Onion Bread for Bread Machine

This savory bread machine loaf gets a double dose of onion flavor from both dried onion flakes and onion paste. The flakes rehydrate during mixing and baking, creating little bursts of sweet onion throughout, while the paste distributes a deeper, more concentrated onion flavor evenly through the crumb.

Brown sugar adds a subtle sweetness that rounds out the onion’s sharpness, and poppy seeds give each slice tiny pops of nutty crunch. Black pepper runs through the whole loaf, adding a gentle warmth that makes this bread taste like something from a bakery rather than a machine.

This works on both regular and rapid bake cycles, so you can have a fresh loaf in well under two hours on the fast setting.

Pro Tips

• Use dried onion flakes, not fresh onion. Fresh onion adds too much moisture and throws off the bread machine’s hydration balance.
• If you can’t find onion paste in a tube, substitute onion powder. Use ¼ teaspoon for the regular loaf.
• Onion salt is not a substitute. It changes the sodium level and makes the bread too salty.
• Measure the bread flour carefully. Too much flour makes the loaf dense and dry.

Variations

• Add shredded cheddar cheese to the dough for a cheesy onion bread.
• Stir in a teaspoon of dried rosemary or Italian seasoning for an herb-onion loaf.
• Top the loaf with extra poppy seeds and onion flakes before baking for a bialy-inspired crust.