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    Home » Main Courses

    Authentic Zwiebelkuchen (German Onion Cake)

    Published: Sep 17, 2023 · Modified: Aug 27, 2024 by Marita Sinden · 3 Comments

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    Zwiebelkuchen.

    This classic Zwiebelkuchen is a real highlight of Germany's autumn. This German onion cake (also known as German onion pie) is made with sour cream, bacon, and of course, onions. When the leaves on the trees start changing color, and the vintners are celebrating their harvest - this onion pie comes to shine.

    German Zwiebelkuchen
    Jump to:
    • What is Zwiebelkuchen?
    • History and Origin 
    • How to make German Onion Cake 
    • Recipe Variations:
    • How to serve Zwiebelkuchen
    • Prepare ahead
    • Storage Instructions 
    • More German Streetfood Recipes
    • Recipe

    What is Zwiebelkuchen?

    Zwiebelkuchen is a savory onion pie or cake. It is topped with slow-cooked onions, sour cream, and bacon. The base is made from a yeast dough, but you can also find versions made from shortcrust pastry or an oil-quark dough.

    You will find this German onion cake either baked in a sheet pan or in a round cake tin. Both versions are common, but the Zwiebelkuchen baked in a cake tin tends to be deeper and moister.

    This dish could also remind you of a quiche when baked in a round cake tin. However, the French have their own version of this German Onion Quiche and call it “Tarte à l'oignon”. The difference is that the French onion tart does not usually use bacon.

    Another similar German dish is Flammkuchen, a flatbread that is also made with onion and bacon - but is a lot drier.

    What is the difference between Zwiebelkuchen and Flammkuchen?

    Although Zwiebelkuchen and Flammkuchen both have onions and bacon as key ingredients, Zwiebelkuchen has a deeper crust which is more cake or pie-like. Also, you need a lot more onions to make Zwiebelkuchen - the filling is creamier and moister. Flammkuchen is crispier and drier.

    Another difference is that on Flammkuchen you add raw onions. Whereas for Zwiebelkuchen you slowly fry the onions to create a moist, sweeter filling.

    A common spice for Zwielkuchen is caraway seeds. This helps the digestion of all these onions. This is definitively not a common spice used in Flammkuchen.

    History and Origin 

    It is unclear who made the “original'' onion cake. It has been mentioned in Southern Germany and the Alsass region since the 19th century. Zwiebelkuchen is a popular autumn dish at wine festivals. The wine-producing areas in Germany include Thuringia, Phalia, Hessia, Franconia, Swabia, Alsass, and the Rhine and Mosel areas. I looked at various recipes, but I can not find significant regional differences in the way they are prepared.

    In the German vineyards, it is customary to celebrate a festival once the harvesting season is over and the first wines are ready for drinking. The name of these festivals is “Besen-und Straussenwirstschaften”. They are like pop-up wine bars where the vintners sell their wines. This custom originates from the time of the Emperor “Karl the Great” who in the 8th century allowed the vineyards to keep some of the wine they produced for themselves. [Source: Schmeck den Süden]

    What do you call Zwiebelkuchen in English?

    Literally translated Zwiebelkuchen means “Onion Cake”: “Zwiebel” is the word for onions in German “Kuchen” is the word for cake. However, in America, onion pie would be the more accurate description- as it resembles the American onion and bacon pie.

    You pronounce Zwiebelkuchen as an English speaker as "TS-WE-BELL-COOK-EN".

    A tray with Zwiebelkuchen

    How to make German Onion Cake 

    In Germany you call this recipe “Zwiebelkuchen vom Blech“ where "vom Blech" means baked on a tray - with which you mean the sheet pan used. This distinguishes it from the Onion Cakes that you bake in a round cake tin.

    Ingredients: 

    For the yeast base

    • 7 g instant yeast (2 teaspoon or 0.24 oz, 1 pouch)
    • 180 ml / 5 fl oz lukewarm milk
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • pinch of sugar 
    • 300 g / 11 oz flour
    • 2 tablespoon vegetable oil

    For the onion filling

    • 1 kg/ 35 oz onions 
    • 200 g / 7 oz bacon (cubed) 
    • 1 ground caraway seeds (you can substitute the 2 teaspoon caraway seeds) 
    • 400 g/ 14 oz sour cream (you can substitute sour cream with crème fraiche) 
    • 3 eggs - medium size
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    To garnish (optional)

    4 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

    Zwiebelkuchen Recipe Steps

    Zwiebelkuchen Recipe Steps 
1. The yeast is activating. Bubble form
2. the dough in a steel bowl. 
4. The onions in a frying pan being fried. 
5. The onions in the frying pan being fried
    1. Add the instant yeast and sugar to the lukewarm milk. Mix and leave to rest for 10 minutes. The yeast should activate and you should see little bubbles forming on the surface.
    2. Combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Pour in the yeast-milk mixture and oil. Using a stand or hand mixer with a dough hook, knead the dough for about 5 minutes until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
    3. Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or use nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment for 45 minutes.
    4. In the meantime, we can start with the onion topping. Peel the onions and chop them into thin rings. Cube the bacon.
    5. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the frying pan and fry the bacon until crispy. Now add the onions and fry them with the bacon on low to medium heat until translucent. You do not want to hurry this step, as it will add to the sweetness. You don't want the onions to get too brown, they should be more "steamed" than "fried" crispy. Slow-cook the onions for about 10 minutes.
    6. Leave the onion mixture to slightly cool.
    Zwiebelkuchen Recipe Steps 1. the egg and sour cream are being mixed together with a spoon. 2 The sour cream mixture and the onions are being combined in a frying pan. 3. A rolling pin is rolling out the dough. 4. The onion filling is added onto the dough. A spoon is evening it out.
    1. In a separate bowl mix together the sour cream and eggs. Then add the egg-sour cream mix to the onions and bacon and mix well. Season with salt and pepper and caraway seeds to taste. 
    2. Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 392°F. Either grease the baking tray with some butter or line it with baking parchment.
    3. Once the dough has risen, knead the dough one last time by hand on a floured surface to remove any air bubbles. Then roll it out into a thin rectangle. Lift the dough into the baking form and press the dough into the corners with your finger to create a small rim. 
    4. Pour the onion mixture onto the yeast base. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes until it is golden brown. 
    5. Leave to cool slightly before serving. To garnish, sprinkle with freshly cut chives (optional).

    Recipe Variations:

    • Use a different cake tin. Instead of a baking tray use a 10-inch round cake tin.
    • Use shop-bought pizza dough or puff pastry as your base. If you need to save time, this is an effective shortcut to take.
    • Vegetarian Onion Cake. To make a vegetarian version of this onion cake, just omit the bacon in the recipe. Instead, you can also add in some leeks, to add a different texture or add some grated cheese, such as gouda or cheddar. Another idea is to replace the bacon with smoked tofu.
    German Onion Cake

    How to serve Zwiebelkuchen

    Serve this German onion pie as a snack with a glass of wine. It also makes a great main course. Pair it with a green salad or a potato salad.

    You can eat the slices cold or warm. 

    Wine Pairing

    Traditionally you will serve this with a young wine called “Federweisser”. Federweisser is a young wine that is in the process of turning from grape juice into white wine. The yeast that winemakers to aid fermentation turns sugars into alcohol. This process takes about 2-3 weeks. This is why Federweisser is cloudy. The taste depends on how old the wine is. If it is younger, it will take sweeter and more juice-like, the older it gets the sourer it will be. The alcohol content ranges from 4% to 11%.

    A dry white wine (especially Riesling) also goes well with this savory tart.

    Prepare ahead

    Zwiebelkuchen tastes best the day you cook it. However, you can prepare the yeast dough a day ahead. Either for the first or second rise, you can store it in the fridge. Ensure that you let the dough get back to room temperature before filling it, as otherwise it will not back properly.

    Storage Instructions 

    Store any leftover onion cake in an airtight container in the fridge. Consume within three days.

    Freezer

    Divide it into portions and place it in an airtight container. It can stay frozen for up to three months. Defrost at room temperature. If you like to eat it warm, place it in the oven for 5 minutes to crisp up.

    A slice of German Onion Cake

    More German Streetfood Recipes

    • Flammkuchen Recipe
    • Bremer (German Fish Sandwich)
    • Currywurst
    • Frikadellen
    • Turkey Schnitzel

    This post was first published in January 2014 and updated in July 2021 and September 2023

    Recipe

    German Zwiebelkuchen

    Authentic Zwiebelkuchen (German Onion Cake)

    Marita
    This delicious German Onion cake recipe is great for entertaining. Filled with sweet onion and bacon, it is the perfect hearty snack or can be enjoyed as a main course.
    4.67 from 6 votes
    I look forward to your feedback. Just click the stars above.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 35 minutes mins
    Resting Time 45 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Course Main Course, Snack
    Cuisine German
    Servings 12 slices
    Calories 241 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 baking tray (mine was 30 cm x 40 xm , 12" x 16")

    Ingredients
     
     

    For the yeast dough

    • 180 ml  lukewarm milk 6 fl oz / ¾ cup
    • ½ teaspoon sugar
    • 7 g instant yeast (2 teaspoon or 0,24 oz, 1 pouch)
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 300 g flour 11 oz / 1 ¾ cups + 2 tbsp (Germany type 405, UK plain flour, USA all purpose)
    • 2 tsbp vegetable oil

    For the onion filling

    • 1 kg onions 35 oz
    • 200 g smoked bacon 7 oz
    • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    • ¼ teaspoon ground caraway seeds you can subsitute 1 teaspoon caraway seeds or can be obmitted.
    • 400 g sour cream 14 oz / 1 ¾ cps
    • 3 eggs medium size
    • salt and pepper to taste

    To Garnish (optional)

    • 4 tbsp chopped chives
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Add the instant yeast and sugar into the lukewarm milk. Mix and leave to rest for 10 minutes. The yeast should activate and you should see little bubbles forming on the surface.
      180 ml  lukewarm milk, ½ teaspoon sugar, 7 g instant yeast
    • Combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Pour in the yeast-milk mixture and the oil. Using a stand or hand mixer with a dough hook, knead the dough for about 5 minutes until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
      1 teaspoon salt, 300 g flour, 2 tsbp vegetable oil
    • Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or use nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment for 45 minutes.
    • In the meantime, we can start with the onion topping. Peel the onions and chop them into thin rings. Cube the bacon.
      1 kg onions, 200 g smoked bacon
    • Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the frying pan and fry the bacon until crispy. Now add the onions and fry them with the bacon on low to medium heat until translucent. You do not want to hurry up this step, as it will add to the sweetness. Slow-cook the onions for about 10 minutes.
      1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    • Leave the onion mixture to slightly cool.
    • In a separate bowl mix together the sour cream and eggs. Then add the egg-sour cream mix to the onions and bacon and caraway and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
      ¼ teaspoon ground caraway seeds, 400 g sour cream, 3 eggs, salt and pepper to taste
    • Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 392°F. Either grease the baking tray with some butter or line it with baking parchment.
    • Once the dough has risen, knead the dough one last time by hand on a floured surface. Then roll it out into a thin rectangle. Lift the dough into the baking form and press the dough into the corners with your finger to create a small rim. 
    • Pour the onion mixture onto the yeast base. bake in the oven for 35 minutes. 
    • Leave to cool slightly before serving. To garnish sprinkle with fresh cut chives. (optional)
      4 tablespoon chopped chives

    Video

    Notes

    I would strongly recommend checking out the Step by Step Recipe photos on the post. 

    Recipe Variations:

    • Use a different cake tin. Instead of a baking tray use a 10-inch round cake tin. The baking time will be longer. 
    • Use shop-bought pizza dough or puff pastry as your base. If you need to save time, this is an effective shortcut to take.
    • Vegetarian Onion Cake. To make a vegetarian version of this onion cake, just omit the bacon in the recipe. Instead, you can also add in some leeks.
    • Add cheese- you can sprinkle some grated cheese such as gouda and cheddar on top. 
    • Some recipes like to add thyme to the onions, which adds another complementary flavor.

    Storage Instructions 

    Store any leftover onion cake in an airtight container in the fridge. Consume within three days.

    Freezing?

    Thankfully yes. Divide it into portions and place it in an airtight container. It can stay frozen for up to three months. Defrost at room temperature. If you like to eat it warm, place it in the oven for 5 minutes to crisp up.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 241kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 10gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 251mgPotassium: 291mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 289IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 82mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword German Onion cake, German Onion Pie, German Onion Pizza, Zwiebelkuchen
    Did you make this recipe? I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Please leave a quick Comment and star rating. I appreciate your feedback.

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    Comments

      4.67 from 6 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Larry Philipps says

      June 30, 2025 at 6:25 pm

      Can I use whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour

      Reply
    2. franceshuntley says

      February 28, 2014 at 2:42 pm

      Yum! This looks lekker! I'm definitely going to make this.

      The oven-baked schnitzels were good by the way - but you don't get that lovely greasy buttery flavour!

      The egg, garlic and parsley mix made a cracking omelette too!

      https://www.facebook.com/RelishHealth

      Reply
      • Marita Sinden says

        February 28, 2014 at 2:47 pm

        Thank you! I will let you know how they go.

        I hope we can exchange recipes in the future. xx

        Reply

    Hi, I'm Marita

    Food enthusiast & home cook. I returned to Germany after living in the UK for 20 years. Here at My Dinner, you will find traditional and authentic German recipes with cultural backgrounds.

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