Oven-baked dishes are an easy and rewarding way to prepare a meal.
While they’re baking in the oven, this will give you time to check a few more things off your to-do list. For this recipe, the combination of mild onions and savory meat provides a brilliant and aromatic flavor that will wow whoever’s dining at your table.
It’s just the right thing for a cozy dinner at home – rich and flavorful, but so quick and easy to make.
This recipe calls for Spanish onions, and what’s special about them is their size, as well as their taste.
They are larger than other common varieties, and they have a more subtle, light and sweet flavor than the onions that you’re probably used to.
Their juicy but mild flesh makes them perfect for use as a main ingredient in many recipes – but this one is probably my favorite!
The onions are stuffed with ground meat, a rich cream sauce is poured over the top, and they’re baked in the oven – simple as that!
Here are some other ways that I like to use them, for you to try at home:
- Try making a vegetarian version of this dish, and fill the onions with couscous or the grains of your choice instead of meat.
- Slice up some Spanish onions and saute them in a pan with butter or oil and fresh herbs, to serve as a side dish with sausage and mashed potatoes or rice. To figure out which type of vegetable oil is right for the job, take a look at this article.
- Make some extra-large onions rings, dunk the sliced veggies in batter, and deep-fry them.
By the way, their mild aroma also makes them especially suitable for the typically onion adverse, too.
Here’s another idea for a fancy twist on this recipe:
Replace some of the vegetable stock with white wine. Believe me, the depth of flavor that it will add is an excellent companion for the Spanish onions.
Most of the alcohol will burn off as it cooks, but you might want to save this version for when the kiddies aren’t around.
Looking for some suggestions to serve alongside this dish?
I really love to serve some simple long grain rice with it. Mashed potatoes, potato wedges or croquettes (link to recipe?) are perfect pairings, too.
Ready for some more culinary inspiration?
Take a bold step and swap out the onions in this recipe for apples. The juicy, sweet fruit goes so well with the hearty meat filling when it’s baked. You’ll see!
Or, stick with onions but try adding some extra color by using the red variety – the onion flavor might be a little stronger, but they’re definitely eye-catching!
If you’re new to this type of dish in general, pick up on roasted root veggie tips and delicious ideas here. If you’re simply hungry for more roasted veggie versions, don’t miss out on our roasted rosemary carrots!
Not counting baking time, this should take about an hour to put together from start to finish and you’ll have a dish that will amaze your guests and have your family asking for seconds.
Oven Roasted Stuffed Spanish Onions
- Total Time: 75 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 36 fl oz low-sodium beef stock
- 5 large Spanish onions
- 2 1/2 pounds ground meat (a blend of pork and lean beef, or just beef)
- Handful fresh thyme, stems removed and chopped
- 8 oz mild cheese like Monterey jack (about 2 cups shredded)
- Salt and pepper, to taste (about 1/2 tsp each)
- 14 fl oz whipping cream
Instructions
- Bring the stock to a boil in a large saucepan. Peel 8 onions and cook them in the stock until they soften, for approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 390°F/200°C.
- Brown the ground meat in a skillet, then drain it.
- Dice the remaining onion and mix with the thyme, cooked ground meat, and shredded cheese. Season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine.
- Drain the cooked onions and reserve the stock. Cut the onions in half along the equator. Place in a baking dish, scoop out the centers a bit if necessary, and fill with the meat mixture. Mix the stock with the cream and pour over the onions.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, until they take on a nice golden-yellow color and get crispy on top. Serve immediately.
Notes
You may need to alter the recipe based on the the size, shape, and variety of onions you use. We found these VERY large onions at our local HEB grocery store. They were a little larger than a softball. I ended up only using four of them for my version (8 halves).
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 60 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop, Baking
- Cuisine: Comfort Food
Keywords: stuffed onions, cream, ground beef, ground pork
Cooking By the Numbers…
Step 1 – Boil the onion and stock
Pull out a large stock pot and bring the stock (we used a combination of veggie and beef) to a boil and add your onions. Let them simmer at a low boil for 15 – 20 minutes. Go ahead and preheat your oven.
Step 2 – Brown your meat
We prefer to use a carbon steel skillet for chores like this. Carbon steel, cast iron, and even stainless steel cooks protein crispier and injects more “brown” color than nonstick (which often makes meat more grey than brown) thanks to the Maillard Reaction.
We used a combination of beef and pork so we let it cook all the way through to allow for a good chunk of the fat in the pork to render out prior to packing it inside of the onions. Also note that we are making a double batch, so if this looks like a lot of meat – well, it is.
Step 3 – Mix the stuffing
Mix together the browned/cooked meat, spices, diced onion and cheese for your stuffing. To make it go a bit quicker you can use pre-shredded cheese or shred your own with a decent box grater.
Also note that the original recipe called for an extra onion to be used as a diced ingredient. We found that for these particular onions, an extra was not needed and we used the insides of the hollowed out onions for this purpose – more detail to follow.
Step 4 – Hollow out the onions
Remove the onions from the stock with a set of large tongs (such as ones designed for the grill) and place on a cutting board. We’re using a Sani-tuff rubber board for this (pictured) which we highly recommend if you happen to be shopping for a new one.
Cut the onions in two parts by slicing down the equator. The original recipe calls for “scooping” out the middle and again, the technique that you want to use for this will be determined by the variety of onion that you have on hand. We found that ours had easily separable layers.
We simply popped out the middle part and left the outer two or three layers intact. We cut the bulk of middle part away which left the bottom piece which we reinserted into the shell. You’ll want the insides to be still somewhat firm for this technique to work.
The extra from the middle was then used to add to the stuffing mixture as noted in Step 3.
Step 5 – Stuff the shells and pour over the stock/cream mixture
Place the hollowed out onion shells into a roasting pan or casserole dish and try to keep from cramming them together too much (which we had some difficulty with even in our large roaster) as it will allow the tops to become more crispier as they bake.
Add the stuffing mixture so that it “heaps” over the rim of the onion shells.
Pour over the stock and heavy cream mixture.
Step 6 – Bake, plate, and serve
Bake for 30 or 40 minutes or until the tops start getting crispy and taking on a golden brown color. Plate a serve while still hot. Drizzle some of the cream mixture on each onion and on the plate.
Note that a really wide spatula helps to remove the stuffed onions so that they remain intact.
Big fan of this recipe? Shy away from the Spanish and go for this more German baked onion tart recipe you’ll be sure to love!
If you are following a low FODMAP diet, avoid the onions and try our recipe for stuffed acorn squash.
And as always: share your stories and experiences in the comments section below. We love to hear from you!
We have plenty more stuffed veggies for your to make as a hearty dinner. Try these:
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Photos by Mike Quinn, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details.
About Nina-Kristin Isensee
Nina lives in Iserlohn, Germany and holds an MA in Art History (Medieval and Renaissance Studies). She is currently working as a freelance writer in various fields. She enjoys travel, photography, cooking, and baking. Nina tries to cook from scratch every day when she has the time and enjoys trying out new spices and ingredients, as well as surprising her family with new cake creations.
These look delicious! I love baked dishes in the winter, especially because they are easy! Do you think that these (or a version of these) would hold up on the grill?
I do, too. It is easy to prepare (also in advance), cozy and enough for a bunch of people.
I can imagine the onions would work well on the grill. If you put them onto a grill-proof dish or wrap them in some aluminum foil, I think they will turn out nice. I just don’t know exactly how long they should be left on it, maybe the oven time can provide some orientation here.
You could cut the onions in different ways to try what works best on a grill, too. If you should do it, you’re invited to share your experience. 🙂
Thank you for the tips!
I really don’t like onions. At the same time I have never seen the prepared like this before. If I was served a dish like this I think I would give it a try. I always think that if you can take something I don’t like into something delicious then I’ll eat it. Who wants to miss out on a good meal? I know I dont.
I’m happy that you would try it out. I have to say, that I don’t like onions in any ways, too. I just don’t like the flavor of raw slices in my mouth.
But these varieties are really mild and not too strong in taste. And once you boiled onions, they will become so much softer and sweeter that they have a completely different aroma. So I hope – if you should try it out – that you’ll make a similar experience and like this new way of preparing them.
This recipe looks incredibly easy. And it is most likely delicious. After the big snow storm, I’ve been searching for new dinner ideas! I wonder if onion-haters would like this…
Indeed, it is quite simple and a proper hearty meal on cold days.
I suppose this could be one dish to make onion-haters at least try the veggies, because they lose their strong and tart flavor. When they’ve become more mild and sweet, I think that some people will like them more.
This is some sort of heavenly recipe…and I thank you for it. I put onions (and garlic) in almost everything and my kids pick them out. I am an onion lover, in fact it might be one of my favorite veggies. This looks so savory and the texture..ohhhh the texture. This is brilliant and I will be trying this pronto..my husband and I will probably be the only two indulging, but that’s okay. More for us!
Thank you! I’m glad you like it.
If you like onions, I should definitely work on a recipe I have, it’s for a wonderful savory onion quiche. Meanwhile, I hope you and your husband will enjoy this variety very much. 🙂
This looks so delicious! I love onions and so does my husband. This recipe is going to be a huge hit in my house. I am definitely going to try it. It has beef, pork, onions and cheese. There is literally nothing to not like about it. I am also on a low carb high fat diet so this recipe will be perfect if I limit myself to one serving which I honestly think looks rather difficult.
Great, this combination is definitely a winner, isn’t it? And for your diet, it seems to be a good choice, too. Enjoy the onions together with your husband. 🙂
What an interesting recipe! Thanks a lot Nina-Kristin for another wonderful dish! I’ve seen similar recipes but with Green Bell Peppers or Red Bell Peppers, but had never seen a recipe with stuffed onions before, much less Spanish Onions. I actually don’t think I’ve ever seen them or even tried them for that matter. They sure do look tasty though! It would be very nice to try out a new type of onion. Thank you very much once again for another great recipe.
Oh yes, I also know a stuffed bell pepper recipe, I love that! I really like to stuff proper veggies in general, because it is so handy to use the actual product as a bowl for the filling, whether it’s vegetarian or not. The variety with onions is not as widespread, but it works fine, too. I hope you will find a proper type around that is large enough. Enjoy!
I have made stuffed bell peppers before, stuffed tomatoes and stuffed courgette, but never thought off stuffing onions. My husband and I love them and we grow our own, so I will give this a try! It looks like the perfect food for that cold and rainy day 🙂
Oh yes, stuffed courgette is delicious, too. I just love filling vegetables with meat, couscous or else. It always makes a wonderful dish! And, indeed, when it’s really uncomfortable outside, a meal like this is one of the best things to do 🙂
I might actually give this a try with the super bowl coming up. We usually have a party with friends and we try to make something different each year for the party outside of the normal foot ball food. However, I can see where presenting so many onions to a group of people could be bad. Either way this looks great. It looks like it has a lot of elements and skips out on unnecessary carbs so, I’m going to try it.
I agree with you, one the one hand, this is a great meal idea when many people are involved, because it feeds a lot. On the other hand, you’re right that onions might not be everyone’s favorite. Maybe you’ll have it on your own first, and I hope you’ll love it, too 🙂
So I tried this recipe earlier for lunch, however I tweaked the ingredients a bit by adding some portobello mushrooms with a browning sauce and a hint of garlic and parmesan cheese. It was superb! I must say this is something I would expect to find in one of the restaurants in Tribeca, not my kitchen. Thanks for this.
Mmmh, mushrooms, garlic and parmesan sound like one amazing combination. Happy to hear that it worked out and you had a fantastic meal. Thanks for sharing your experience!
In all my years of cooking and collecting recipes, I have to say that I’ve never seen any like this… I will be giving it a try. My first thought was that it would smell incredible.. throughout the whole house, actually!
I’m glad to see that the alcohol is just optional because I don’t cook with it… I probably would have substituted broth anyhow, but it’s always nice to see an alternative. 🙂
I love the idea of going half pork and half beef… I know we’d like this…. and the apple version, too!
Is there any particular mild cheese that you’ve found works better than others?
Great! Oh and I appreciate that you’d be brave enough to try the apple version. It is unusal, but it works.
Well, I’ve tried different kinds like swiss Emmentaler cheese, that one is quite common here and not too strong. But I once tried cheddar and it was wonderful, too. So I have no clear favorites 😉
Last but not least, enjoy the smell (it is so tempting, indeed!), the preparation and the consuming, of course 🙂
I sure will enjoy the smell! 🙂 No question there! When it comes to the cheese, I have to buy Gruyere for another recipe and I’m assuming it will work for this, too.
As for the apple… well, apple and pork have always been a nice pairing, so I’m expecting to love that, too.. hubby will like it, but daughter won’t eat baked apple of any kind… more for me. 😀
Oh yes, Gruyere seems to be a good choice, as well. Haven’t had that one in mind. It’s late afternoon here, and I’m really getting hungry talking about cheese, apples and meat right now!
Good for you that there’s more for you to eat of the apple-version. Enjoy it while it lasts and until your daughter has discovered the magic of baked apples, too! 😉
Oh, that looks yummy. I think it would make a pretty addition to a dinner party. It would be good for a light fare buffet style meal as well. While not particularly “light” per say, it is when compared to a large piece of meat or something.
Hmmm, it could also work with brunch. I am having lots of ideas for using this great recipe.
I’m happy that you’re already making plans with the recipe 🙂 I think using it for brunch is a fine idea, but as part of a buffet, I’m sure they make a pretty good chioce as well. They can work as a main meal, starter, but also a side. And there are lots of things one can combine them with, because they actually go with almost everything, which is a perfect quality for buffets.
This is a fresh take on cooking onions. I normally just see these onions used in my favorite burgers. So, I think this is something I will enjoy with great delight. Just going through the recipe makes me salivate. Sorry, gross. But really, that’s how I’m reacting to the pictures as they give out a big promise of yummy-ness.
Right, that is one usual purpose for those large onions. Well, now you know how you can use them yourself and enjoy their complete yummy-ness 🙂
I’m going to add this one to my recipes folder for sure. I really like onions but my boyfriend isn’t a fan, it’s the only thing he’s picky about, so I’ve been trying to find some good recipes to change his mind! I never realized that different varieties could have a lighter flavor so I’m going to give it a try and see what he thinks… I love making roast dinners at this time of year 🙂
Oh, I will keep my fingers crossed that you can convince your boyfriend with this fabolous dish. The onions develop a different flavor and they become much softer. You’re welcome to tell how it worked out.
Either way, I wish you loads of fun preparing a new roast-recipe at home 🙂
Very nice. I wish i had all the ingredients to make this. Would of never thought of boiling the onion and stock.
Thanks for this You made me really hungry.
This looks absolutely delicious. I know onions aren’t for everybody, but I’m sure even your average Joe can look past that. I would love to try this with a few dashes of cumin, basically making it taste like a delicious taco.
Cumin is a perfect addition in this case, I can see it working well with the onions and the general flavor of the dish. That is a great (and delicious) idea, thanks!
These look amazing! I’m a huge fan of onions, and although I usually enjoy them by adding them to pretty much every meal, this is a good way for me to take my onion game to the next level! I don’t know where to find the Spanish varieties where I am, but I’ve found that the red ones have a slightly milder flavor than the white ones, so I think those would work although I usually only find small ones. But that just means I’ll have to get a few extra and make them that way!
Sure, the red onions make a fantastic substitute, although they often have a smaller size, I usually have the same problem. As you suggest, just get some extra ones and solve the problem this way. Plus, they make this dish a true eye-catcher!
So, I wish you lots of fun on the next onion level 🙂
Honestly, reading the title of this recipe made me recoil, but after seeing how it’s made and what goes into the process … I’m hungry. Great recipe!
I’m not the biggest fan of onions. In fact, I usually really dislike them. However, this recipe actually looks quite delicious! I love the idea of putting them with mashed potatoes or wedges. I think it’d be a really unique thing to serve- not too heavy, yet it seems filling!
It makes me happy to hear that even onion-skeptics seem to consider trying this recipe. That is a good sign 🙂 If you should try it out some time, you’re welcome to share how you liked it.
These look really well-made! What I like to do is to pour a whole egg into the hollowed-out onion before popping it into the oven. What you end up with is an edible onion cup holding a perfectly-cooked egg. It’s best if the yolk is just a little runny and mixes into the onion.
I really like the idea with the egg. I haven’t thought about this, but it is for sure one thing I will try out. Thank you for that creative input.
I did not know I could say “Yum” so many times! This looks so good, and looks like it would smell even better. I will definitely be looking for Spanish onions in the grocery store. Easy and simple; Great post!
I have never been a fan of onions, I hated them as a child but I am always up for trying new things. As a matter of fact I recently tried pickled onions in vinegar on Fish, this probably sounds disgusting but it was actually quite tasty lol. Pickled onions in vinegar on Fish sound no where as tasty as Stuffed Spanish onions so I am certainly up to give this recipe a try. The method is so simple but yet the finished product seems so exotic and fancy schmancy I can see this being a hit at a dinner party.
This recipe is very unique and I commend for being adventurous and so creative for coming up with this. Stuffed bell peppers is quite popular but who would have thought of using onions this way!
Kudos! and thanks for sharing.
Well, although it may not sound too intriguing at the first glance 😉 I think that pickled onions go great with vinegar. And as vinegar works well with fish, it sounds like a reasonable thing to connect both for a dish! Creativity in the kitchen often pays off.
Thanks for your comment, too, and enjoy this dish!
I am not a fan of onions but i would definitely try this. A creative new way to enjoy them lol. Beef is something that’s enjoyed here in Jamaica and so i would use it and trade the mild cheese for mozzarella cheese or cheddar cheese. I would also add different vegetables to it as well to add to the nutritional value and i would actually try to find spanish onion as the onion that is sold here is a different kind. Maybe that’s why it doesn’t taste great lol
Oh yummy, I love mozzarella cheese on so many things. And cheddar would be an amazing choice, too! Together with some vegetables, it really makes a wonderful and nutritional meal. I keep my fingers crossed that you will find a proper variety of onions to use for this and make it a tasty, delicious oven-dish 🙂
This dish looks gorgeous! It definitely catches your eye on the page. I really want to make this after seeing the lovely pictures and reading the recipe. It seems like it would be amazing. I a big fan of mixing sweet and savory, so I may try this with an apple, as suggested. This looks like the stuffed pepper’s slightly more sophisticated cousin, if that image makes any sense.
Thank you, how great that you want to try the apple-version, too! Plus, I really love the comment about being a sophisticated cousin 😉 Next time, I’m doing this dish for my family, I am going to present it with this nickname!
This dish looks AMAZING! And it sounds so easy to make too! Definetly trying this one out very soon. Thank you for the recipe!
Interesting. I did not know stuffed onions was a thing up until now. I think I am totally going to make a vegan version of this for my gf sometime. Thanks!
Sure, a vegan version is wonderful, too. It is practical, as you have many tasty options to substitute the meat and cheese. I hope this will be a sucess for both of you!
I am not a huge fan of onion unless they are sauteed or finely diced. However, while reading and scrolling through these images, I may be a convert. Perhaps I will try this as a side or on the bbq. Has anyone tried making these on the bbq?
I know that mbrougham11 wanted to try them on the grill.
I suggested to use a grill-proof dish to put the onions in or to cover them with aluminum foil, so the filling won’t fall out.
I think the roasting time for the oven can give you some help for the correct time of leaving them on the bbq.
If someone has tried it already, let’s hear how it worked out 🙂
This is really interesting! Perfect for any onion lovers. I’ve only ever seen the vegetable added as a seasoning, but never as a main dish! I never thought that you can stuff it with meat. I think that my Dad will really appreciate the cuisine when he comes to visit me. I love easy and interesting food like this 🙂
There aren’t lots of recipes with onions playing the leading part, that’s right. I think this dish proves that they can be much more than just a side or an addition. I’m happy that you already have the idea to serve this to your dad. I hope he’ll like it!
I have never seen a recipe like this! It has my mouth watering. I am dying to try it. This meal seems best of both worlds savory, but light. It doesn’t seem like it would be something super heavy on days you would want something a bit lighter. I think these would be amazing on the grill. You had so many wonderful variations and that is the cool part of this recipe. It seems like it would be very versatile.
Oh yes, the balance between hearty & mild and filling, but not too rich is wonderful. I also think that it is versatile: You can use different methods of preparation and either serve it as a main dish or with something aside. Even the filling can be substituted with things like couscous or else. I really like recipes one can get creative with. Enjoy this one! 🙂
Looking at the picture, it looks like a very difficult dish to do but I guess, like you say, it is as simple as that. Who knew stuffing an onion with regular ground meat and tasty grated cheese could make for a “delicious” dinner, I am just wondering where I will be able to buy these “Spanish Onions” that are essential for this recipe, but is it possible to use regular onions despite their small size?
I have always loved Spanish dishes so this is for me to try at home, thank you Nina-Kristin Isensee.
Thank you 🙂
Don’t worry, it might be some patience necessary to scoop out the onions properly, but overall, it is not too difficult. I’m sure you’ll be fine. And you can definitely use other onion varieties if you can’t find these large ones. If possible in any way, try to find some that are not too small. Otherwise it will become really difficult to hollow them and – worst case – they will probably fall apart. I hope you can find proper kinds and enjoy this tasty oven dish!
What an incredibly simple recipe but my mouth is watering reading it! I will definitely be trying this out. It would work well as a winter supper or a great starter for a dinner party and would provide a great talking point!
Thanks, it’s great that so many people enjoy this recipe suggestion.
Sure, it is really versatile, just as you say. I hope you will suceed and they will suit your taste and those of your guests – so you can talk about it positively 😉
I love onions but I’ve never tried the spanish variety, I’ll have to keep an eye out for them the next time I’ll go to the grocery store and I really hope to find them because I need to try out your recipe as soon as possible! It looks fantastic and I like the combination with the meat and the cheese. Thank you so much for the great recipe and for the tips, I’ll make sure to use a bit of white wine to enhance the flavor.
I’ll keep my fingers crossed that you’ll find proper varieties for making this dish. I’m sure you’ll love it, I think the mix of savory ingredients works wonderful, plus that dash of wine.. so yummy! Enjoy this meal!
This looks absolutely gorgeous! I’ve never before come across a recipe where onions are the main ingredient. I love onions and the combination you’ve suggested in the recipe sounds simply amazing. I think the base will probably lend itself successfully with a variety of stuffing, and it’s definitely something I’d like to experiment with. Will probably have to quadruple the quantities since I can see these tasty snacks disappearing at the speed of light once placed on the table!
Thank you. I agree with you that this is a nice dish to try with various stuffings. There are so many opportunities. I also liked the idea of putting onions back into the spotlight. They deserved it 😉 So I hope you and everyone around will enjoy this savory oven dish!
I’m gonna go out on a limb and guess that these mysterious spanish onions are, around here, “onions”, hahaha.
This looks really good! I’ll probably try it with bechamel instead, first. Might not come out as good, but I find it is more a fool-proof sauce for the oven….I’d probably get the cream all wrong.
Yeah, here in Germany, they have different names, too. One common term is (literally translated): vegetable onions. Those ones can become very large and I like to use them for dishes like this.
Great idea to use bechamel. It should fit really well and – I agree with you – it works nice in ovens. Enjoy!
I think that I have heard this one before, but without the onion dish, but it seems such a good touch since Spanish onions don’t really have a strong taste as regular onions.
I really enjoyed the melted cheese touch, I’m imagining how it can taste and I can’t wait to try it. Without mentioning that it seems such an easy recipe.
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Exactly, the Spanish varieties are milder, they even have some sweet nuances (depending on preparation). This is a lovely hearty meal, and for me, all the ingredients work well together. Cheese and onion – what else?! 😉 Try and enjoy this recipe!
Hi!
The recipe looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it! I am curious, is 1051 calories per serving a typo? They looks so low calorie with the exception of heavy cream!
Thank you for catching our error! The recipe has been updated. This dish is about 550 calories per serving.