Description
Greek Stuffed Onions (Salantourmasi) is a traditional savory dish featuring tender yellow onions filled with a flavorful mixture of ground beef, rice, fresh herbs, and tomato sauce. Baked to perfection in the oven with a rich homemade tomato sauce, this dish offers a comforting and aromatic taste of Greece that is perfect for family meals or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Stuffed Onions
- 8 medium yellow onions (preferably oval in shape)
- 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
For the 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
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and prepare a 9×13-inch baking dish (or two 9-inch baking dishes) for the stuffed onions.
- Soak the Rice: Soak the short-grain or arborio rice in water while you prepare the other ingredients to ensure it cooks evenly within the stuffing.
- Prepare and Boil the Onions: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Trim the tops and bottoms of the onions and remove their tough outer skins. Make a lengthwise slit halfway through each onion to create layers. Boil the onions for 10-15 minutes until softened but still firm, then remove from water and let cool.
- Prepare Tomato Sauce: Blend the canned tomatoes until smooth. In a bowl, mix the blended tomatoes with water, tomato paste, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Set this sauce aside for later.
- Make the Stuffing: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic and diced onion until fragrant and soft. Add lean ground beef and cook until browned. Stir in grated tomato, tomato paste, lemon juice, chopped parsley and mint, salt, pepper, chicken stock paste, dried oregano, and the soaked rice. Cook the mixture while stirring to blend the flavors well and allow the rice to begin softening.
- Assemble the Stuffed Onions: Carefully peel each boiled onion to separate layers forming cups. Stuff each onion layer with the meat and rice mixture, rolling or folding them to seal the filling inside. Arrange the stuffed onion cups seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
- Add Sauce and Bake: Pour the prepared tomato sauce evenly over the stuffed onions. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 30 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken and the onions to become tender.
- Garnish and Serve: After baking, garnish the stuffed onions with fresh parsley and serve warm for a delicious Greek meal.
Notes
- Using oval-shaped yellow onions helps create better stuffing cups due to their shape and size.
- Soaking the rice before mixing it with the meat ensures it cooks fully inside the stuffed onions.
- Be gentle when peeling the boiled onions to keep layers intact for stuffing.
- Covering the baking dish with foil during the first hour keeps the moisture in and prevents the onions from drying out.
- Fresh herbs like parsley and mint add a bright, fresh flavor balancing the richness of the meat.
