Sorry Rick,vi missed your comment. Yes it does call for onions but you can always leave them out. I've come to add a few of my own ingredients over time and they all taste great. For example, I add large size cans of crushed tomatos and tomato sauce, since I make mine in s large turkey roaster, the blue one with white specs, I use 2 cans of each. This gives it a great flavor. But you can make your own. Just follow the recipe and add/delete what you like/allergic to in your case. Great recipe. Thx for asking.