Description
Greek Stuffed Onions, also known as Salantourmasi, are a savory and aromatic dish featuring tender onions filled with a flavorful mixture of ground beef, rice, fresh herbs, and tomato sauce, slow-baked to perfection. This traditional Greek recipe offers a delightful balance of tender textures and rich Mediterranean flavors, perfect as a comforting main course or an impressive side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Onions
- 8 medium yellow onions (preferably oval in shape)
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Stuffing Mixture
- 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
- â…“ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- â…“ 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 the oven to 425°F (220°C) and prepare a 9×13-inch baking dish or two 9-inch baking dishes to hold the stuffed onions during baking.
- Soak Rice: Soak the short-grain or arborio rice in water to soften it while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Prepare Onions: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Trim the tops and bottoms off the onions and remove the tough outer skins. Make a lengthwise slit halfway through each onion. Boil the onions for 10-15 minutes until softened, then remove and let them cool.
- Make Tomato Sauce: Blend the canned tomatoes until smooth. In a bowl, combine the blended tomatoes with water, tomato paste, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Set this sauce mixture aside.
- Cook Stuffing: In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic and diced onion until soft and translucent. Add ground beef and cook until browned. Stir in grated tomato, tomato paste, lemon juice, fresh parsley, fresh mint, chicken stock paste, dried oregano, salt, pepper, and the soaked rice. Simmer gently while mixing to combine flavors.
- Stuff Onions: Carefully peel the softened onions into individual layers forming cups. Fill each onion layer with the meat and rice mixture, rolling or folding to seal the filling inside. Place each stuffed onion seam-side down into the baking dish.
- Bake: Pour the prepared tomato sauce evenly over the stuffed onions. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 30 minutes until the sauce thickens and the onions are tender and flavorful.
- Garnish and Serve: Once baked, garnish the stuffed onions with freshly chopped parsley. Serve warm as a hearty main dish or side.
Notes
- Soaking the rice before using helps it cook evenly inside the stuffed onions.
- When peeling the onions after boiling, work gently to keep the layers intact for stuffing.
- Using fresh herbs like parsley and mint adds brightness and authentic Greek flavor to the dish.
- The tomato sauce not only enhances flavor but also helps keep the onions moist during baking.
- This dish can be prepared a day ahead and reheated, allowing flavors to deepen.
