Description
A delicious and comforting Greek dish featuring tender onions stuffed with a savory mixture of beef, rice, and fresh herbs, all baked in a rich tomato sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Onions:
- 8 medium yellow onions (preferably oval in shape)
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Stuffing:
- ¾ cup short-grain or arborio rice, soaked
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 tomato, grated
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ⅓ cup fresh mint, chopped
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp chicken stock paste
- ½ tbsp dried oregano
Tomato Sauce:
- 1 can (398 ml) roma or whole tomatoes, blended
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Prepare a 9×13-inch baking dish (or two 9-inch baking dishes).
- Soak the Rice: Soak rice in water while preparing the other ingredients.
- Prepare and Boil the Onions: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Trim the tops and bottoms of the onions and remove the skins, discarding the tough outer layers. Make a lengthwise slit through each onion, only cutting to the middle. Boil onions for 10-15 minutes until softened, then remove and cool.
- Prepare Tomato Sauce: Blend canned tomatoes and mix with water, tomato paste, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Set aside.
- Make the Stuffing: In a skillet, heat olive oil and sauté garlic and diced onion until soft. Add ground beef and cook until browned. Stir in grated tomato, tomato paste, lemon juice, fresh herbs, seasonings, and soaked rice. Simmer and mix well.
- Assemble the Stuffed Onions: Carefully peel each onion to form individual cups. Stuff each layer with the meat and rice mixture, rolling or folding to seal. Place seam-side down in the baking dish.
- Add Sauce and Bake: Pour tomato sauce over stuffed onions. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake for an additional 30 minutes until sauce thickens and onions are tender.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm.
Notes
- Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Leftovers can be reheated in the oven or microwave.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins
- Category: main course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed onion
- Calories: 366
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 740mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 70mg