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Greek Stuffed Onions

Greek Stuffed Onions

Greek Stuffed Onions are packed with ground beef, rice, feta, and herbs, baked in tomato sauce until golden and tender.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Greek
Servings 6 onions
Calories 580 kcal

Equipment

  • large pot
  • large pan
  • 9x13 baking dish
  • immersion blender

Ingredients
  

Base ingredients

  • 6 large onions

For the filling

  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion finely diced
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1.5 pounds ground chuck
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 14-ounce can crushed plum tomatoes
  • 1 cup arborio rice rinsed until water runs clear
  • 0.25 cup minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
  • 0.25 cup fresh mint chopped
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 0.5 cup crumbled feta cheese

For the sauce

  • 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
  • 3 cups saved onion broth 720ml
  • 1 cup boiled onion centers finely diced
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste

Instructions
 

Boil and prep the onions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F and set the rack to the middle level.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cut off the tops and bottoms of the onions and remove the skin. Make a slit down 1 side of the onion.
  • Boil the onions until soft (about 10-15 minutes) and save all of the onion broth.
  • Once the onions can be handled, separate the largest outer layers (approximately 3-4 per onion). Save the onion centers for the sauce.

Make the stuffing

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft then add the garlic.
  • Add the ground beef and mix to combine. Cook the beef until it begins to brown. Season with salt and pepper then add the tomatoes.
  • Once the sauce starts to thicken, add the rice and mix well.
  • Remove from heat and mix in the oregano, parsley, mint, and feta cheese.

Stuff the onions and pour over the sauce

  • Scoop about 1-2 tablespoons of the filling into the center of each onion piece. Roll like a shell and place seam side down in a baking dish.
  • Combine the tomato paste with the onion broth and diced onion centers. Puree until smooth.
  • Pour the sauce into the baking dish until it mostly covers the stuffed onions. Cover with foil.
  • Bake for 1 hour covered, then remove foil and bake for another 30 minutes until liquid has thickened.
  • If needed, broil for a couple of minutes. Serve with pita and more feta.

Notes

Use large layers that can wrap around the filling. Leftover small parts can be used for the sauce. Ground turkey or lamb can be substituted for beef. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days or freeze for 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1onionCalories: 580kcalCarbohydrates: 39.1gProtein: 36gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 9.8gCholesterol: 112mgSodium: 570mgFiber: 3.7gSugar: 8.4gCalcium: 112mgIron: 6mg
Keyword baked onions, comfort food, Greek recipe, Greek Stuffed Onions, main dish, stuffed onions
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