Lil’ Bo’s Petite Sweet Vidalia Onions

Characterized by their sweet taste and budding stalk, Lil’ Bo’s Petite Sweet Vidalia Onions are ideal for use in soups and stir fries or as raw slices in a garden salad. Harvested earlier in the season, their flavor is more zesty than a full- grown Vidalia onion. In the heart of Vidalia, Georgia, Herndon Farms brings the specialty item to you from December through April. 

Lil’ Bo’s Bayou inspired Cheesy Sweet Onions

Bold, cheesy, and brimming with Cajun flair, Lil' Bo's Cajun Skillet Onions with Cheese brings tender, caramelized sweet onions together with melty, velvety cheese, all roasted to perfection in a rustic cast iron skillet. A touch of Old Bay and smoked paprika lends this dish its signature Louisiana-inspired kick—comfort food with a Bayou twist!

Ingredients
  

  • 8 Lil’ Bo’s Petite sweet onions
  • 2 tbsp Butter cut into eight pieces
  • 4 oz your choice of cheese —Gruyere Swiss, Provolone, Fontina, cut into 1.5x1 inch slices, ¼ inch thick
  • 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil reserve 2 tbsp
  • 1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 8 garlic cloves

Instructions
 

Preheat Oven

  • Heat to 375 Degrees

Prep Onions

  • Wash and trim the onion tops (leaving 1.5-3 inches) (reserve some tops for garnish), and cut the base of each onion so it can stand. Leave the outer skin on for baking. Cut a cross in the tops.

Stuff with Cheese

  • Insert a slice of Gruyere into the cross of each onion.

Make Seasoned Oil

  • Combine 4 tbsp of olive oil, Old Bay, paprika, and salt.

Season Onions

  • Arrange onions in a cast iron skillet and drizzle with seasoned oil. Add Garlic & butter: Scatter garlic cloves and butter around the onions. Drizzle the remaining olive oil.

Bake

  • Bake for 50 minutes until onions are tender, caramelized, and cheese is melted.

Serve

  • Remove outer skins if desired. Garnish with reserved onion tops and enjoy.

Notes

  • Serve as a side with roasted meats, rice, or as an appetizer.
  • Use leftover oil as a drizzle or dipping sauce for eggs, roasting veggies, and pasta.
  • Save outer onion skins for stocks or composting.

Nashville Hot Mini Bloomers

Crispy, spicy, and irresistibly bite-sized, this blooming onion twist is a fun, shareable dish with a
satisfying crunch. These bloomers are perfect for sharing, tailgating, or simply baking in some fun.
Here's how you can make these delectable Lil' Bo's Nashville Hot Mini Bloomers at home. Enjoy!
Servings 8 people

Ingredients
  

Season Flour Mix

  • 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Chili Powder
  • 1.5 tsp Salt & Pepper (combined)
  • .5 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Egg Bath

  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 1 Cup Buttermilk
  • 2 tbsp Tabasco Sauce

Crispy Coating

  • 1-2 Cups Breadcrumbs
  • Cooking Spray

Instructions
 

Preparing the Lil Bo’s

  • Remove the outer layer onion skin and trim off the tops (save these tops).
    Cut each onion at even intervals to create 8 "petals," leaving the root intact to hold the shape.
    Dice the saved onion tops (up to the green leaves) into 1 inch pieces.

Make Seasoned Flour

  • Combine the flour, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Stir well to mix evenly.

Prepare the Egg Wash

  • Whisk eggs, buttermilk, and Tabasco sauce in a separate bowl until smooth.

Double Breading Process

  • Dip each onion (and diced tops) into the seasoned flour, coating thoroughly. Submerge in the egg mixture until fully covered. If you want thicker coating, repeat this process (flour, then egg dip) for a second round. Finally, coat the onions evenly in breadcrumbs. Shake off any excess after each step for a clean, consistent crust.

Crisp It Up

  • Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C). Spray the breaded onions lightly with cooking spray for extra crispiness. Place onions and diced tops in the air fryer basket, ensuring they’re not crowded or stacked. Cook for 15–20 minutes until golden brown, working in batches if necessary.

Eat Up, Dip and Devour

  • Serve your Lil' Bo's Nashville Hot Mini Bloomers immediately with your choice of dipping sauces — Greek Yogurt Dressing, Spicy mayo, Classic ranch, Honey Drizzle.

Lil’ Bo’s Petite Sweet Vidalia Onion Pomegranate Seed and Goat Cheese Salad

Lil’ Bo’s Petite Sweet Vidalia Onions are wonderful sliced onto any salad. In this recipe they are given a new twist! They’re marinated in cider vinegar to add extra flavor and to form the basis of the salad dressing. You will have enough of the marinated onions and salad dressing for 8 individual salads.
Servings 8 people

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tbsp cider vinegar, divided
  • salt
  • coarse black pepper
  • 2 Lil' Bo's Petite Sweet Vidalia Onions, trimmed of tops and root end
  • 3 tbps olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp granulated sugar
  • 10 ounces dark salad greens (baby spinach or a mix including baby kale is perfect)
  • 8 ounces plain soft goat cheese, at room temperature
  • 2 cups pomegranate seeds

Instructions
 

  • In a medium-sized bowl combine 2 tablespoons of the cider vinegar with 1/8 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper. Thinly slice the onions and stir them with the vinegar mixture until they’re thoroughly coated. Set aside for 20 minutes. Proceed with the recipe or cover and refrigerate for up to 12 hours.
  • To the onions add the olive oil, the remaining 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar, a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper and the sugar. Stir to combine.
  • Divide the salad greens between 8 medium-sized plates. Use a fork to lift about ¼ cup of the marinated onions out of the liquid and onto each plate. Drizzle each serving with 1 tablespoon of the juices from the bowl. Top each salad with 1 ounce of the goat cheese divided into 4-5 pieces. Finish by sprinkling each salad with 1/8 of a cup of pomegranate seeds.

French Roasted Lil’ Bo’s Petite Sweet Vidalia Onions

Lil’ Bo’s Petite Sweet Vidalia Onions are lovely when caramelized. In this recipe they are roasted until caramelized on the outside and soft and sweet on the inside. Then they’re filled with the flavors of French Onion Soup and broiled. They’re a perfect accompaniment to roast beef.
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • olive oil
  • 8 Lil’ Bo’s Petite Sweet Vidalia Onions, trimmed of tops and of root ends
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • 8 small sprigs of fresh rosemary
  • 1/4 cup panko, or other dry breadcrumbs
  • 1/3 cup grated Swiss cheese, like gruyere or emmentaler
  • 1 clove garlic, minced

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Grease a 13” x 9” baking sheet with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Place the onions top-side-up on the baking sheet. Brush them lightly all over with a bit more of the olive oil. Top each onion with a small pinch of salt and of black pepper. Lay a sprig of rosemary on top of each onion. Bake until the bottoms of the onions are very brown, about 20 minutes.
  • Remove the onions from the oven and reduce the heat to 300ºF. Push the rosemary sprigs to the side of the pan. Use a metal spatula to scrape under the onions and then flip them over. Put the rosemary sprigs back on top of the onions. Bake until golden on top and soft throughout, about 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the breadcrumbs, cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, the garlic and 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
  • When the onions are done baking, preheat the broiler. Discard the rosemary. Flip the onions over. Use a paring knife to cut a 1 inch slot in the top of each onion, being careful to not go all the way across or all the way down. Gently open an onion along the slot and use a small spoon to insert a teaspoon of the breadcrumb filling. Repeat with the remaining onions. Put another teaspoon of filling on top of each onion. Broil the onions 6-8 inches from the heat source, just until the bread crumbs are browned, 3-5 minutes.