Ancient Greeks stuffed onions with meat in 400 BC because they believed the layers represented eternal life cycles.
Stuffed Onions
Attention, flavor fanatics! Dive into these scrumptiously stuffed onions, brimming with a mouthwatering mix of zesty Italian sausage, hearty ground beef, and fluffy rice, all simmered in savory broth. These delectable gems are not just a feast for the eyes but a delightful explosion of taste in every bite!
Prep
30
min
Cook
60
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(6)
- 1/2 tsp dried basil (2.5 ml)
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds crushed to release the flavour (2.5 ml)
- 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley finely chopped (79.2 ml)
- 6 large yellow onions skins removed
- 1 shallot finely chopped
🥩Meat & Seafood(4)
- 1/2 lb lean ground beef (227 g)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth (120 ml)
- 1½ cups chicken broth (360 ml)
- 1/2 lb ground Italian sausage (227 g)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 1 tsp olive oil (5 ml)
- 1/2 cup jasmine rice rinsed, uncooked (120 ml)
- 1 can finely chopped tomatoes 398mL (13.5 fl oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(7)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper (1.25 ml)
- 1/2 tsp onion powder (2.5 ml)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano (2.5 ml)
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes optional (1.25 ml)optional
- 1/2 tsp salt (2.5 ml)
- 1/4 tsp salt if required (1.25 ml)optional
- 1 tsp fresh thyme finely chopped (5 ml)
📦Other(1)
- 1 cup strained tomatoes passata/smooth (240 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 425 °F.
- 2
Fill a large pot with water and set to high heat while you prepare the onions.
- 3
Slice the top and bottom off of the onions and remove the peel.
- 4
Using a sharp knife slice the onion halfway (lengthwise) through the layers, cutting until you hit the middle of the onion. This will make a slit in the onion, making it easier (once boiled) to peel back its layers.
- 5
Once the water is boiling, add the onions, and allow them to simmer for 10-15 minutes. You want to be able to easily peel back its layers, but avoid over-cooking.
- 6
Remove the onions from the water, add to a colander and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes while you prepare the filling.
- 7
To a large frying pan, add the olive oil and set to medium heat.
- 8
Add the garlic, shallot, ground beef and Italian sausage and begin to fry, breaking up the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon.
- 9
Once the meat is nearly cooked and browned, add the salt, pepper, crushed fennel seeds, dried basil, dried oregano, onion powder, and red pepper flakes and let cook for an additional minute.
- 10
Next, add the rinsed rice, fresh thyme, can of finely chopped tomatoes and chicken broth.
- 11
Allow the mixture to cook on medium heat, stirring often, just until the broth is absorbed and the rice is slightly cooked. About 6-7 minutes. Don't worry about fully cooking the rice, it will finish cooking in the oven.
- 12
Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the Italian parsley.
- 13
Next, prepare the sauce by mixing together the strained tomatoes, chicken broth and salt. Depending if you use a salted chicken broth will determine if you need to add more salt, so taste the tomato sauce before adding it to the onions.
- 14
To a large oven safe pan, or deep baking dish add a thin layer of the tomato sauce to the bottom of the pan.
- 15
Next, begin to stuff the onions. Take each onion layer, add about 2 tbsp of the meat mixture to the centre and gently roll, ensuring the filling stays intact. Add the onions seam side down into the prepared pan or baking dish and ensure the onions fit snug. Repeat until all onions have been used.
- 16
Pour over the remaining tomato sauce, cover with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes, remove the foil and continue cooking for another 20-30 minutes or until slightly golden and bubbly. The onions should be very soft and slightly caramelized.
- 17
Remove the onions from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- 18
Finish with balsamic glaze, a drizzle of olive oil and more fresh parsley.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Blanch onions for exactly 10-12 minutes in rapidly boiling water to soften the pectin between layers without breaking down cell walls completely, allowing clean separation.timing10-12 minutes
- ✓Score onions only halfway through their diameter to create controlled weak points while maintaining structural integrity for the outer shell layers.technique50% depth cut
- ✓Cool blanched onions in ice water for 2-3 minutes to halt carryover cooking, then air-dry for 15 minutes to prevent excess moisture from diluting your filling.timing2-3 minutes ice bath
- ✓Brown your meat filling at medium-high heat (300-325°F pan surface) to achieve Maillard reactions that create deeper flavors before stuffing the delicate onion shells.technique300-325°F
- ✓Reserve 1/2 cup of the onion blanching water to add to your filling if needed - it contains dissolved onion sugars that enhance flavor integration.ingredient1/2 cup reserved liquid
Share this recipe
Prep
30
min
Cook
60
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Ancient Greeks stuffed onions with meat in 400 BC because they believed the layers represented eternal life cycles.
Stuffed Onions
Attention, flavor fanatics! Dive into these scrumptiously stuffed onions, brimming with a mouthwatering mix of zesty Italian sausage, hearty ground beef, and fluffy rice, all simmered in savory broth. These delectable gems are not just a feast for the eyes but a delightful explosion of taste in every bite!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(6)
- 1/2 tsp dried basil (2.5 ml)
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds crushed to release the flavour (2.5 ml)
- 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley finely chopped (79.2 ml)
- 6 large yellow onions skins removed
- 1 shallot finely chopped
🥩Meat & Seafood(4)
- 1/2 lb lean ground beef (227 g)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth (120 ml)
- 1½ cups chicken broth (360 ml)
- 1/2 lb ground Italian sausage (227 g)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 1 tsp olive oil (5 ml)
- 1/2 cup jasmine rice rinsed, uncooked (120 ml)
- 1 can finely chopped tomatoes 398mL (13.5 fl oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(7)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper (1.25 ml)
- 1/2 tsp onion powder (2.5 ml)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano (2.5 ml)
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes optional (1.25 ml)optional
- 1/2 tsp salt (2.5 ml)
- 1/4 tsp salt if required (1.25 ml)optional
- 1 tsp fresh thyme finely chopped (5 ml)
📦Other(1)
- 1 cup strained tomatoes passata/smooth (240 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 425 °F.
- 2
Fill a large pot with water and set to high heat while you prepare the onions.
- 3
Slice the top and bottom off of the onions and remove the peel.
- 4
Using a sharp knife slice the onion halfway (lengthwise) through the layers, cutting until you hit the middle of the onion. This will make a slit in the onion, making it easier (once boiled) to peel back its layers.
- 5
Once the water is boiling, add the onions, and allow them to simmer for 10-15 minutes. You want to be able to easily peel back its layers, but avoid over-cooking.
- 6
Remove the onions from the water, add to a colander and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes while you prepare the filling.
- 7
To a large frying pan, add the olive oil and set to medium heat.
- 8
Add the garlic, shallot, ground beef and Italian sausage and begin to fry, breaking up the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon.
- 9
Once the meat is nearly cooked and browned, add the salt, pepper, crushed fennel seeds, dried basil, dried oregano, onion powder, and red pepper flakes and let cook for an additional minute.
- 10
Next, add the rinsed rice, fresh thyme, can of finely chopped tomatoes and chicken broth.
- 11
Allow the mixture to cook on medium heat, stirring often, just until the broth is absorbed and the rice is slightly cooked. About 6-7 minutes. Don't worry about fully cooking the rice, it will finish cooking in the oven.
- 12
Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the Italian parsley.
- 13
Next, prepare the sauce by mixing together the strained tomatoes, chicken broth and salt. Depending if you use a salted chicken broth will determine if you need to add more salt, so taste the tomato sauce before adding it to the onions.
- 14
To a large oven safe pan, or deep baking dish add a thin layer of the tomato sauce to the bottom of the pan.
- 15
Next, begin to stuff the onions. Take each onion layer, add about 2 tbsp of the meat mixture to the centre and gently roll, ensuring the filling stays intact. Add the onions seam side down into the prepared pan or baking dish and ensure the onions fit snug. Repeat until all onions have been used.
- 16
Pour over the remaining tomato sauce, cover with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes, remove the foil and continue cooking for another 20-30 minutes or until slightly golden and bubbly. The onions should be very soft and slightly caramelized.
- 17
Remove the onions from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- 18
Finish with balsamic glaze, a drizzle of olive oil and more fresh parsley.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Blanch onions for exactly 10-12 minutes in rapidly boiling water to soften the pectin between layers without breaking down cell walls completely, allowing clean separation.timing10-12 minutes
- ✓Score onions only halfway through their diameter to create controlled weak points while maintaining structural integrity for the outer shell layers.technique50% depth cut
- ✓Cool blanched onions in ice water for 2-3 minutes to halt carryover cooking, then air-dry for 15 minutes to prevent excess moisture from diluting your filling.timing2-3 minutes ice bath
- ✓Brown your meat filling at medium-high heat (300-325°F pan surface) to achieve Maillard reactions that create deeper flavors before stuffing the delicate onion shells.technique300-325°F
- ✓Reserve 1/2 cup of the onion blanching water to add to your filling if needed - it contains dissolved onion sugars that enhance flavor integration.ingredient1/2 cup reserved liquid