Stuffed Onions with Rice and Pine Nuts Recipe
Stuffed Onions with Rice and Pine Nuts is a delightful Middle Eastern-inspired dish featuring tender onion layers filled with a savory mixture of Arborio rice, tomato purée, aromatic spices, fresh herbs, and toasted pine nuts. Baked until golden and caramelized, these stuffed onions offer a fragrant and flavorful vegetarian main or side dish perfect for any meal.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Rice and Onion Preparation
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (uncooked)
- 8 medium white onions
Sauté Mixture
- 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup tomato purée
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Stuffing and Garnish
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- 1/2 cup chopped mint
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- Chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Get ready: Preheat your oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Rinse the Arborio rice and soak it in water for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Prep the onions: Cut off the top, bottom, and outer skin of the onions. Make a lengthwise cut down the center from top to bottom, stopping halfway through so you do not cut all the way through the onion.
- Boil the onions: Add the prepared onions to the boiling water and cook for 10-15 minutes until they start to soften but still hold their shape. Drain and set aside to cool until manageable.
- Separate the layers: From the cut side, carefully peel off 4-5 whole onion layers per onion, keeping them intact to use for stuffing. Chop the remaining inner onion layers for the filling.
- Sauté: Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic and sauté for about 3 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the tomato purée, season with salt and pepper, and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Make the stuffing: Drain the soaked rice and add it to the bowl with the sautéed onion mixture. Add ground cumin, cinnamon, toasted pine nuts, chopped parsley, chopped mint, a pinch of salt and pepper, and 1/2 cup water. Mix well until combined.
- Stuff the onions: Spoon the rice mixture onto each whole onion layer and roll it up gently to encase the filling. Arrange the rolled stuffed onions tightly in a medium shallow baking dish, Dutch oven, or oven-safe pan. Pour 1/2 cup water, the white vinegar, and the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil evenly over the onions.
- Bake: Cover the dish with a lid or foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and continue baking for another 30 minutes until the onions are slightly golden and caramelized. For extra color, broil for 1-2 minutes just before serving.
- Serve: Garnish with additional chopped parsley and toasted pine nuts. Serve warm as a flavorful vegetarian entrée or side dish.
Notes
- Arborio rice is preferred for its creamy texture, but medium-grain rice can be used as a substitute.
- Be careful not to overcook onions during boiling so they keep firm enough to hold the stuffing.
- Broiling at the end adds a beautiful caramelized finish but can be skipped for a softer top.
- This dish is vegetarian and can be made vegan by ensuring the tomato purée and other ingredients contain no animal products.
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat gently in the oven or microwave.
Keywords: stuffed onions, rice stuffing, pine nuts recipe, baked stuffed onions, Middle Eastern vegetarian dish, Arborio rice recipe
