stuffed onions

This classic Bosnian dish of layers of sweet onion stuffed with ground beef is perfect for long winters but adored year-round.

Beef-Stuffed Onions

onions

white vinegar

beef

rice

garlic

tomato paste

sweet paprika

parsley

salt

black pepper

vegetable oil

Sour cream

Lemon wedges

Cut off the ends of onions and peel off the papery layers. Place the onions into a Dutch oven or a large pot, cover with water, and add 1/4 cup vinegar. Bring to a boil and cook until soft but not falling apart, about 15 minutes. Remove the onions from the water and let them cool enough for handling.

Separate onion layers without tearing by gently squeezing out ring after ring (see recipe notes for tips). Set aside the larger rings and chop the smaller, inside rings.

In a medium bowl, combine 1 pound ground beef, 1/3 cup rice, one egg, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon salt or Vegeta, and 1/2 tablespoon black pepper. Mix gently with clean hands until just incorporated.

Fill onion rings with meat mixture until all stuffing is used.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a casserole pan with two tablespoons of vegetable oil. Place some of the chopped onions on the bottom of the prepared pan and layer with stuffed onions.

Pour enough water to come up about an inch from the top, cover, and bake for about 40 minutes, turning the onions over once halfway through the baking.

OVEN-BAKED OPTION:

Grease a large pot with oil and cover with some of the remaining chopped onions. Layer the stuffed onion rings into the pot by placing them tightly next to each other. Top with more chopped onions (you don't have to use them all) and add enough water to cover the onions.

Cover the pot with lid and cook for 30 minutes over medium-low heat until soft and rice is cooked.

To serve, transfer the stuffed onions onto plates and pour with sauce. Serve drizzled with lemon juice and a dollop of sour cream alongside crusty bread.

STOVETOP OPTION:

In-season sweet Vidalia onions are positively delicious stuffed and baked and make for a great side dish alternative to potatoes or pasta.

Stuffed Vidalia Onions

large Vidalia (or other sweet variety onions, about 3/4 lb each)

butter

white pepper

all-purpose flour

dry white wine

chicken broth

half-and-half

Panko crumbs

Paprika

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Trim a thin slice from both ends of each onion, then peel away the papery skin and place the them in a covered, microwave-safe dish with about 1/4-inch of water in the bottom.

Microwave at 80% power until the outer layers of the onion are tender but not soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, drain off the water and let stand, uncovered, until cool enough to handle.

Begin removing the inner layers of the onion by inserting a fork into the center and twisting. Pull upward gently, remove the core and transfer to a cutting board.

Remove additional layers until you are left with a hollow shell about 3/8-inch thick. This could consist of either one or two of the outer layers, depending on the individual onion.

Roughly chop the inner layers of the onion into 1/2 inch pieces.

Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle the flour evenly over the onions and combine.

Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the flour turns uniformly golden in color, 4 to 5 minutes longer.

Add the white wine and combine thoroughly. Stir in the chicken broth and continue cooking until the mixture is thickened and smooth, about 3 minutes more. Add the half-and-half, taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Using a teaspoon, fill the onion shells with the creamed mixture, pressing down gently after each spoonful. Top with a sprinkling of panko crumbs and dust with a bit of paprika for color.

Bake, uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the crumb topping is golden brown.

Makes 4 servings

Stuffed Onions or Sogan Dolma is popular throughout the Middle East. The onions are stuffed with a mixture of meat, rice, herbs, and spices. They&#039;re sweet and tangy and melt-in-your-mouth delicious!

Stuffed Onions (Sogan Dolma)

6-8 medium yellow onions

salt ((divided))

jasmine rice

onion

mint leaves ((chopped))

dill ((or 1 tablespoon dill weed))

garlic ((minced))

¾ tsp black pepper

paprika

cayenne pepper ((optional))

pomegranate molasses

olive oil

lemon juice

Tbsp unsalted butter ((or olive oil))

water

peel, slice, boil onions

Slice ends off of onions, then peel. Use a sharp knife to slice onion halfway through the layers, see photos. Add to a medium pot and cover with water. Add ½ teaspoon salt and bring to a boil, then cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until you can easily separate onion layers.

wash rice, soak in water.

While the onions are cooking, wash rice to remove most of the starch, then cover with warm water to soften.

prepare filling

Dice beef finely and add to a large bowl. Add chopped onion, parsley, mint, and dill. When the rice has soaked for 20 minutes, strain and add to the bowl. Add crushed garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, black pepper, paprika, and cayenne (optional). Mix in pomegranate molasses, tomato paste, and olive oil.

Prepare Filling

assemble dolma

Separate onion layers, removing the thin membrane in between them, if visible. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each layer, then roll to make a tight bundle.

fill pot with dolma

Pack onion dolma seam-side down tightly around the edges of a wide pan or pot and work towards the center of the pot. Continue until you have used up all of the onions and the filling mixture.

Assemble Onion Dolma

prepare tomato sauce

In a small saucepan, whisk tomato paste, lemon juice, butter, and ½ teaspoon salt with 2 cups of water. Bring sauce to a boil over medium heat. Pour the sauce over the stuffed onions.

Prepare Tomato Sauce

cook stuffed onions

Place a large plate over the onions (optional), then cover with the lid and cook over medium heat until the liquid begins to boil. Turn heat to lowest setting and simmer for 1 hour or until the juices are absorbed and the rice is tender.

cool before serving

Allow the onion dolma to set for 15 minutes before serving.

Cooking Instructions

Loved it and I also added a few additions to it like some Lemon Zest in the filling mixture along with substituting  beef broth instead of water. I also used Italian short white rice as a replacement for regular grain.
TJ from Wisconsin,USA

I love your recipe, I made it a few times now! Thank you for sharing it!
It’s so good especially with yogurt. 
They’re great on their own but I usually make a little extra of the sauce, add a few more spices and thicken it to eat them with rice and yogurt. That way I don’t finish the entire batch too quickly haha

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Beef-Stuffed Onions

Stuffed Vidalia Onions

Stuffed Onions (Sogan Dolma)

Top 3 stuffed onions recipes from across the web

The most viewed stuffed onions recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

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Beef-Stuffed Onions

Stuffed Vidalia Onions

Stuffed Onions (Sogan Dolma)

The most viewed stuffed onions recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine