There’s something deeply comforting about the scent of onions, bacon, and nutmeg filling the kitchen. This weekend, I baked a Zwiebelkuchen—Germany’s beloved onion tart—but with a modern shortcut: Puff Pastry (Pepperidge Farm ). It was flaky, flavorful, and just the right blend of rustic and refined.
Zwiebelkuchen is a beloved savory German onion tart or cake featuring steamed onions, chopped bacon, cream, and caraway seeds. While one traditionally uses a yeast dough, I prefer to prepare mine with store-bought puff pastry. It pairs perfectly with Federweissen (a fresh fermented wine). These two are truly meant for each other!
Of course you could just use a regular yeast dough (Pizza dough), I prefer Puff Pastry, and the dough can be found in the freezer aisle (Pepperidge Farms).
🧊 The Shortcut: Puff Pastry, But Keep It Cold
I started by defrosting the puff pastry sheets according to the package directions—about 30 to 40 minutes. The key is to keep them cold but pliable, so they roll out easily without becoming sticky. I love how puff pastry gives this tart a light, crispy base without the fuss of making dough from scratch.
🥓 The Filling: Bacon, Onions, and Creamy Goodness
While the pastry thawed, I crisped up some bacon in a skillet, drained most of the fat, and let the bacon cool before crumbling it. In the remaining bacon fat, I sautéed sliced onions until tender and golden—soft, sweet, and full of flavor. Once cooled, I mixed the onions with sour cream, shredded cheese, eggs, and the crumbled bacon.
To thicken the filling, I added a spoonful of flour (or starch), then seasoned it with salt, pepper, a pinch of nutmeg, and caraway seeds (optional, but so traditional). The mixture was creamy, savory, and ready to shine. I let the mixture sit a while to let it cool.
🍴 The Assembly: Simple and Satisfying
Once the puff pastry was ready, I rolled it out gently with a rolling pin and placed it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Keeping the dough cold is essential—it helps the pastry puff up beautifully in the oven.
I poured the chilled filling over the pastry, spreading it evenly to the edges. Into the oven it went at 350°F, baking for about 45 minutes until the top was golden and just set.
⏳ The Finish: Rest, Slice, Enjoy
After baking, I let the tart rest for 10 minutes before slicing. This helps the filling firm up and makes serving easier. The result? A flaky, creamy, savory slice of heaven that pairs perfectly with a crisp glass of white wine or a mug of Federweißer if you’re feeling seasonal.
💬 Final Thoughts: Tradition Meets Convenience
Zwiebelkuchen is a dish that speaks of autumn, harvest festivals, and cozy gatherings. Using puff pastry made it weeknight-friendly without sacrificing flavor. It’s a recipe I’ll return to again and again—easy, elegant, and unmistakably German.
Next time, I might add leeks or swap in Emmental for a deeper cheese flavor. But for now, I’m savoring every bite of this crispy, creamy classic.
Angie’s Zwiebelkuchen or Onion Tart
Ingredients
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry dough (like Pepperidge Farms), alternately, store-bought Pizza dough will do.
- 12 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch strips, fried and crumpled.
- 6 cups chopped or thinly sliced onions (1.3 lb.)
- 4 beaten eggs
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream (or whole cream)
- 2 cups melting cheese like Le Gruyere, gouda, fontina, provolone or white cheddar
- 2 tbsp of cornstarch (or flour)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Dash of Salt and Pepper
- Caraway seeds and nutmeg to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Defrost Puff pastry as by directions (~30 to 40 min), it needs to be kept cold
- Fry bacon until crisp, drain most of bacon fat. Let the bacon cool, then crumple.
- Cook onion in remaining bacon fat until tender and let cool.
- Once cooled, combine the onions, sour cream, cheese, bacon and eggs. Add some flour (starch), salt and pepper, nutmeg and caraway seeds (optional)
- Once the puff pastry is defrosted roll it out with a rolling pin. Place the dough on a nonstick baking sheet, or one that is covered with parchment paper. Make sure the puff pastry dough is kept cold.
- Pour the cold filling on the puff pastry.
- Bake at 350 degrees until almost set, about 45 minutes.
- Let stand 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
Notes
Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing. If available, serve with “Federweiser”, a popular German wine in fermentation
You need a deep pan to fry your Onions, here are some to choose from:
