Description
Greek Stuffed Onions are a delicious and comforting Mediterranean dish featuring tender onion shells filled with a flavorful mixture of ground lamb, rice, fresh herbs, and tomato. Baked to perfection and optionally topped with crumbled feta, this recipe offers a unique twist on classic comfort food that’s perfect for a hearty main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Onions
- 6 large yellow onions
Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground lamb (or beef)
- ½ cup cooked white rice
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small tomato, grated
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- Salt and pepper to taste
Additional Ingredients
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- Optional: crumbled feta cheese for topping
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the stuffed onions.
- Prepare Onions: Peel the onions and slice just enough off the top and bottom so they sit flat. Boil the whole onions in salted water for 10 minutes until softened. Drain and let cool slightly.
- Create Onion Shells: Carefully peel away the outer 3–4 layers from each onion to create hollow shells suitable for stuffing. Chop the remaining inner onion centers and set aside.
- Sauté Filling Base: In a skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil and sauté the chopped onion centers and minced garlic until they become soft and fragrant.
- Cook Meat: Add the ground lamb to the skillet and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks to ensure even cooking.
- Mix Filling Ingredients: Stir in the cooked rice, grated tomato, tomato paste, parsley, mint, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook for an additional 2–3 minutes to combine flavors, then remove the pan from heat.
- Stuff Onions: Gently fill each prepared onion shell with the meat and rice mixture, taking care not to overfill or damage the shells.
- Arrange and Add Liquids: Place the stuffed onions upright in a baking dish. Pour the lemon juice and broth over and around them to keep them moist during baking.
- Bake Covered: Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the onions to soften further.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15–20 minutes until the tops are golden and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Serve: Serve the stuffed onions warm, topped with crumbled feta cheese if desired for added tang and richness.
Notes
- You can prepare the filling a day in advance to save time during assembly.
- For a vegetarian variation, substitute cooked lentils or mushrooms for the ground meat.
- This dish pairs wonderfully with tzatziki sauce or a fresh Greek salad for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed onion
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 460mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 17g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
