Stuffed onions trace their origins to the ancient Middle East and the broader Mediterranean, evolving as part of the dolma family of stuffed vegetable dishes. I have been lucky enough to eat them often in Greece, and to me they taste like holidays. Stuffed vegetables in one form or another are popular all around the Mediterranean and further into Europe, including in the South of France, where I grew up. We called them Légumes à la Provençale, and while every region makes them a little differently, they all share that same beautiful idea of making vegetables shine.
This is my non-traditional, heart-healthy version, made with a fiber-rich lentil filling, lots of herbs, and walnuts for healthy fats and crunch. I tried this with pine nuts too, but I preferred the bite of walnuts, and they are a little more budget-friendly, so it is an absolute win-win.
This recipe is perfect if you are trying to host on a budget. The ingredients are humble, but the way they are cooked and the love you put into making the dish make it feel really special. The result is bluffing with caramelized onions, slow-baked tomato sauce, fragrant herbs, and a crunchy, nourishing filling. An absolute treat.
Why I love this recipe (as a nutritionist)
- Fiber packed: onions, lentils, and tomato bring 16 g per serving, more than half of what most of us need in a day
- Iron-rich: 9 mg per serving, paired with alliums and vitamin C that helps you absorb it
- Protein from heart healthy sources: 20 g per serving, mostly from the brown lentils and the walnuts
- Prebiotics for your gut: onions and garlic are two of the best sources of inulin, the fiber your good gut bacteria feed on
- Walnuts instead of pine nuts: they bring plant-based omega-3 and they’re far kinder on the grocery bill. I also prefer the crunch they provide
- Budget-friendly, and generous at the table: this feeds three as a main, or four alongside a salad and some crusty bread. Swap the fresh mint for dried mint, if neede
Ingredient notes
- Yellow onions: the filling and the wrapper both. Boiling them for 15 minutes softens the layers enough to peel apart whole and roll without splitting. They can be called brown or yellow onions, depending where you are in the world, but are the exact same
- Cooked brown lentils: creamy and mild, and where most of the protein and iron come from. Green or Puy lentils hold their shape just as well. Red lentils break down as they cook, so they don’t work here. Canned lentils are great here; just rinse well before using to reduce sodium intake.
- Arborio rice, also known as risotto rice, goes in dry and finishes cooking in the sauce while the onions bake, so the filling stays creamy rather than dry. Short-grain white rice is the closest swap.
- Walnuts: roughly chopped, they give the filling some texture and bring healthy fats.
- Parsley and mint: fresh is best; in a pinch, use dried herbs instead. I have not tested the exact ratio with dried herbs, but I would start with 1 tbsp of each, taste, and go from there.
Step by Step Photos
Boil the onions. Trim both ends and peel off the papery skin, then cut an incision down one side of each onion, straight to the center but not all the way through. Boil for 15 minutes, until the layers are soft and flexible enough to separate.
Start the filling. Soften the diced onion in olive oil, then add the garlic, tomato paste, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. In go the diced tomato, cooked lentils, dry arborio rice, walnuts, and vegetable broth.
Cook it down. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, then transfer everything to a large mixing bowl and pile the parsley and mint on top.
Stir the herbs through. Then take your cooled onions and gently peel the layers apart, keeping the big outer ones as whole as you can. Set the small inner layers aside.
Fill each layer. Cup a layer in your palm and spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling into the middle. It varies a little depending on the size of the layer.
Roll them up. Fold the layer around the filling and roll it into a parcel, then set each one seam-side down as you go.
Line the pan. Spread half the tomato sauce over the bottom of a large oven-safe dish, then arrange the parcels snugly on top, seam-side down.
Sauce and cover. Pour the rest of the sauce over the top so every parcel is coated, then put the lid on. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 30 minutes.
Finish uncovered. Take the lid off and bake for another 30 minutes, until the tops are golden and catching color at the edges. Scatter over fresh parsley and serve straight away. View recipe card below for detailed instructions.
Variations and tips
- Why walnuts and not pine nuts: pine nuts are traditional in a lot of stuffed vegetable recipes, but when I tested them, I preferred the texture of walnuts. They are also more affordable, so a win-win!
- Save the small inner layers: the centers are too small to stuff. Keep them for any soup or sauce you’re making later in the week.
- Leftover filling: depending on the size of your onions you may have some left. Put it in a small oven-safe dish, cover with a mix of vegetable broth and a little tomato puree, and bake it covered alongside the onions for about 40 minutes, until the rice is cooked through. It makes a lovely side, or you can use it to stuff other vegetables.
- Serve it as a spread: this is gorgeous with a Greek salad, some crusty bread, or just some grilled greens. Served that way it stretches to four.
- If you like this recipe, you’ll also love our Mediterranean Zucchini Roll Ups or One-Pot Mediterranean Orzo Bolognese.
Why you’ll love this Mediterranean Stuffed Onions TL;DR
- Fiber-rich
- Iron-rich
- Budget-friendly
- Gluten-free
- Generous enough for a gathering
FAQ
- Is this gluten-free? Yes!
- Can I make it nut-free? Yes. Swap the walnuts for toasted sunflower seeds in the same quantity.
- How many people does it serve? Three as a main. If you serve it with a salad and some bread (which I recommend) it comfortably stretches to four.
- How do I store leftovers? Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat them covered, so the onions don’t dry out.
- Can I make it oil-free? Yes. Soften the filling in a splash of vegetable broth instead of the olive oil, and leave the oil out of the sauce.
Mediterranean Stuffed Onions
Equipment
- Large Pot
- oven-safe dish with lid
Ingredients
- 6 large yellow onions - peeled
Filling
- 2 tsp (10 ml) olive oil
- 1 onion - peeled and finely diced
- 6 garlic cloves - peeled and finely minced
- 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste
- 2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin
- ½ tbsp (2 g) dried oregano
- ¼ tsp sea salt flakes
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tomato - diced
- 1.5 cups (300 g) cooked brown lentils
- ½ cup (100 g) dry arborio rice
- ⅓ cup (40 g) walnuts - roughly chopped
- ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable broth
- ¾ cup (45 g) fresh parsley - finely chopped
- ½ cup (15 g) fresh mint - finely chopped
Sauce
- 1 cup (240 ml) pureed tomato - also called passata in some countries
- 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable broth
- 2 tsp (10 ml) olive oil
Toppings
- fresh parsley - finely chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the onions: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Trim both ends of the 6 large yellow onions, keeping the onions as intact as possible. Peel away the papery outer skins, then make an incision down one side of each onion, only cutting through to the center (don’t chop them in half). Add the onions to the boiling water and boil for 15 minutes, until softened and flexible enough to separate into layers. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle.
Optional, but to speed it up, I like to layer them on a baking tray and place in the oven - Prepare the filling: Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until softened. Add the garlic, tomato paste, ground cumin, dried oregano, sea salt flakes, and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant.
Add the diced tomato, cooked brown lentils, arborio rice, walnuts, and vegetable broth, stir to combine, then cook covered for 5 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, and stir in the parsley and mint. Set aside. - Separate the onion layers: Gently peel away the larger outer layers, keeping them as whole as possible for stuffing. Set the smaller inner layers aside.
- Make the tomato sauce: In a bowl, stir together the pureed tomato, vegetable broth, and olive oil.
- Assemble the dish: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Choose a large oven-safe dish or pan with a lid (make sure it’s oven safe). Spread half of the tomato sauce over the bottom of the dish.
- Stuff the onions: Place about 2 tablespoons of filling onto each onion layer (this can vary slightly depending on its size). Roll the onion around the filling, then place seam-side down in the prepared dish. Repeat with the remaining onion layers and filling, arranging the stuffed onions snugly in the dish.
- Add the remaining sauce: Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the stuffed onions, making sure they are evenly coated.
- Bake: Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 30 minutes.
- Serve: Top with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and serve straight away.
Notes
Leftover inner onion: Save the smaller inner onion layers you set aside. They are perfect to add to any soup or sauce you are making later in the week. Leftover filling: Depending on the size of your onions, you may have some filling left over. Add it to a small oven-safe dish and cover with a mix of vegetable broth and a little tomato puree. Bake it covered alongside the stuffed onions for about 40 minutes, until the rice is cooked through. It makes a delicious side to use later in the week, or you can use it to stuff other vegetables. Serving suggestion: This is delicious as part of a hosting spread with a lovely Greek salad, such as Greek-Style Crispy Potato Salad with Tzatziki or Balanced Greek Salad, some crusty bread, or even just some grilled greens. If serving it with other accompaniments, this recipe can serve 4 people.
Per Serving/Portion
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