Greek Stuffed Onions with Beef (Printer-friendly)
Tender onions filled with seasoned ground beef and rice, baked in rich tomato sauce with Mediterranean herbs.
# What you'll need:
→ Onion Layers
01 - 8 large yellow onions
→ Filling
02 - 10.5 oz ground beef
03 - 1/2 cup uncooked long grain rice
04 - 1 medium tomato, grated
05 - 1 small carrot, finely grated
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
08 - 1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped or 1 tsp dried mint
09 - 1 tsp dried oregano
10 - 1 garlic clove, minced
11 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Sauce
13 - 1 2/3 cups tomato passata or strained tomatoes
14 - 1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp water
15 - 2 tbsp olive oil
16 - 1/2 tsp sugar
17 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# Method:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F.
02 - Trim the root and stem ends of the onions. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add whole onions, and simmer for 12–15 minutes until just tender. Drain and let cool slightly.
03 - Carefully peel off the outer layers of each onion, aiming for 2–3 large layers per onion to use for stuffing. Reserve the inner cores for another use or finely chop and add to the filling.
04 - In a bowl, combine ground beef, rice, grated tomato, grated carrot, olive oil, parsley, mint, oregano, garlic, cinnamon, and reserved chopped onion. Season with salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.
05 - Lay out onion layers, place a generous spoonful of filling in the center of each, and roll or fold to enclose the filling securely.
06 - Arrange stuffed onions seam-side down in a baking dish.
07 - In a jug, mix tomato passata, water, olive oil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Pour the sauce over the stuffed onions.
08 - Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 50 minutes.
09 - Remove foil and bake for another 20–25 minutes, until golden and the sauce has thickened.
10 - Rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra parsley if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The onion layers become meltingly tender while holding their shape around a fragrant, spiced filling that tastes like hours of work but comes together surprisingly quickly
- This is one of those dishes that actually tastes better the next day, making it perfect for make-ahead meals or feeding a crowd
02 -
- Do not skip the step of boiling the onions first, as this makes them pliable enough to roll without tearing
- The rice will continue absorbing liquid as the dish rests, so the sauce may look thicker the next day
03 -
- Save any small torn onion pieces to layer on the bottom of the baking dish to prevent sticking
- If the sauce reduces too much during baking, add a splash of water to maintain a silky consistency