Beef Liver and Onions
Beef Liver and Onions is one of those old-school dishes that delivers serious nutrition and bold flavor when cooked properly. The key? Don’t overcook it. When prepared right, liver is tender, slightly creamy inside, and beautifully balanced by sweet caramelized onions.This recipe gives you the perfect method to avoid toughness and bitterness — ready in under 35 minutes.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Soaking Time (recommended): 20–30 minutes
Cook Time: 10–12 minutes
Total Time: 30–40 minutes
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
You’ll Need:
¼ cup of flour
1 lb beef liver
¼-½ cup of butter
½ tsp of salt
⅛ tsp of pepper
Oil to taste
1-2 tbsp of fresh minced sage
2 cups of thinly sliced onions
½ cup of beef stock
1 tbsp of minced Italian parsley
¼ cup of dry white wine
Steps:
First, you want to take a bag, and put the flour, the pepper, and the salt together in there.
Cut the liver into pieces that are about a half an inch, and then, put them into the bag, shaking this until they’re coated. This will help with muting the taste of this.
Get a skillet, and from there heat about 3 tablespoons of the butter, along with a little bit of oil, and from there, you want to sauté your onions on a medium-high sort of level, so that they’re nice and tender. You should see a small sheen of glossy on this.
Once you see that, you want to take the onions, putting them inside a dish, and from there, sprinkle the onion as well with some pepper and salt.
Heat up about 4 tablespoons of the butter, along with a small dash of oil to the skillet as well.
Add in the liver and then cook this for about 5 or so minutes, until this dish starts to brown.
Once this is finished cooking, put the onions directly onto the skillet, heating these up together with the liver as well.
Take the liver and onions and put this onto a plate. Use a stock and the wine to deglaze this, and from there, you want to make sure the liquid is reduced in this until it creates a nice, thick sauce that will really give you something to enjoy with this.
Take the liver, put it on a serving dish, and then, also add the onion to this. Add the sauce you just made, and then add a bit of parsley in order to garnish, and then you can serve it!
Best Serving Ideas
Creamy mashed potatoes
Buttered rice
Steamed green beans
Garlic sautéed spinach
Fresh crusty bread
Nutritional Highlights (Per Serving Approx.)
Calories: 320–350 kcal
Protein: 28–32g
Iron: Extremely high (over 100% daily value)
Vitamin A: Very high
Vitamin B12: Exceptionally rich
Fat: 20g
Beef liver is one of the most nutrient-dense foods available.
Pro Tips for Perfect Liver
Thin slices cook more evenly.
Always cook on medium heat — too high makes it rubbery.
Slight pink center = tender result.
Add a splash of lemon juice at the end to brighten flavor.
Storage Tips
Refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days.
Reheat gently on stovetop.
Avoid microwaving too long.
Final Thoughts
Beef Liver and Onions is bold, nourishing, and deeply satisfying when prepared properly. The sweetness of caramelized onions perfectly balances the richness of the liver, creating a dish that’s hearty and comforting.