02 -
- Do not rush the onions because high heat will char them instead of caramelizing and you will lose that mellow sweetness entirely.
- If you use puff pastry make sure it is fully thawed or it will crack when you try to fold it around the brie.
03 -
- Cover the brie loosely with foil if the top is browning faster than the cheese is melting underneath.
- The best crackers for this are the thick hearty kind because nothing is sadder than watching your cracker snap under the weight of perfect melted brie.