Alsatian Onion Tart (Zewelkueche) - The Traditional Recipe

When the grape harvest begins and the first cool evenings return, onion tart makes its big comeback on Alsatian tables. Called Zewelkueche in dialect, it combines crisp pastry with a filling of slowly softened onions bound with an egg and cream custard. A simple, generous dish, emblematic of winstub cooking.

Onion tart and new wine

Tradition has it that it is enjoyed in autumn with new wine, grape juice that has only just started fermenting, sweet, cloudy and slightly sparkling. In the Alsace vineyards as on the other side of the Rhine, where it is called Zwiebelkuchen, this pairing marks the end of the harvest. The sweetness of the new wine is a wonderful match for the melting onions. The rest of the year, it is served as a starter or main course with a green salad.

The secret: well-softened onions

The success of the tart lies entirely in how the onions are cooked. They must soften slowly in butter over low heat for a good half hour, until tender and translucent, without colouring. This brings out their natural sweetness and avoids bitterness.

The onion tart recipe

Ingredients for a 28 cm tart tin

For the shortcrust pastry:

• 250 g flour
• 125 g cold butter
• 1 pinch of salt
• 6 to 7 cl cold water

For the filling:

• 1 kg onions
• 40 g butter
• 150 g smoked bacon lardons (optional)
• 3 eggs
• 20 cl crème fraîche
• 10 cl milk
• 1 tablespoon flour
• Salt, pepper, grated nutmeg
• 1 pinch caraway seeds (optional)

Made in France Master Potter

Soufflenheim Pottery

Pie dish 20 cm Bleu de Soufflenheim Daisy

Already 5 sale this month

Last product!

€41.00

(1)



Add to basket

Made in France Master Potter Free Shipping

Soufflenheim Pottery

Pie dish 30 cm Bleu de Soufflenheim Daisy

Already 8 sale this month

Within 4–5 weeks

€91.00

(3)



Add to basket

Made in France

Recipe Books

Book the Original Recipes of Alsace

Already 17 sale this month

🔥 1 person recently added this item to their cart, join them! 🔥 1 person recently added this item to their cart, join them!

Stock < 18 items

€9.00

(1)



Add to basket

Method

1. Make the pastry: rub the flour, salt and butter together with your fingertips, add the water and bring together into a ball without overworking. Chill for 30 minutes.
2. Peel and thinly slice the onions. Soften them in the butter over low heat, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring regularly. They should not colour. Leave to cool slightly.
3. If using, fry the lardons in a dry pan for a few minutes and drain.
4. Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Roll out the pastry and line the buttered tin. Prick the base with a fork.
5. In a bowl, beat the eggs with the flour, then add the cream and milk. Season with salt, pepper and a good pinch of nutmeg.
6. Mix this custard with the onions and lardons, then pour onto the pastry. Sprinkle with caraway if you like.
7. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the tart is golden and set in the centre. Leave to rest for a few minutes before serving.

Variations

Some families make onion tart on a yeasted dough, thicker and softer, close to bread dough. Others add a little grated cheese on top. The milder version without lardons shows off the flavour of the onion even better.

How to serve onion tart

Serve it warm with a green salad. In autumn, new wine is its traditional companion. The rest of the year, a dry, fresh Riesling perfectly balances the richness of the cream, as does a Sylvaner or a Pinot Blanc. Cut into small squares, it also makes an excellent aperitif bite. For more pairings, see our guide to Alsatian food and wine pairings.

Made in France

Alsace wine

Riesling from Alsace Tradition 75 cl

€14.90

(4)



Add to basket

Made in France

Savoury aperitifs

Aperitif biscuits in Onion and Bacon Tarte Flambée flavour

€7.90

(2)



Add to basket

Made in France

Alsatian Recipe Postcard

Onion Pie Recipe Postcard

€0.75



Add to basket