Loaded with tremendous flavor, my Greek Stuffed Onions are at the top of my list for comfort food. Ground beef is combined with rice, herbs, and feta, stuffed into onions, and baked in a tomato sauce until tender and caramelized, yielding the perfect blend of taste and texture.
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Putting a spotlight on onions
I use onions in so many recipes, and mostly as a starter and part of the mirepoix, but whenever I can showcase onions as the main ingredient, I do so! From pasta alla Genovese, to French onion soup, and now my Greek stuffed onions, this incredible vegetable proves time and time again that it’s more than just a soup starter or a burger topper.
These stuffed onions are loaded with Greek-inspired flavor from mint, oregano, and feta and the hearty combination of beef and rice ensures a full and satisfying meal (that’s also naturally gluten-free).
While these onions are filling enough on their own, they’d be great alongside Greek lemon potatoes, lemon rice, or spanakorizo.
Recipe Ingredients
All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.
- Onions. Large yellow onions are best for Greek stuffed onions. You can use red or white onions too if that’s what you have on hand. Just be sure they are large! Note: Onions are called for twice in this recipe: 6 large onions for stuffing, and 1 large onion gets diced for the filling.
- Beef. I’m using ground chuck because it has the most flavor, but you can use ground sirloin, or ground turkey. A combo of ground lamb and beef, similar to my Greek meatballs and potatoes, would be fantastic!
- Rice. I’m using arborio rice, but you can use other types of rice.
- Feta. While not a conventional ingredient in Greek stuffed onions, I love the flavor it adds and think the onions are better with it, than without.
- Herbs. Fresh mint and parsley, plus dried oregano give this dish incredible flavor!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
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How to make it
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Make a slit down one side of each onion.
- Boil the onions in salted water until soft and save the onion broth. Once cool enough to handle, separate the largest outer layers (about 3-4 per onion), and save the centers for the sauce.
- In a large pan over medium heat cook the diced onions until soft, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add the ground beef and cook over medium-high heat until the beef browns.
- Add the salt, pepper, and tomatoes and simmer.
- Once the filling thickens, add the rice and mix well, then remove the pan from the heat and add the oregano, parsley, mint, and feta. Taste test and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Place the outer layers of the onions on a board.
- Scoop about 1-2 tablespoons of the filling and place in the center of the onion piece, then roll and place seam side-down into a 9×13 baking dish, and repeat for the remaining onion pieces. They should be nestled close to each other to prevent them from opening. Note: a second baking dish may be needed.
- In a large measuring cup or bowl, combine the tomato paste with 3 cups of the reserved onion broth and 1 cup of the chopped onion centers. Use an immersion blender (or stand blender) to puree until smooth.
- Taste test and season with salt and pepper, then pour the sauce into the baking dish until it mostly covers the stuffed onions. If more liquid is needed, add some of the hot onion broth.
- Cover the baking dish(es) tightly with foil and place on top of a baking sheet for easier handling and to catch any spills.
- Bake on the middle rack of a 375°F oven for 1 hour, then remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and the onions have caramelized. If needed, broil for the last minute or so, but watch carefully to prevent burning. Serve with feta, pitas, or flatbreads, and enjoy!
Top tips
- Cutting the onions. Before boiling the onions, you’ll need to make a cut down 1 side of the onion. This will allow the outer layers to easily come apart so you can stuff them later on. Don’t cut the onion in half though, since the layers will then be too small to fill.
- Making the sauce. Be sure to save the water from the boiled onions and the boiled onion centers for later in the recipe as they’re key components of the sauce.
- Cooking the stuffed onions. Greek stuffed onions take about 1 1/2 hours to cook. At the end, the onions should have a nice caramelization, but if you’d like them to be more charred, turn on the broiler for the last minute to help them develop more color. Be sure to watch very carefully while under the broiler, as they can burn quickly.
More recipes you’ll love
If you love these Greek stuffed onions, give these other stuffed vegetable recipes a try!
- Sausage-stuffed zucchini
- Italian stuffed peppers
- Stuffed cubanelle peppers
- Stuffed cabbage rolls
- Roman stuffed tomatoes
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Greek Stuffed Onions
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 1/2 pounds (680g) ground chuck
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 14-ounce can crushed plum tomatoes
- 1 cup (200g) arborio rice rinsed until water runs clear
- 1/4 cup minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
- 1/4 packed cup fresh mint chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
For the sauce
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 3 cups (720ml) saved onion broth
- 1 cup boiled onion centers finely diced
- salt and pepper to taste
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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 so that the whole piece of onion can be used for stuffing. 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 down below.
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 and cook for another 2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add the ground beef and mix to combine. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook the beef until it begins to brown. Season with salt and pepper then add the tomatoes and cook over a simmer. Once the sauce starts to thicken, add the rice and mix well to combine.
- Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the oregano, parsley, mint, and feta cheese. Taste test and season with more salt and pepper if required.
Stuff the onions and pour over the sauce
- Scoop about 1-2 tablespoons of the filling and place in the center of an onion piece. Roll like a shell and place seam side down in a 9×13 baking dish. Repeat for the remaining pieces, making sure to arrange the stuffed onions very close to one another so that they don't open. Note: You might need 2 baking dishes to fit all of the onions.
- In a large measuring cup or bowl combine the tomato paste with 3 cups of onion broth and 1 cup of the chopped onion centers. With an immersion blender, puree until smooth. Taste test and season with a touch of salt and pepper. Pour the sauce into the baking dish until it mostly covers the stuffed onions. If needed, add more hot onion broth. Cover the dish tightly with foil.
- Bake for 1 hour covered, then remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes or until the liquid has thickend and the onions have caramelized. If needed, broil for a couple of minutes but watch carefully.
- Serve with pita and more feta on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
- Onions. I used 6 very large onions but use more if your onions are smaller. Only use layers large enough to wrap completely around the filling. The leftover small parts can be used for the sauce or saved for another purpose.
- Beef. Ground chuck is more flavorful, but feel free to use leaner cuts such as ground round or sirloin.
- Other proteins. Ground turkey or ground lamb can be subbed for beef.
- Leftovers. Greek stuffed onions can be saved in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat in a 350°F oven, covered with foil, until hot.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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What can I use instead of the mint? I don’t care for mint in savory dishes. Thank you.
You can use parsley or dill.
I like the soups you make, but I will stick with my stuffed cabbage. Seems too much trouble & waste of time, onions, didn’t like texture of rice–how long did you soak it? A bit complicated.
This is a very tasty dish! It seems like it would be very involved and very time consuming but, in reality, the time is mostly hands-off oven time. It is worth the effort it does take because the taste is the pay off.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Lyla!
Holy cow! Made this last night, and it was amazing. Although my broiler is not working.
WAS eve nmore FANTASTIC tonight! Reheated. here’s the story…..instructed Husband to turn the oven OFF at 5 when he took grand-daughter to violin… leave the dish in the oven, while I went to tend to grand-daughter #2 soccer. Got home before he did. OVEN still ON!!!
Onions were carmelized! Looked like the picture. Flavor amazing. Husband forgiven! Thank you James and Tara!!
We’re so happy you enjoyed, Lydia!
How long does the rice need to be soaked? Am I looking to change the texture?
Hi Lisa, you can just give it a rinse. It does not need to be soaked – we updated the recipe to reflect that.
Gather than dicing a 7th onion for the filling – could I use dice up the insides of the boiled onions in the for the filling?
You can. The way I wrote the recipe is for speed, so that you can boil and saute at the same time.
This one needs a video.
Too complicated from just text and pictures.
Hi Anthony. We might make a video, but I try to write my recipes in a thorough way and of course take pictures of the whole process.