Stuffed Onions
Have you ever tried stuffed onions? It’s a cozy, Mediterranean-inspired main that takes some effort but the result is very fancy!
So many savory dishes start with chopping an onion… But what if we made onion the star of the show? These melt-in-your-mouth stuffed onions are filled with lentils, rice, herbs, and simmered in a rich tomato broth with a drizzle of delicious Pompeian olive oil.
I won’t lie, this recipe takes some work. But it’s totally worth it for the deep flavors you get and the looks, of course!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Elegant but accessible is the perfect way to describe this recipe. It looks impressive, but the ingredients are common and not overly expensive.
- The filling and sauce come together in one pan before baking the stuffed onions. There’s nothing I love more than a recipe that uses only a few dishes!
- Protein-rich lentils and rice wrapped in sweet, tender onions provide nourishment and comfort in a neat little parcel.
- If you’re looking for a visual masterpiece that also tastes great, this is a gorgeous main dish for dinner parties or special family meals.
Key Ingredients
- Pompeian Olive Oil is rich and smooth, which adds the perfect amount of depth to both the filling and sauce.
- Yellow onions become sweet, silky, and perfect for stuffing once they are soft.
- Brown lentils are hearty, earthy, and protein-packed. It’s the perfect whole food alternative to artificial vegan mince.
- Arborio rice adds creamy texture and binds the filling together, along with the vegetable broth.
- Fresh herbs, including parsley and basil, elevate these stuffed onions with a hint of freshness to balance the rich sauce.
Hack It!
- Green lentils work just as well. If you’re out of lentils, canned beans will do the trick (although the texture will be softer).
- You can use homemade or store-bought vegetable broth. In PlantYou Scrappy Cooking, you’ll even find a recipe for a rich mineral broth made with food scraps!
- If you want to prep this recipe in advance, fill the onions and store in an airtight container. Make the sauce but store separately. This way, you just have to put the dish in the oven.
- Got some leftover produce? Things like spinach, kale, or bell peppers can be cooked with rice and lentils.
- Don’t throw away leftover onion. You can use them to make vegetable broth, add them to vegan peanut stew or vegetable pancake.
How to Make Stuffed Onions
Step 1: Trim the top and bottom off each onion and peel 1-2 tough outer layers. Using a small knife, carefully slice down one side of each onion from top to bottom, cutting just to the center without slicing all the way through.
Step 2: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil the onions whole for 10 to 12 minutes until softened.
Step 3: In a separate bowl or jug, make the tomato sauce. Whisk together the crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Step 4: Once soft, drain the onions and let them cool slightly. When the onions are cool enough to handle, carefully separate them into layers.
How to Make the Filling
Step 5: Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the red onion and garlic for 5 minutes until translucent.
Step 6: Stir in the tomato paste, salt, oregano and dried basil.
Step 7: Add the lentils, rice, tomato, parsley and vegetable broth. Stir to combine and heat through, then remove from heat.
Step 8: Preheat the oven to 375F. Spoon the lentil mixture into the onion layers, and arrange them in a cast iron pan or a baking dish.
Final Steps
Step 9: Pour the tomato sauce around the stuffed onions, covering the base of the dish.
Step 10: Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 15-20 minutes until the onions are golden and tender and the sauce has thickened.
Frequently Asked Questions
I always try to make longer recipes meal prep friendly! Fill the onions and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Make the sauce but store separately. This way, you just have to follow steps 9-10.
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave.
Red lentils will get mushy. However, green lentils work well!
I recommend Pompeian because of its clean, balanced flavor and consistent quality. It elevates both the filling and sauce!
More Plant-Based Mediterranean Recipes
- Mediterranean Bowls
- Kale White Bean Salad
- Couscous Salad with Feta and Mint (Vegan)
- Olive Salad
- Easy Greek Bowl Recipe
If you’re passionate (or curious) about vegan cooking, you should join our Plant Cooking Club on Substack! Every week, you get delicious recipes in your inbox, along with community connection and exclusive updates from my kitchen.
The Recipe: Stuffed Onions
Ingredients
- 6 yellow onions, large, preferably oval (skins removed)
For the filling
- 2 tbsp Pompeian Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 red onion, small, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 16 oz canned brown lentils, 1 can, rinsed
- ½ cup arborio rice, rinsed, uncooked
- 1 roma tomato, diced
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ¼ cup vegetable broth
Tomato sauce
- 1½ cup crushed tomatoes, canned
- 3 tbsp Pompeian Olive Oil
- 2 cups vegetable broth
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Trim the top and bottom off each onion and peel away the papery skin, removing the outer 1–2 tough layers. Using a small knife, carefully slice down one side of each onion from top to bottom, cutting just to the center without slicing all the way through.
- Boil the onions whole for 10 to 12 minutes until softened, then drain and let cool slightly.
- For the filling, heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the red onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes until translucent. Stir in the tomato paste, salt, oregano and dried basil.
- Add the lentils, rice, tomato, parsley and vegetable broth. Stir to combine and heat through, then remove from heat.
- In a separate bowl or jug, prepare the tomato sauce. Whisk together the crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Once onions are cool enough to handle, separate them into layers.
- Spoon the lentil mixture into the onion cups and arrange in a cast iron pan or baking dish. Pour the tomato sauce around the stuffed onions, covering the base of the dish.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 15-20 minutes until the onions are golden and tender and the sauce has thickened.
Serving suggestion
- Serve hot with crusty bread or a side of vegan tzatziki.
Notes
-
- Green lentils work just as well. If you’re out of lentils, canned beans will do the trick (although the texture will be softer).
-
- You can use homemade or store-bought vegetable broth. In PlantYou Scrappy Cooking, you’ll even find a recipe for a rich mineral broth made with food scraps!
-
- If you want to prep this recipe in advance, fill the onions and store in an airtight container. Make the sauce but store separately. This way, you just have to put the dish in the oven.
-
- Got some leftover produce? Things like spinach, kale, or bell peppers can be cooked with rice and lentils.
- This recipe yields 4-6 servings, depending on what you pair these onions with.