Description
Savory Greek Stuffed Onions are a delightful and hearty dish that combines sweet onions with a flavorful filling of ground beef, aromatic herbs, and rice, all simmered in a rich tomato sauce and baked to perfection. This traditional Greek recipe is perfect for a comforting meal that will impress your taste buds with its blend of tender textures and zesty, savory flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Onions
- 8 medium yellow onions
Filling
- ¾ cup short grain or arborio rice (soaked)
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 medium yellow onion (diced small)
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 each tomato (grated)
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ⅓ cup fresh chopped parsley
- ⅓ cup fresh chopped mint
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp chicken stock paste
- ½ tbsp dried oregano
Tomato Sauce
- 398 ml canned roma or whole tomatoes (blended)
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and prepare a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or two 9-inch dishes for baking the stuffed onions.
- Soak Rice: Soak ¾ cup of short grain or arborio rice in water to soften it for the filling.
- Prepare Onions: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Trim the tops and bottoms off the 8 onions and peel away the outer skins. Carefully cut a slit down the length of each onion, stopping at the center.
- Boil Onions: Add the onions to the boiling water and cook for about 10-15 minutes until they are softened but still intact.
- Make Tomato Sauce: In a blender, puree the canned tomatoes until smooth to prepare the tomato sauce base.
- Drain Rice: Drain the soaked rice and set it aside for use in the filling.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic and sauté for 4-5 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
- Cook Ground Beef: Add the lean ground beef to the skillet and cook until browned and fully cooked through.
- Prepare Filling: Stir in grated tomato, tomato paste, drained rice, lemon juice, parsley, mint, salt, pepper, chicken stock paste, and oregano. Simmer this mixture for 8-10 minutes to blend the flavors and allow the rice to absorb the liquid.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Pour a thin layer of the blended tomato sauce at the bottom of the prepared baking dish to prevent sticking and add moisture.
- Stuff Onions: Carefully stuff each softened onion with about 2 tablespoons of the meat and rice filling.
- Arrange Onions: Place the stuffed onions tightly together in the baking dish to keep their shape while baking.
- Add Tomato Sauce: Pour the remaining blended tomato sauce evenly over the stuffed onions, then cover the dish tightly with foil.
- Bake Covered: Bake the covered onions in the preheated oven for 30 minutes to allow cooking and melding of flavors.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove the foil and baste the tops of the onions with cooking juices. Continue baking uncovered for an additional 25-30 minutes to brown and caramelize the tops.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle fresh minced parsley over the baked stuffed onions before serving to add a fresh herbal note and vibrant color.
Notes
- Soaking the rice before use helps it cook evenly and absorb flavors without becoming mushy.
- Be gentle when cutting and handling the onions after boiling to prevent them from breaking apart.
- The tomato sauce adds moisture and a rich base, preventing the onions from drying out during baking.
- Using lean ground beef keeps the dish hearty but less greasy.
- Fresh herbs like parsley and mint are key to achieving the authentic Greek flavor profile.
- You can substitute chicken stock paste with vegetable stock paste to make it suitable for vegetarians, but the recipe as is contains beef and chicken stock paste.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Greek
Keywords: Greek stuffed onions, savory stuffed onions, ground beef stuffed onions, baked onions, Mediterranean recipes, traditional Greek dish
